Changes

Contra aid had been authorized by Reagan in 1981, and by 1982 [[Barry Seal]] began operating out of Mena Arkansas. In late 1982, the First Boland Amendment was passed forbidding direct US aid. It was not until Reagan's second term, beginning in 1985, that sales to Iran were even discussed or considered.  

Contra aid had been authorized by Reagan in 1981, and by 1982 [[Barry Seal]] began operating out of Mena Arkansas. In late 1982, the First Boland Amendment was passed forbidding direct US aid. It was not until Reagan's second term, beginning in 1985, that sales to Iran were even discussed or considered.  

The relationship between the CIA and Bill Clinton's Arkansas had been strained, but the bust of Clinton's brother Roger and the main pivot of the money laundering operation, chief [[ADFA]] bond trader [[Dan Lasater]], on [[cocaine]] charges in 1985, caused CIA's decision to leave Arkansas and move the operation to Mexico. The shoot-down of Eugene Hasenfus on October 5, 1986 hastened CIA's exit. Not quite 30 days later a story was leaked to the [[Lebanese]] newspaper ''Al-Shiraa'' that the US sold arms to Iran. The narrative spin quickly became that a few weapons shipment deliveries to Iran over the previous 18 months had funded the Contra supply operation for the previous 5 and half years.

Because of sloppiness, lax security, and plundering the  CIA's cash the relationship between the CIA and Bill Clinton's Arkansas machine had been strained. The arrest of Clinton's brother Roger the main pivot of the money laundering operation, chief [[ADFA]] bond trader [[Dan Lasater]], on [[cocaine]] charges in 1985, caused CIA's decision to leave Arkansas and move the operation to Mexico. The shoot-down of Eugene Hasenfus on October 5, 1986 hastened CIA's exit. Not quite 30 days later a story was leaked to the [[Lebanese]] newspaper ''Al-Shiraa'' that the US sold arms to Iran. The narrative spin quickly became that a few weapons shipment deliveries to Iran over the previous 18 months had funded the Contra supply operation for the previous 5 and half years.

The first direct transfer of arms did not occur until May 1986 when National Securuty Adviser Robert McFarlane and Lt.Col. Oliver North secretly delivered arms and equipment to [[Teheran]] with a diplomatic note to the [[Ayatollah Khomeini]] from President Reagan along with other gifts. Prior to this direct contact, some weapons had been delivered through [[Israel]]i surrogates, in an effort to foster goodwill and relations between Iran and Israel. But at the same time, President Reagan was accused of trading ''arms for hostages'', not ''arms for cash to support the Contras''.<ref>http://blogs.cfr.org/zenko/2016/08/03/revisiting-president-reagans-iran-arms-for-hostages-initiative/</ref> Only after the Hasenfus shoot-down occurred did the official story become Iranian arms sales supported the Contra war for 7 years.

The first direct transfer of arms did not occur until May 1986 when National Securuty Adviser Robert McFarlane and Lt.Col. Oliver North secretly delivered arms and equipment to [[Teheran]] with a diplomatic note to the [[Ayatollah Khomeini]] from President Reagan along with other gifts. Prior to this direct contact, some weapons had been delivered through [[Israel]]i surrogates, in an effort to foster goodwill and relations between Iran and Israel. But at the same time, President Reagan was accused of trading ''arms for hostages'', not ''arms for cash to support the Contras''.<ref>http://blogs.cfr.org/zenko/2016/08/03/revisiting-president-reagans-iran-arms-for-hostages-initiative/</ref> Only after the Hasenfus shoot-down occurred did the official story become Iranian arms sales supported the Contra war for 7 years.