Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Decades»Events
    Events 2 Mins Read

    Iran-Contra Affair (Irangate)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    The term “Irangate” was used to describe the 1987 US political scandal involving senior members of the Reagan administration (the name echoes the Nixon administration’s Watergate).

    Congressional hearings in 1986 and 1987 revealed that the US government had secretly sold weapons to Iran in 1985 (trading them for hostages held in Lebanon by pro-Iranian militias) and used the profits to supply right-wing Contra guerrillas in Nicaragua with arms.

    The attempt to get around the law (Boland amendment) specifically prohibiting military assistance to the Contras also broke other laws in the process.

    Arms, including Hawk missiles, were sold to Iran via Israel – at a time when the USA was publicly calling for a worldwide ban on sending arms to Iran – violating the law prohibiting the sale of US weapons for resale to a third country listed as a ”terrorist nation”, as well as the law requiring sales above $14 million to be reported to Congress.

    olivernorth_29

    The negotiator in the field was Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North (pictured above and at right), a military aide to the National Security Council, reporting in the White House to the national-security adviser (first Robert McFarlane, then John Poindexter).

    North and his associates were also channelling donations to the Contras from individuals and from other countries, including $2 million from Taiwan, $10 million from the Sultan of Brunei, and $32 million from Saudi Arabia.

    The Congressional Joint Investigative Committee reported in November 1987 that the president bore “ultimate responsibility” for allowing a “cabal of zealots” to seize control of the administration’s policy, but found no firm evidence that President Reagan had actually been aware of the Contra diversion.

    Ronald Reagan persistently claimed to have no recollection of events, and some evidence was withheld on grounds of ”national security”. The hearings were criticised for finding that the president was not responsible for the actions of his subordinates.

    North was tried and convicted in May 1989 on charges of obstructing Congress and unlawfully destroying government documents. Poindexter was found guilty on all counts in 1990.

    Former defence secretary Caspar Weinberger was pardoned in 1992 by President George Bush to prevent further disclosures.

    In December 1993 the independent prosecutor Lawrence Walsh published his final report. It asserted that Reagan and Bush were fully aware of attempts to free US hostages in Lebanon in 1985 and 1986 by means of unsanctioned arms sales to Iran.

    The total cost of the Irangate enquiries came to $35 million.

    Related Posts

    • Mỹ Lai massacre
      Mỹ Lai massacre
      In one of the most horrific incidents of violence against civilians during the Vietnam War, a company of American soldiers…
    • Sunbury Festival (1972)
      Sunbury Festival (1972)
      The Sunbury Music Festival - which took place from 28 - 30 January 1972 (the Australia Day long weekend) -…
    • Isle of Wight Festival (1970)
      Isle of Wight Festival (1970)
      A small island separated from the UK mainland by the waters of the Solent, the Isle of Wight at the…
    • Hands Across America (1986)
      Hands Across America (1986)
      On Sunday 25 May 1986, Americans were asked to simultaneously hold hands across a 4,137-mile route stretching from California's Santa…
    • Live Aid (1985)
      Live Aid (1985)
      On 25 November 1984, 36 British recording artists gathered at a studio in Notting Hill, London to donate their time…
    • Cuban Missile Crisis
      Cuban Missile Crisis
      In 1959 a revolution took place in Cuba and Fidel Castro came to power. He introduced a Soviet-style government on…
    • Marilyn Monroe in Korea (1954)
      Marilyn Monroe in Korea (1954)
      In February 1954, actress Marilyn Monroe travelled to Korea to entertain the American troops stationed over there. Marilyn was asked…
    • Vietnam War
      Vietnam War
      French Indochina was captured by the Japanese during WWII. After 1945 the French tried unsuccessfully to restore their rule in…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleHungarian Uprising (1956)
    Next Article Iran/Iraq War

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Run to Earth
      1 9 5 8 (UK) 5 x 30 minute episodes Two adventurous Glasgow boys […]
    • Godspell (1973)
      A rock gospel according to Saint Matthew, David […]
    • Brendon Chase
      1 9 8 0 – 1 9 8 1 (UK) 13 x 30 minute episodes The Hensman […]
    • My Husband and I
      1 9 8 7 – 1 9 8 8 (UK) 15 x 30 minute episodes Nora Powers […]
    • JoBoxers
      JoBoxers comprised English based, expatriate American singer Dig […]
    • Devo
      Devo was formed in Akron, Ohio (the rubber town 40 miles away […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.