The real outcry of the Iran Contra affair came when it was discovered what was done with the profits from the sale of the guns. Congress had outlawed any US aid to be sent to right wing "Contra" guerrillas in Nicaragua. The United States Congress did not want to get involved with such conflicts around the world, however, members of the Regan administration felt it necessary in the view of the US military to aid the Contras in their struggle against the left wing Sandinista government. Millions of dollars and guns were filtered illegally to the Contras in Nicaragua.
In November of 1986 a Lebanese magazine stated that the United States government had, in fact, negotiated an arms deal with Iran. Upon further investigation, Attorney General Edwin Meese verified the report and an independent special prosecutor Lawrence E. Walsh was appointed to investigate the activities surrounding the arms sale and the Contra aid.
President Ronald Regan appointed a review board, headed by former Republican Senator John Tower. The Tower Commission's report stated the President Regan had been ineffiscent in controlling the National Security Council, the agency which had actually made the illegal deals, and had known about the arms sale to the Iranians. However, it could not be discovered in hearings if the President had known about the Contra Support.
Televised hearings from May to August in 1987 investigated publicly the dealings of Lt. Col. Oliver North, National Security Advisor John Poindexter, Former Head of the CIA William J. Casey, Former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, as well as many other high ranking government officials. It was subsequently found that Poindexter had personally authorized the diversion of money to the Contra rebels and had withheld that information from the president. William J. Casey played some part in the conspiracy, but died during the investigation.
Lt. Col. Oliver North, a military aid to the National Security Council, had ben the main negotiator of these deals. During his hearings he kept explaining that he was under orders from his superiors. In May of 1989, North was convicted of obstructing Congress and unlawfully destroying government documents. However, this conviction was later overturned by President George Bush citing the North had only acted out of patriotism.
Poindexter was convicted in April of 1990 on five counts of deceiving Congress and sentenced to six months in prison. His conviction was also overturned.
Weinberger was also indicted on five counts of lying to Congress in 1992. His conviction was also pardoned.
The Iran Contra affair came to an exhausted end on Christmas Eve of 1992.
This was the day George Bush issued presidential pardons to all indicted
in the scandal. It was an early Christmas present to all of America
who were sick of American Governmental stupidity and entanglement.
Nicaraguan
Contras and Cocaine
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