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==Iran==
==Iran==
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 implemented.
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 even were ever 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 pivotal to the money laundering operation, chief [[ADFA]]] bond trader [[Dan Lasater]] on [[cocaine]] charges in 1985, CIA decided to exit Arkansas and make a move the operation to Mexico. When Eugene Hasenfus was shot down on October 5, 1986, the theentire Mena operation was threatened. 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 operation for the previous 5 and half years.
After the delivery of shoulder launched TOW missiles to Iran, an assistant to Attorney General Ed Meese found a memorandum written by Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North documenting diversion of the proceeds of the sale to aid 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>
After the delivery of shoulder launched TOW missiles to Iran, an assistant to Attorney General Ed Meese found a memorandum written by Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North documenting diversion of the proceeds of the sale to aid 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>