Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in...

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Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista Government”

Transcript of Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in...

Page 1: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

Iran/ContraThe link between secret arms sales to

Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua.

Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista Government”

Page 2: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

U.S. Pres. Reagan supports “Contra rebels”The rebels, aka “freedom fighters” were supported by US Military & CIA

Page 3: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

Congress Opposed

Boland amendment banned CIA & Dept. of Defense from aiding the rebels

Page 4: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

Conspiracy Developed

National Security Council, an advisory unit in EOP, “went operational”, aiding the Contras

NSC Dir. Robt. McFarlane spearheaded effort

Separate Initiative: Secret sales of missiles to Iran (illegal because Iran was a “terrorist nation”)

Used profits to help the Contras

Page 5: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

Scandal exposed in 1986

Reagan initially denied accusations

Later appeared on TV to admit that his staff had illegally aided the rebels

Page 6: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

North & NSC Defiant with

Congress

Page 7: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

Criminal Convictions of NSC staff & directors

Lt. Col. Oliver NorthConvicted 1988 Destroying and

falsifying documents Illegally receiving

personal gifts Obstructing Cong’l

investigation

Conviction reversed on technical grounds

Page 8: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

NSC Director: Adm. John Poindexter

Convicted 1988 Criminal Conspiracy Obstructing Criminal

investigation Obstructing Congress

Conviction Reversed on Technical grounds

"I made a very deliberate decision not to tell the president so that I could insulate him from the decision…”

Page 9: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

CIA indictments

Clair E. George, CIA, chief of covert operations

Duane R. Clarridge, chief of operations for the C.I.A.,

1991: indicted for perjury

Page 10: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

Alan D. Fiers

Head of C.I.A. Latin America task force

1991: pleads guilty (withholding evidence from Congress)

1 yr probation & community service

Page 11: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

Elliott L. Abrams

Assistant Secretary of State

1991, pleads guilty withholding info from Congress

Page 12: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

Defense Secretary Indicted

Caspar Weinberger

1992: indicted, lying to Congress

Page 13: Iran/Contra The link between secret arms sales to Iran and covert military aid to rebels in Nicaragua. Story Begins in 1979: Nicaragua elects “Sandanista.

Pardoned Dec. 24, 1992

Pres. George Bush pardoned

Weinberger

McFarlane

Abrams

George

Clarridge

Fiers

Bush said the "common denominator of their motivation -- whether their actions were right or wrong -- was patriotism."