"On this day, Nov. 25, in 1986, U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese makes public the details of the Iran Contra affair, in which profits from weapons sales to Iran were illegally diverted to aid anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua.
Iran was subject to an arms embargo when U.S. officials agreed to sell the country weapons in return for the release of hostages. The cash, was then used to fund the Nicaraguan Contras fighting communists there.
Israel served as a go-between the United States and Iran by selling the weapons to Iran and sending the cash back the United States. The United States then resupplied Israel with the weapons the country sold.
Although some of those accused of being involved had the ear of President Reagan, it was never found that he was aware of the scheme."
It's never really been clear to me either. Of which crime was Reagan unaware?
- Was it the selling of arms to Iran in violation of the arms embargo?
- Was it the selling of arms in exchange for hostages?
- Was it that his administration diverted the proceeds from the illegal sales to fund the Contras, thereby violating the Boland Amendment?
- Or was it the coverup and lying to Congress that his officials engaged in following the exposed transactions?
