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The '''Iran-Contra Affair''' (also called the '''Iran-Contra Scandal''', the '''Iran-Contra Matter''' and '''Iran-gate''') was the result of an arms deal between the United States, Iran and the Nicaraguan Contras, an anti-communist group operating against the [[Marxist]] government of [[Nicaragua]].  Essentially, arms were sold to Iran against an international embargo which was spearheaded just years earlier by the United States.  The proceeds from this arms sale were then used to purchase additional arms for the Contra Guerilla group operating in the mountains of Nicaragua.

The '''Iran-Contra Affair''' (also called the '''Iran-Contra Scandal''', the '''Iran-Contra Matter''' and '''Iran-gate''') was the result of an arms deal between the [[United States]], [[Iran]] and the Nicaraguan [[Contras]], an anti-communist group operating against the [[Marxist]] government of [[Nicaragua]].  Essentially, arms were sold to Iran against an international embargo which was spearheaded just years earlier by the United States.  The proceeds from this arms sale were then used to purchase additional arms for the Contra Guerilla group operating in the mountains of Nicaragua.

In the opinion of Independent counsel Lawrence E. Walsh, who investigated the affair, under the Arms Export Control Act <ref> http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode22/usc_sup_01_22_10_39_20_II.html </ref> such sales to foreign powers not deemed under the term of the act friendly are illegal. <ref> http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/walsh/execsum.htm </ref> Payments to the Contras from the proceeds of private sales, while not illegal, in the opinion of critics were considered highly unethical.  Later such arrangements were made explicitly illegal by the [[Boland amendment]] to the Federal Appropriation Bill. The independent counsel's opinion alleged that the Reagan administration set about misleading congressional inquiries and may have withheld some documents. {{fact-political}}

In the opinion of Independent counsel Lawrence E. Walsh, who investigated the affair, under the Arms Export Control Act <ref> http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode22/usc_sup_01_22_10_39_20_II.html </ref> such sales to foreign powers not deemed under the term of the act friendly are illegal. <ref> http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/walsh/execsum.htm </ref> Payments to the Contras from the proceeds of private sales, while not illegal, in the opinion of critics were considered highly unethical.  Later such arrangements were made explicitly illegal by the [[Boland amendment]] to the Federal Appropriation Bill. The independent counsel's opinion alleged that the Reagan administration set about misleading congressional inquiries and may have withheld some documents. {{fact-political}}

When the story was blown open by media outlets in the wake of midterm congressional elections after Democrats retook the Senate in November 1986, President Ronald Reagan answered questions on national television and denied Administration involvement in an Arms-for-hostages deal. The following week he returned to the airwaves to affirm that weapons were transferred to Iran but he claimed they were not part of an exchange for hostages. The Reagan administration cooperated with the investigation, and no wrongdoing was ever proved.  

When the story was blown open by media outlets in the wake of midterm congressional elections after Democrats retook the Senate in November 1986, President Ronald Reagan answered questions on national television and denied Administration involvement in an Arms-for-hostages deal. The following week he returned to the airwaves to affirm that weapons were transferred to Iran but he claimed they were not part of an exchange for hostages. The Reagan administration cooperated with the investigation, and no wrongdoing was ever proved.  

[[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 and later worked in [[George W. Bush]]'s administration.  Oliver North was also a major player in the affair.  [[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 and later worked in [[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]].   

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