The Iran-Contra Affair: A political scandal revealed
Summary
With the arrival of the fortieth President Ronald Reagan in the White House, both internal and external affairs were rearranged to meet the perceived needs of this period. A new conservative coalition was formed under Reagan that would result in a two-term administration; from January 20, 1981 until January 20, 1989. During this period, a political scandal was revealed in which criminal elements from the US government and agencies sold arms illegally to a range of questionable buyers. With the revenue, the Contras in Nicaragua were supported illegally in order to overthrow the leftist Sandinistas that were in charge.
What were the historical settings in which the Iran-Contra scandal took take place? Who were the main actors in the infamous Iran-Contra Affair, and what was their common goal? These questions will be worked out by taking a preliminary look at an historical overview of Nicaragua events that led up to the Sandinista rule, followed up by a description of what the Iran-Contra affair (also known as Iran-gate or Contra-gate) is, and how it was investigated. A link will be drawn to present day foreign politics and the neo-conservative agenda that has held the world in its grip since the election of President George W. Bush.