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While the [[foreign policy]] of the United States is explicitly the purvue of the President, Congress nonetheless retains the power of the purse. President Reagan wished to actively oppose [[Soviet]] and [[Cuba]]n fomenting violent [[Marxist]] [[revolution]] in [[Central America]] and their active material support of the [[communist]] regime of Daniel Ortega and the [[Nicaragua]] Sandinistas. The Boland Amendment however, forbid the use of any US federal funds to overthrow the Nicaraguan communist regime. Sources of funding were sought elsewhere.
While the [[foreign policy]] of the United States is explicitly the purvue of the President, Congress nonetheless retains the power of the purse. President Reagan wished to actively oppose [[Soviet]] and [[Cuba]]n fomenting violent [[Marxist]] [[revolution]] in [[Central America]] and their active material support of the [[communist]] regime of Daniel Ortega and the [[Nicaragua]] Sandinistas. The Boland Amendment however, forbid the use of any US federal funds to overthrow the Nicaraguan communist regime. Sources of funding were sought elsewhere.
CIA Director William Casey masterminded an arrangement through private, non-governmental entities and international arms sellers to raise funds and arm the Contras. A splitoff policy followed to sell arms to Iran in its war with [[Saddam Hussein]] which it was badly losing. Arms sales to Iran also hopefully would improve US-Iranian relations which hit a low and broke off during the Carter administration.
The Mena Airport in Arkansas became the logistical point for implementation of US Central American policy.
The scandal was first discovered by an assistant to Attorney General Ed Meese, who found a memorandum written by Lieutenant Colonel [[Oliver North]], which documented the diversion of funds to the Contras. After the discovery of the memorandum, President [[Ronald Reagan]] met with both houses of Congress to disclose their findings; he then asked for the appointment of an independent counsel.<ref>''An American Life, The Autobiography of Ronald Reagan, pg. 530''</ref>
The scandal was first discovered by an assistant to Attorney General Ed Meese, who found a memorandum written by Lieutenant Colonel [[Oliver North]], which documented the diversion of funds to the Contras. After the discovery of the memorandum, President [[Ronald Reagan]] met with both houses of Congress to disclose their findings; he then asked for the appointment of an independent counsel.<ref>''An American Life, The Autobiography of Ronald Reagan, pg. 530''</ref>