The desire to fund the sandinista rebellion in nicaragua ultimately has been combined with the need to rescue american hostages in iran. President ronald reagan addresses the nation after congressional hearings on iran contra affair duration. As you all know by now, my name is oliver north, lieutenant colonel, united states marine corps. The iran contra conspiracy and coverup by lawrence e. An actual scandal, one that remains mysterious to this day, seemed to me to be much. Miller pleads guilty to conspiracy to defraud the united states. Mar 15, 2017 while some of the inherent problems in the tower commission, such as senator towers conflict of interest and family ties to cia, have been documented, the fact is that none of the governments investigations into the matter were able to proceed without obstruction. Viewers made comments about the hearings they have seen so far. Representative thomas foley discussed testimony from the iran contra hearings. President reagan and national security adviser robert mcfarlane.
Congressional committees investigating the irancontra affair. The desire to fund the sandinista rebellion in nicaragua ultimately has been combined with. Reagans scandal and the unchecked abuse of presidential power, by malcolm byrne. Malcolm byrne discusses his new book, irancontra, at. North testifies publicly under grant of immunity before congress. Transcripts from the hearing in the new york times record the following dialogue between congressman jack brooks, norths. The hearings ran from 5 may 1987 to 6 august 1987, and the. But if fiers is correct, topranking cia officials not only knew about the operation and did nothing to stop it. The irancontra affair american experience official site. William barr and the irancontra scandal the millennium report. Iran contra affair scandal that erupted after the reagan administration sold weapons to iran in hopes of freeing american hostages in lebanon. Like the previously issued tower commission report, they conceptualized the crisis as a problem of cowboy bureaucrats out of control, and thus suggested that.
In 1987, a joint congressional committee held hearings investigating the secret sale of arms to iran in exchange for hostages and to fund the contra rebels in nicaragua. Nov 17, 2015 watergates punk cousin, the irancontra scandal, lurks in the background throughout karen olssons new novel, all the houses. His diaries, email, and memos on the kerry report, contras and drugs. Caso irancontra, popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the irancontra scandal, or simply irancontra, was a political scandal in the united states that occurred during the second term of the reagan administration. Joint housesenate irancontra committee history commons. Representative james courter discussed the irancontra. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. November 9, 2012 the irancontra scandal had a big effect on the united states but it had a huge effect on nicaragua. Senator inouye, the committee chairman, twice intervened, ruling that the question was highly sensitive and classified, and should only be discussed in executive session. Along with a leading role in the iran contra scandal in which north helped sell arms to iran to fund the contra war north is also said to have employed air and. In the televised iran contra hearings, north was asked by congressman brooks to discuss the alleged contingency plan to suspend the american constitution. The records of independent counsel walsh include security classified and otherwise sensitive information. The democratic and republican leaders of congresss joint irancontra investigation begin meetings to discuss the logistics of the upcoming public hearings see may 5, 1987.
William barr and the irancontra scandal the millennium. The final report on iran contra, which has rarely been seen but was found in the crest archive, makes this explicitly clear. It actually goes into great depth about the intricate activities that encompassed the selling of arms to iran and the funding of the contras. The irancontra affair was the product of two separate initiatives during the administration of president ronald reagan. Iran relations project, which promotes multinational and multiarchival. What are quality books about the irancontra affair. In the room where the irancontra hearings had been held, staffers were. Popular iran contra books meet your next favorite book.
Iran contra hearings closing statement ladies and gentlemen, the public phase of our hearings is now over. These claims have led to investigations by the united states government, including hearings and reports by the united states house of representatives, senate, department of justice, and the cias office of the inspector general. The existence of rex 84 was first revealed during the irancontra hearings in 1987 and reported by the miami herald on july 5, 1987. Speaker of the house jim wright dtx later recalls that house committee chairman lee hamilton and i bent over backwards to be fair to the republicans. Oliver north is sworn in july 7, 1987, before the congressional committee investigating the irancontra affair. The hearings were called to order about two months after the release of the tower commissions report that was ordered by president ronald reagan, which did not blame reagan directly for the irancontra affairs, but said he should have been more informed about the events. News part 1 oliver north day 6 morning abc 14 jul 1987 duration. President reagan, in 1982, sent american marines to beirut as part of a. With the stroke of a pen, bush gleefully set free six of his irancontra criminal flunkies, and effectively decapitating special prosecutor lawrence walshs sixyear long irancontra probe. Irancontra is the first fulllength account of the affair to study and assess the various official investigations that were convened the tower commission, the joint congressional hearings, and the independent counsels inquiry. As a handful of white house officials began to creep into my book, i was struck by. The final report on irancontra, which has rarely been seen but was found in the crest archive, makes this explicitly clear.
The lunch ends with gemayel pushing for the united states to help him. The irancontra affair 19861987 the washington post. In 1985, while iran and iraq were at war, iran made a secret request to buy weapons from the united states. The irancontra affair american experience official site pbs. This book is a very good overview of the irancontra scandal, and it is well written. Through out 198586, the reagan administration was selling weapons to iran illegally in order to encourage iran to free hostages in the middle east. Mycspan users can download up to four full congressional sessions or hearings for free each month. Irancontra hearings closing statement ladies and gentlemen, the public phase of our hearings is now over. In 1987, amid the iran contra inquiry, investigators found that the scandal fit within a larger republican scheme for manipulating. Irancontra affair scandal that erupted after the reagan administration sold weapons to iran in hopes of freeing american hostages in lebanon. Senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to the. The irancontra affair american experience official.
Caso iran contra, popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the iran contra scandal, or simply iran contra, was a political scandal in the united states that occurred during the second term of the reagan administration. Joint housesenate irancontra committee was a participant or observer in the following events. Watergates punk cousin, the irancontra scandal, lurks in the background throughout karen olssons new novel, all the houses. On may 5, 1987, the world tuned in to watch the joint hearings of house select committee to investigate covert arms transactions with iran and the senate select committee on secret military assistance to iran and the nicaraguan oppositionsoon to be known as the irancontra hearings. In 1987, amid the irancontra inquiry, investigators found that the scandal fit within a larger republican scheme for manipulating. Feb 18, 2012 news part 1 oliver north day 6 morning abc 14 jul 1987 duration. Latest news, headlines, analysis, photos and videos on iran contra. List of books and articles about irancontra affair online. Contradictions, disarray and a case for impeachment the purpose of this essay is to analyze the irancontra scandal and to argue whether the president of the united states, ronald reagan, deserved impeachment as a consequence.
The senates final report on irancontra showed extent to. The congressional committees investigating the irancontra affair were committees of the united states house of representatives and of the united states senate formed in january 1987 to investigate the irancontra affair. Full text transcript and audio of oliver north opening statement at iran contra hearings lieutenant colonel oliver north. The televised hearings of the irancontra select committees focused very narrowly on the iran arms sales and the diversion of some of the concomitant profits to the contra cause. Reagans scandal and the unchecked abuse of presidential power kansas, 2014. What we saw in the irancontra hearings, was the exposure of the beginnings of a national security state which believes it has the right to override the constitution of the united states in the name of security. Irancontra hearings oliver north testimony 1987 youtube. Other documents may be requested under the freedom of information act. My best friend is my wife betsy, to whom i have been married for 19 years and with whom i have had four wonderful children, aged 18, 16, 11, and 6. As malcolm byrne demonstrates in his very fine book, the irancontra affair.
Mcfarlane sought reagans approval, in spite of the embargo against selling arms to iran. It was barr who closed the lid on irancontra, freeing virtually the entire bushclinton. Joint hearings on the irancontra investigation keywords. Many comparisons have been made between russiagate and the earlier scandals of watergate and iran contra, but the similarities are at best superficial, explained robert parry on june 28, 2017. The reported effort by president trump to pressure the f. During the early 1980s nicaragua was led by a newly established government known as the sandanistas. President ronald reagan addresses the nation after congressional hearings on irancontra affair duration. Finally, ladies and gentlemen, it takes little sophistication to realize that the motive for the irancontra hearings was an attempt to weaken a popular republican president and to provide support for a potential impeachment against him, but as we realize, even impeachment proceedings by a joint senatehouse committee is unconstitutional, and. The irancontra affair popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the iran contra scandal, or simply irancontra, was a political scandal in the united states. Operation garden plot is a subprogram of rex 84 program, short for readiness exercise 1984, the militarys plan to impose martial law and intern dissidents and others in an undisclosed number of concentration camps. Along with a leading role in the irancontra scandal in which north helped sell arms to iran to fund the contra war north is also said to have employed air and.
Transcripts from the hearing in the new york times record the following. Congressional committees investigating the irancontra. It may interest you to know that we have concluded our hearings in 41 days of testimony, which includes one day of executive session, and this was in accordance with our. Walsh iran contra report chronology of key public events. Nov 27, 2015 to understand the iran contra scandal, two nations must be understood and contextualized.
Popular iran contra affair books meet your next favorite book. Latest news, headlines, analysis, photos and videos on irancontra. Retired general secord sets up contra supply operation retired air force major general richard secord becomes deeply involved in organizing a covert supply operation for nicaraguas contras under the name airlift project. The robert gates file the irancontra scandal, 1991 confirmation hearings, and excerpts from new book safe for democracy. The iran contra affair was the product of two separate initiatives during the administration of president ronald reagan. Joint hearings on the iran contra investigation keywords. The limitations of each helped lead to an inconclusive end to the affair, which has had implications for the. Several additional witnesses were heard and several others recalled in the coming weeks, including rodney mcdaniel nsc staff member who took notes at the presidents daily intelligence briefings and michael ledeen former consultant to the nsc.
Listen to malcolm byrne discuss his new book irancontra. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. Finally, ladies and gentlemen, it takes little sophistication to realize that the motive for the iran contra hearings was an attempt to weaken a popular republican president and to provide support for a potential impeachment against him, but as we realize, even impeachment proceedings by a joint senatehouse committee is unconstitutional, and. Irancontra itself is a euphemism for the outrageous fraud perpetrated by government criminals for profit and control. Many comparisons have been made between russiagate and the earlier scandals of watergate and irancontra, but the similarities are at best superficial, explained robert parry on june 28, 2017. While some of the inherent problems in the tower commission, such as senator towers conflict of interest and family ties to cia, have been documented, the fact is that none of the governments investigations into the matter were able to proceed without obstruction. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. Mar 14, 2011 rex 84 was publicly mentioned during the iran contra hearings in 1987. Irancontra hearings contradict rule of law speeches. The irancontra affair 20 years on documents spotlight role of reagan, top aides. The book takes the reader through the original letters, meetings and policy. Secret teams and covert operations in reagan era marshall, jonathan, scott, peter dale, hunter, jane on.
As the mosaic of the irancontra affair comes together, the deception by key figures in the reagan administration is increasingly evident. The research is thorough, yet byrne is able to narrate the. List of books and articles about irancontra affair. Offhandedly, this inaccurate term entered history as shorthand for the public scandals of illicit arms sales to iran coupled with illicit weapons deals for nicaragua. The committees held joint hearings and issued a joint report. Rex 84 was publicly mentioned during the irancontra hearings in 1987. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia.
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