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The '''Iran-Contra Affair''' ('''Operation Black Eagle'''and also sometimes called '''Iran-gate''') was the result of an arms deal between the [[United States]], [[Iran]] and the Nicaraguan [[Contras]], an anti-communist guerilla 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 Contras operating in the mountains of Nicaragua.

The '''Iran-Contra Affair''' ('''Operation Black Eagle''' and also sometimes called '''Iran-gate''') was the result of an arms deal between the [[United States]], [[Iran]] and the Nicaraguan [[Contras]], an anti-communist guerilla group operating against the [[Marxist]] government of [[Nicaragua]]. Essentially, arms were sold to Iran despite 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 Contras operating in the mountains of Nicaragua.  When these transactions became public, [[Donald Regan]], Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan resigned, and 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.  The matter ended 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  [[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 [[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  [[Soviet]] and [[Cuba]]n fomented violent [[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>

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-Iraq war|Iran in its war]] with [[Saddam Hussein]] which Iran 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]].

CIA Director William Casey masterminded an arrangement through private, non-governmental entities and international arms sellers to raise funds and arm the Contras. A split-off policy followed to sell arms to [[Iran-Iraq war|Iran in its war]] with [[Saddam Hussein]] which Iran 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]].

Governor [[Bill Clinton]] of [[Arkansas]] responded to the official foreign policy directive of the United States in support of overthrowing the Sandinista regime by sending contingents of the Arkansas [[National Guard]] to [[Honduras]] to assist in training the Nicarauguan Contras.<ref>http://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/08/26/The-nations-governors-disagreed-sharply-Tuesday-over-the-Pentagons/5836525412800/ </ref>

Governor [[Bill Clinton]] of [[Arkansas]] responded to the official foreign policy directive of the United States in support of overthrowing the Sandinista regime by sending contingents of the Arkansas [[National Guard]] to [[Honduras]] to assist in training the Nicarauguan Contras.<ref>http://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/08/26/The-nations-governors-disagreed-sharply-Tuesday-over-the-Pentagons/5836525412800/ </ref>

==Mena, Arkansas==

==Mena, Arkansas==

The Mena Airport in Arkansas became the logistical point for implementation of US Central American policy.<ref>https://youtu.be/g_epmurfIk8 ; see also Bill Plante & Michael Singer, ''Still a Strong Scent on the Mena Trail'', Letter to the Editor, [[Wall Street Journal]], 5/3/94. </ref> Gross value of the illegally imported [[narcotic]]s is said to have reached $100 million per month at its height, nearly ten times its cost of delivering in trade and arms.

The Mena Airport in Arkansas became the logistical point for implementation of US Central American policy.<ref>https://youtu.be/g_epmurfIk8 ; see also Bill Plante & Michael Singer, ''Still a Strong Scent on the Mena Trail'', Letter to the Editor, [[Wall Street Journal]], 5/3/94. </ref> Gross value of the illegally imported [[narcotic]]s at Mena is said to have reached $100 million per month at its height, nearly ten times its cost of deliveries in trade and arms.

On 5 October 1986 a C-123 transport plane 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 were killed, while [[Eugene Hasenfus]], the "cargo-kicker" survived. The plane 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".<ref name=Lange>Timothy Lange, ''Daily Kos'', 27 December 2009, [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/27/819675/-Blast-from-the-Past-Gene-Hasenfus-December-1986 Blast from the Past. Gene Hasenfus: December 1986]</ref> The plane had been owned by [[Barry Seal]] and based in Mena, Arkansas.<ref>http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB920421328276427000 </ref> Hasenfus's captured phone book contained the names of Barry Seal, Oliver North, and Felix Rodriguez<ref>Felix Rodriguez, a legendary figure, is known as [[Che Guevara]]'s assassin. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7027619.stm </ref> which the Sandinista's used to attract American media attention and expose the Mena operation.

On 5 October 1986, a C-123 transport plane 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 were killed, while [[Eugene Hasenfus]], the "cargo-kicker" survived. The plane 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".<ref name=Lange>Timothy Lange, ''Daily Kos'', 27 December 2009, [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/27/819675/-Blast-from-the-Past-Gene-Hasenfus-December-1986 Blast from the Past. Gene Hasenfus: December 1986]</ref> The plane had been owned by [[Barry Seal]] and based in Mena, Arkansas.<ref>http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB920421328276427000 </ref> Hasenfus's captured phone book contained the names of Barry Seal, Oliver North, and Felix Rodriguez<ref>Felix Rodriguez, a legendary figure, is known as [[Che Guevara]]'s assassin. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7027619.stm </ref> which the Sandinista's used to attract American media attention and expose the Mena operation.

Even when Mena's gun-running operation was shut down after 1986, Mena continued to be used for illegal narcotics smuggling into the United States and the profits pocketed by locals under then Governor [[Bill Clinton]].<ref>http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2016/08/26/the-boys-on-the-tracks-are-back </ref> In 1989 Clinton received petitions from Arkansas citizens demanding he convene a state grand jury and investigate Mena.<ref>[http://bondiviewertest.azurewebsites.net/DataView/Article/HT?issueKey=19920501&articleKey=19920501021 Clinton Turned Blind Eye to Arkansas Contra Connections], ''High Times'', May 1992, p. 21 </ref> Winston Bryant made Mena an issue in his successful bid for state [[Attorney General]] in 1990. A year later Bryant turned over state files involving Mena to Iran-Contra special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh, but Walsh did nothing with the reams of evidence.

Even when Mena's gun-running operation was shut down after 1986, Mena continued to be used for illegal narcotics smuggling into the United States and the profits were pocketed by locals under then Governor [[Bill Clinton]].<ref>http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2016/08/26/the-boys-on-the-tracks-are-back </ref> In 1989 Clinton received petitions from Arkansas citizens demanding he convene a state grand jury and investigate Mena.<ref>[http://bondiviewertest.azurewebsites.net/DataView/Article/HT?issueKey=19920501&articleKey=19920501021 Clinton Turned Blind Eye to Arkansas Contra Connections], ''High Times'', May 1992, p. 21 </ref> Winston Bryant made Mena an issue in his successful bid for Arkansas [[Attorney General]] in 1990. A year later Bryant turned over state files involving Mena to Iran-Contra special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh, but Walsh did nothing with the reams of evidence.

==The fair-haired boy==

==The fair-haired boy==

Casey's emisary spoke directly to Clinton,  

Casey's emisary spoke directly to Clinton,  

{{Cquote|The deal we made was to launder our money through your bond business but what we didn't plan on was you and your ***** ******* here start takiing yourselves seriously and purposely shrinking our laundry.}}

{{Cquote|The deal we made was to launder our money through your bond business but what we didn't plan on was you and your ***** ******* here start takiing yourselves seriously and purposely shrinking our laundry.}}

The emissary stated intelligence agencies have the same problem drug traffickers have, laundering cash and finding a bank willing to break the law by not filing required documentation. The bond business gave the state a cash flow that would allow dirty and clean money to co-mingle. The CIA was lacking a dirty banker willing to ignore federal banking laws, but they found this with the Clinton administration. The banker was the [[Arkansas Development Finance Authority]], which was created by and directly under the control of Governor Bill Clinton. Additionally, more than $100,000 was paid by ADFA to the [[Rose Law Firm]] in legal fees, to which his wife [[Hillary Clinton]] was partner.

The emissary stated intelligence agencies have the same problem drug traffickers have, laundering cash and finding a bank willing to break the law by not filing required documentation. The bond business gave the state a cash flow that would allow dirty and clean money to co-mingle. The CIA was lacking a dirty banker willing to ignore federal banking laws, but they found this with the Clinton administration. The banker was the [[Arkansas Development Finance Authority]] (ADFA), which was created by and directly under the control of Governor Bill Clinton. Additionally, more than $100,000 was paid by ADFA to the [[Rose Law Firm]] in legal fees, to which his wife [[Hillary Clinton]] was partner.

A state investment bank was [[capital]]ized by cash transfusions the CIA was taking great pains to hide. This solved the CIA's dilemma of funding the Contras, but no legal way to deliver it directly. The agency was barred by Congress with the Boland Amendment from converting the cash into weapons and training the Contras.  

A state investment bank was [[capital]]ized by cash transfusions the CIA was taking great pains to hide. This solved the CIA's dilemma of funding the Contras, but no legal way to deliver it directly. The agency was barred by Congress with the Boland Amendment from converting the cash into weapons and training the Contras.