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==Mena Arkansas==

==Mena Arkansas==

The Mena Airport in Arkansas became the logistical point for implementation of US Central American policy. On 5 October 1986 a transport aircraft delivering weapons to the Nicaraguan Contras was shot down by a surface-to-air shoulder launched missile. Two U.S. pilots and a Nicaraguan radio operator died while [[Eugene Hasenfus]], the "kicker" responsible for pushing cargo out of the aircraft, survived. The aircraft was carrying "60 collapsible [[AK-47]] rifles, 50,000 AK-47 rifle cartridges, several dozen [[RPG-7]] grenade launchers and 150 pairs of jungle boots". The plane had been owned by Barry Seals and based in Mena Arkansas.<ref>http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB920421328276427000 </ref>

The Mena Airport in Arkansas became the logistical point for implementation of US Central American policy. On 5 October 1986 a transport aircraft delivering weapons to the Nicaraguan Contras was shot down by a surface-to-air shoulder launched missile. Two U.S. pilots and a Nicaraguan radio operator died while [[Eugene Hasenfus]], the "kicker" responsible for pushing cargo out of the aircraft, survived. The aircraft was carrying "60 collapsible [[AK-47]] rifles, 50,000 AK-47 rifle cartridges, several dozen [[RPG-7]] grenade launchers and 150 pairs of jungle boots". The plane had been owned by Barry Seals and based in Mena, Arkansas.<ref>http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB920421328276427000 </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>

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 week after the story was blown open by media outlets in the wake of midterm congressional elections after [[Democrats]] retook the Senate in November 1986, President Reagan returned to the airwaves to affirm that weapons were transferred to Iran, but he claimed they were not part of an exchange for hostages. In a speech in March 1987, he acknowledged that the arms were in fact exchanged for hostages, saying that "what began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated, in its implementation, into trading arms for hostages." <ref>http://www.presidentialrhetoric.com/historicspeeches/reagan/irancontra.html</ref> The Reagan administration cooperated with the investigation, and no wrongdoing was ever proven. Reagan later stated in his autobiography that, "until Ed Meese uncovered North's memorandum, I had not heard a whisper about funds being channeled from the Iranian arms shipments to the Contras, and I would have not approved of it if anyone had suggested it to me....Yes, I believed in helping the Contras; ''but no one, including the President, is above the law''." <ref>''An American Life, The Autobiography of Ronald Reagan, pg. 542''</ref>

The week after the story was blown open by media outlets in the wake of midterm congressional elections after [[Democrats]] retook the Senate in November 1986, President Reagan returned to the airwaves to affirm that weapons were transferred to Iran, but he claimed they were not part of an exchange for hostages. In a speech in March 1987, he acknowledged that the arms were in fact exchanged for hostages, saying that "what began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated, in its implementation, into trading arms for hostages." <ref>http://www.presidentialrhetoric.com/historicspeeches/reagan/irancontra.html</ref> The Reagan administration cooperated with the investigation, and no wrongdoing was ever proven. Reagan later stated in his autobiography that, "until Ed Meese uncovered North's memorandum, I had not heard a whisper about funds being channeled from the Iranian arms shipments to the Contras, and I would have not approved of it if anyone had suggested it to me....Yes, I believed in helping the Contras; ''but no one, including the President, is above the law''." <ref>''An American Life, The Autobiography of Ronald Reagan, pg. 542''</ref>

[[Michael Ledeen]] was an early player in the affair, and eventually arranged for arms sales to Iran though the Iranian arms dealer Manucher Ghorbanifar. John Poindexter later resigned, but returned to work under [[George W. Bush]]'s administration. Oliver North was also a major player in the affair and was called upon to testify before Congress and was questioned for a number of days. His strong answers in the face of Congressional grilling led him to become a type of folk hero at Congress's expense. [[Caspar Weinberger]] was indicted, and pardoned by [[George H.W. Bush]].

[[Michael Ledeen]] was an early player in the affair, and eventually arranged for arms sales to Iran though the Iranian arms dealer Manucher Ghorbanifar. John Poindexter later resigned, but returned to work under [[George W. Bush]]'s administration. Oliver North was also a major player in the affair and was called upon to testify before Congress and was questioned for a number of days. His strong answers in the face of Congressional grilling led him to become a type of folk hero at Congress's expense. [[Caspar Weinberger]] was indicted, and pardoned by [[George H.W. Bush]].

==See also==

==See also==