About this episode

This episode discusses the Iran Contra Affair, a major scandal during Ronald Reagan's presidency involving illegal arms sales and funding for Nicaraguan rebels.

The Iran Contra Affair was the biggest scandal of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. A group of rogue staffers from president’s own National Security Council were selling Iran - a so declared state sponsor of terrorism - despite a U.S. led embargo, in exchange for hostages. Then, giving the profits to the right wing Contra rebels in Nicaragua to hide their actions. Sources: Mayer, Jane, and Doyle McManus. Landslide. HarperCollins, 1 Jan. 1988. PBS. “The Iran-Contra Affair .” Pbs.org, PBS, 2019, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/reagan-iran/. Webb, Gary. Dark Alliance : The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion. Tiverton, Devon, Old Street, 2015.

People in this episode

Hosts: Jerry Nash, Christopher Wheadon, Zach Mech, Madi Moon

Topics covered

• Iran Contra Affair
• Ronald Reagan
• U.S. foreign policy
• Nicaragua
• hostage crisis
• political scandal

Keywords

• Iran Contra Affair
• Ronald Reagan
• National Security Council
• Nicaragua
• hostage crisis
• political scandal
• U.S. embargo

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Security Council, PBS

Books & works: Landslide, Dark Alliance : The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion

Places: Iran, Nicaragua

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