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Although the first shipment of arms to Iran did not occur until well into President Reagan's second term, arms were being shipped to the Contra's from [[Bill Clinton]]'s Arkansas throughout Reagan's first term and traded for cocaine. The cocaine was flown back Arkansas on the return trip and then distributed across the United States.

Although the first shipment of arms to Iran did not occur until well into President Reagan's second term, arms were being shipped to the Contra's from [[Bill Clinton]]'s Arkansas throughout Reagan's first term and traded for cocaine. The cocaine was flown back Arkansas on the return trip and then distributed across the United States.

Later, when trading with Iran commrnced, the proceeds from were used to purchase additional arms for the Contras operating in the mountains of Nicaragua.  When these transactions became public a special Prosecutor Lawrence Walsh was appointed.  Walsh then prosecuted a number of high-level Reagan Administration officials.  Although not generally known at the time, two future Presidents, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, were also involved.<ref>[https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/sociopol_cia05.htm#THE_BOSS_HOG_LIST_ The Boss Hogg List]</ref> The matter ended later with President George H. W. Bush pardoning the key players on the eve of their trial.

Later, when trading with Iran commenced, the proceeds from were used to purchase additional arms for the Contras operating in the mountains of Nicaragua.  When these transactions became public a special Prosecutor Lawrence Walsh was appointed.  Walsh then prosecuted a number of high-level Reagan Administration officials.  Although not generally known at the time, two future Presidents, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, were also involved.<ref>[https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/sociopol_cia05.htm#THE_BOSS_HOG_LIST_ The Boss Hogg List]</ref> The matter ended later with President George H. W. Bush pardoning the key players on the eve of their trial.

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 the [[Soviet]] and [[Cuba]]n fomented violence and [[Marxist]] [[revolution]] in [[Central America]], and their active material support of the [[communist]] regime of [[Daniel Ortega]] and the Nicaragua [[Sandinista]]s. The [[Boland Amendment]] however, forbid the use of any US federal funds to overthrow the Nicaraguan communist regime. Sources of funding were sought elsewhere.<ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-05-06/news/8702030597_1_gen-richard-secord-anxiety-and-ignorance-supply-effort</ref>

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 the [[Soviet]] and [[Cuba]]n fomented violence and [[Marxist]] [[revolution]] in [[Central America]], and their active material support of the [[communist]] regime of [[Daniel Ortega]] and the Nicaragua [[Sandinista]]s. The [[Boland Amendment]] however, forbid the use of any US federal funds to overthrow the Nicaraguan communist regime. Sources of funding were sought elsewhere.<ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-05-06/news/8702030597_1_gen-richard-secord-anxiety-and-ignorance-supply-effort</ref>