Iran-Contra Affair in the United States
Iran-Contra Affair
United States Constitution
According to the Encyclopedia of the American Constitution, about its article titled IRAN-CONTRA AFFAIRThe Iran-Contra hearings by a joint committee of both houses of Congress (the Senate Committee on Secret Military Assistance to Iran and the Nicaraguan Opposition and the House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran) were but one more
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Independent Counsel Act History: Iran-Contra Affair
Introduction to Iran-Contra Affair
In 1986 former prosecutor and lawyer Lawrence E. Walsh was appointed to investigate the role of the Reagan administration in illegal weapons sales to the government of Iran. Walsh’s investigation revealed that American agents diverted profits from the secret sales of weapons to rebel “contra” groups that were attempting to overthrow the Nicaraguan government. Walsh’s inquiry into the Iran-Contra Affair was controversial because it focused attention on covert U.S. policy in Central America and because Walsh investigated the involvement of President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George Bush in the scandal.
The investigation was also controversial because of its size, cost, and duration. Walsh’s inquiry lasted seven years and cost $48.5 million, by far the most expensive independent counsel investigation up to that time. Walsh argued that a lack of cooperation by Reagan administration officials contributed to the duration and expense of the investigation. The investigation resulted in 11 convictions, two of which were later overturned.” (1)
Resources
Notes and References
- Information about Iran-Contra Affair in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia