Iran-Contra Affair: The Diversion Scandal

2950 Words6 Pages

Iran-Contra Affair: The Diversion Scandal

Eugene Hasenfus of Marinette, Wisconsin was captured when his cargo plane suffered damaging missile blows. Hasenfus’ outdated cargo plane was knocked from the sky as a result of Nicaraguan surface to air missiles. After notifying the office of the United States Vice-President, informants in both El Salvador and Costa Rica would scramble to assess and control a seemingly uncomplicated situation. While United States officials prepared to limit their damages, the Nicaraguan captors televised Hasenfus’ explanation of illegal actions by the United States and specifically the Reagan Administration in support of the rebel Contras.

President Ronald Reagan strongly opposed the Sandinista government of Nicaragua in 1979, suggesting its communist nature as the reason for a necessary opposition. While the workings of the Iran-Contra affair were entirely covert, there was a time when Reagan openly supported Nicaraguan rebel factions. The president was understood to strongly oppose the Sandinista regime as evident by the termination of Nicaraguan aid and the support of the Nicaraguan Democratic Resistance. At one point, Regan goes on to state his readiness "to accept the idea of overt aid to the anti-Sandinista guerrillas in Nicaragua." Reagan went on to address Congress and compel them to take action in Nicaragua as a function of United States foreign policy. A joint session of Congress however was unconvinced as Reagan’s support of anti-Sandinista groups would not prevail. The Democratic majority of the House of Representatives would succeed in their doubt of anti-Sandinista efforts, actualized by specific legislation. Representative Edward P. Boland introduced the “Boland Ammendment” for the ...

... middle of paper ...

... system for the Contras. On November 25, 1986 President Reagan and Meese announced the scandal on national television, as well as John Pointdexter’s retirement and Oliver North’s reassignment to the United States Marines.

Bibliography

1) Byrne, Malcolm. Digital National Security Archive. 26 Jan. 1990. National

Security Archive. <http://nsarchive.chadwyck.com/icessayx.html>.

2) Draper, Theodore. A Very Thin Line. 1991. Questia Online Library

3) Grosvenor, Charles R. The Iran Contra Scandal. 1995.

<http://www.inthe80s.com/scandal.html>.

4) Stitch, Rodney. Defrauding America. N.p.: Diablo Western P, 1984. 1-654.

5) The Iran Contra Conspiracy. N.p.: W.W Norton & Company, 1998. 4-544.

6) Walsh, Lawerence E. United States Court of Appeals. Final Report of the

Independent Counsel for Iran/Contra Matters. 04 Apr. 1993.

More about Iran-Contra Affair: The Diversion Scandal

Open Document