The irancontra affair, also referred to as irangate, contragate or the irancontra scandal, was a political scandal in the united states that came to light in november 1986. New yorker, 1121992 israel is a logical conduit for arms to iran, as it has been selling arms to iran periodically since 1979, originally as part of its efforts to get iran to allow iranian jews to emigrate to israel. It presents a tale of politics, drugs, hostages, weapons, assassinations, covert operations and the ultimate plan to suspend the u. Bolton was working as an assistant attorney general in the reagan administration during the iran contra affair. The irancontra conspiracy and coverup, was a damning indictment of how the.
New tom cruise movie slammed for abusing facts to attack. The iran contra affairs were covert operations managed by a member of the national security council staff. The major elements of the iran contra story were well known long before the 1986 exposures, apart from one fact. In 1985, while iran and iraq were at war, iran made a secret request to buy weapons from the united states. Twenty years later, the iran contra affair continues to resonate on many levels, especially as washington gears up for a new season of political inquiry with the pending inauguration of the 110th congress and the seeming inevitability of hearings into a range of bush administration policies. The irancontra scandal, as this video illustrates in the beginning, is probably one of the most ignored events of the 1980s.
Get the latest irancontra affair news, articles, videos and photos on the new york post. If we ignore the october surprise for the moment, the irancontra affair began as a response to the lebanon hostage crisis, which wikipedia. That clash continues under the presidency of george w. President reagan and national security adviser robert mcfarlane. Senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to the. Covered are the allegations of secret governments, drugs, cia involvement, assassinations and even a plan to suspend the constitution. The iran contra affair involved a secret foreign policy operation directed by white house officials in the national security council nsc under president ronald reagan. The united states was the largest seller of arms to iran under mohammad reza. The irancontra affair as seen through american, middle eastern, and soviet news sources in early november 1986 a small local newspaper in lebanon broke a scandal that would cast dark shadows of suspicion on the reagan administration, call into question american global. The triumph of conservatism 19801992 flashcards quizlet. Reagan and bush criminal liability evaluations november 25, 2011 the irancontra affair. An investigative piece discussing the activities that occurred during iran contra. Irancontra was one of the many clandestine operations under the guise of s. The extent of iranianisraeli cooperation that came about as a result of the irancontra affair has been seen by some as even more surprising than the u.
Understanding the irancontra affairs the legal aftermath the. In 1987, amid the iran contra inquiry, investigators found that the scandal fit within a larger republican scheme for manipulating. For much of the film, hes covered with sweat, grime, blood or in. Before the films ignominious conclusion, real violence rears its head.
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. Behind the iran contra affair a tangled tale of politics, drugs, hostages, weapons, assassinations, covert operations and the ultimate plan to suspend the constitution of the united states. Coverup was the first film to reveal the october surprise hostage deal the reaganbush campaigndeal with iran to delay the release of the 52 american hostages until after the 1980 election, and is the only film which presents a comprehensive overview of the most important stories suppressed during the iran contra hearings. The film reveals a shadow government of former cia operatives, drug smugglers, top us military personnel and others, revealing evidence. Understanding the irancontra affairs the irancontra. Sep 08, 2006 the iran contra affair, 1986 noam chomsky chomskys brief account of the us selling arms to iran via israel in order to fund farright paramilitary contras in nicaragua. He resisted efforts to investigate the irancontra scandal. Irancontra summary executive summary in october and november 1986, two secret u. North, oliver oliver north testifying at the irancontra. The tower commission finds that the president had not been told enough about the affair to cover it up michael white in washington thu 27 feb.
Irancontra affair legal definition of irancontra affair. The irancontra affair 20 years on the national security archive. North, oliver oliver north testifying at the iran contra. Prior to 1979s iranian revolution, iran and israel had been on civil terms, but this took a dramatic turn in the opposite direction following the revolution. The shadow government of assassins, arms dealers, drug smugglers, former cia operatives and top us military personnel who were running foreign policy unaccountable to the public, revealing the reaganbush administrations plan to. Twenty years later, the irancontra affair continues to resonate on many levels, especially as washington gears up for a new season of political inquiry with the pending inauguration of the 110th congress and the seeming inevitability of hearings into a range of bush administration policies. Lawrence walshs contribution to history march 26, 2014 irancontra at 25. Barry seal, a reallife, albeit minor, figure in the irancontra scandal, takes. American made is an irancontra movie that gets high on its. Congress or violated the stated public policy of the government. To fully understand irancontra, you must know the history behind it. From the phoenix program, secret teams, ncs and more there were many illegal and horrible things that happened inclucing the mystery death of my associate jerry hog daniels, whom. Each of these terms iran contra affairs, covert operations, the national security council and its socalled staffneeds some explanation, because they are not what they may seem.
Worldwide english title alternative spelling cover up. Irancontra affairpresident ronald reagan in 1985, during the second term of the reagan administration, the u. The iran contra affair the iran contra affair was an underground operation within the cia that was interwoven between two foreign policy issues that were unlikely to connect had the players in the ordeal not utilized one to benefit the other. The film takes an obvious conspiracy theory approach, which, although sometimes entertaining, sometime relies too much on documents and information that arent actually seen.
Third, these documents are uptodate many being only three years old at the time of publication, broadranging and virtually unutilized by either scholars or the news media. Cover up behind the irancontra affair is a thorough investigation into information suppressed during the irancontra hearings in 1987 where it was found that senior officials in the united states government secretly facilitated the sale of arms to iran. 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. With elizabeth montgomery, jack brooks, barbara honegger, david macmichael. Mcfarlane sought reagans approval, in spite of the embargo against selling arms to iran. The film has won numerous awards and critical acclaim. Sep 28, 2017 american made is an irancontra movie that gets high on its own supply the new movie is one that director doug liman has been making for 15 years and tom cruise has been making for almost 35. Behind the irancontra affair dvd coverup exposes several of the most disturbing chapters in the history of u. They would both see the cover up as a necessary way to preserve the political and economical structure inside and outside america and a necessary way to maintain, in their opinion. Bolton was working as an assistant attorney general in the reagan administration during the irancontra affair. This documentary video looks inside the irancontra affair.
Apr 06, 2020 the documents in this collection include every exhibit released by the official investigations of the iran contra affair, including the senate intelligence committee, the tower commission, the joint select congressional committees, and the independent counsel. The irancontra coverup marked the restoration of a cold war status quo in which crimes, both domestic and international, could be committed by the executive while the congress and the press. Many nationalist and neoconservatives would see the entire iran contra affair not as a cover up but a good use of political power, an end that justifies the means. Mar 27, 2014 the iran contra affair, also referred to as irangate, contragate or the iran contra scandal, was a political scandal in the united states that came to light in november 1986. Cover up behind the irancontra affair is a thorough investigation into information suppressed during the iran contra hearings in 1987 where it was found that senior officials in the united states government secretly facilitated the sale of arms to iran. This film has testimony from credible sources, and yet no newspaper or. Feb 27, 2014 the tower commission finds that the president had not been told enough about the affair to cover it up michael white in washington thu 27 feb 2014 02. The irancontra affair, 1986 noam chomsky chomskys brief account of the us selling arms to iran via israel in order to fund farright paramilitary contras in nicaragua. Investigating the irancontra affair made the following conclusion. The iran contra scandal, as this video illustrates in the beginning, is probably one of the most ignored events of the 1980s. The irancontra affair was a clandestine action not approved of by the united states congress. Like the us, israel hopes to gain influence with iranian moderates who will presumably take power after the aged, ailing. The irancontra affair popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the iran contra scandal.
The film reveals a shadow government of former cia operatives, drug smugglers, top us military personnel and others, revealing evidence of. The defendants were elliott abrams, a former assistant secretary of state for central. Jun 07, 2014 if we ignore the october surprise for the moment, the irancontra affair began as a response to the lebanon hostage crisis, which wikipedia describes as the systematic kidnapping in lebanon of. The iran contra cover up marked the restoration of a cold war status quo in which crimes, both domestic and international, could be committed by the executive while the congress and the press. But if fiers is correct, topranking cia officials not only knew about the operation and did nothing to stop it.
Behind the iran contra affair is the third featurelength documentary produced by the empowerment project. The irancontra affairs were designed to provide the president with plausible deniability. Special activities division under the command and control of the cias ncs. A third reason is that there was insufficient proof about what president reagan knew and when he knew it. Behind the irancontra affair 1988 examines reagans alleged deal with iran that delayed the release of american hostages until after his inauguration. Behind the iran contra affair 1988 and destination nicaragua 1986.
Each of these termsirancontra affairs, covert operations, the national security council and its socalled staffneeds some explanation, because they are not what they may seem. Behind the iran contra affair or read the iran contra connection. Secret teams and covert operations in the reagan era by peter dale scott and judge for yourself. Behind the iran contra affair loses force as the movie makers run out of evidence that a shadowy rightwing group has been conducting american foreign policy and threatening. Trumps russia scandal is more like irancontra than. The irancontra affairs were covert operations managed by a member of the national security council staff. This documentary video looks inside the iran contra affair. Behind the irancontra affair loses force as the movie makers run out of evidence that a shadowy rightwing group has been conducting american foreign policy and threatening. Jun 24, 2001 the iran contra affair has been characterized by u. Trumps russia scandal is more like irancontra than watergate which isnt good news. American made is an irancontra movie that gets high on its own supply the new movie is one that director doug liman has been making for 15.
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. Behind the irancontra affair, 1988, directed by barbara trent, with david macmichael, eden pastora gomez, elizabeth montgomery, at turner classic movies. Behind the iran contra affair is the third featurelength documentary produced by the. Draper explains to us that the iranian revolution of 19781979 brought the. Examines reagans alleged deal with iran that delayed the release of american hostages until after his inauguration. Worldwide english title informal short title coverup. The irancontra affair involved a secret foreign policy operation directed by white house officials in the national security council nsc under president ronald reagan.
The major elements of the irancontra story were well known long before the 1986 exposures, apart from one fact. In 1987, amid the irancontra inquiry, investigators found that the scandal fit within a larger republican scheme for manipulating. Behind the iran contra affair 1988 this documentary of the iran contra affair consolidates the evidence and conspiracy theories of the incident after the week congressional hearings. That formulation, of course, is a function of watergate, where the coverup was considered far worse than the underlying crimes. He concluded, the irancontra coverup, which has continued for more than six years, has now been completed with the pardon of caspar weinberger. David kasper is a producer and editor, known for the panama deception 1992, cover up. Worldwide english title informal short title cover up. This documentary of the iran contra affair consolidates the evidence and conspiracy theories of the incident after the week congressional hearings proved inadequate, acting merely as damage control and failing to show any sincere effort to get to the real truth of the matter. Understanding the irancontra affairs enduring issues. American made is an irancontra movie that gets high on. Mar 22, 2018 he resisted efforts to investigate the iran contra scandal.
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