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10 th American History Unit III- U.S. Foreign Policy World War II - today. Nixon- Bush #4. Reading Quiz. 1. What was the Iran-Contra Affair? 2. What happened to Pan American flight 103 over Scotland? 3. What was “disinformation” about Qaddafi? 4. What was the Boland Amendment?
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10th American HistoryUnit III- U.S. Foreign PolicyWorld War II - today Nixon- Bush #4
Reading Quiz 1. What was the Iran-Contra Affair? 2. What happened to Pan American flight 103 over Scotland? 3. What was “disinformation” about Qaddafi? 4. What was the Boland Amendment? 5. Who is Lt. Col. Oliver North? 6. What happened on the USS Stark? 7. Who were the Contras? 8. Who are the PLO?
“Disinformation program” • Planting untrue stories about Libyan Leader Muammar el-Qaddafi • The hope was to make Qaddfi fear his people would overthrow him.
Iran-Contra Affair • Also known as "Irangate” • a mid-1980s political scandal in the United States. • PresidentRonald Reagan's administration sold arms to Iran, an avowed enemy. At the time, Americans were being held hostage in Lebanon, and it was hoped that Iran would influence the release • Iran was in the midst of the Iran-Iraq War, and could find few nations willing to supply it with weapons. • The U.S. diverted proceeds from the sale to the Contras, anti-Communist guerrillas fighting the elected socialist Sandinista government of Nicaragua. • Both the sale of weapons and the funding of the Contras violated the Boland Amendments of Congress.
Iran-Contra Affair • July 1985 the Israeli government approached the Reagan administration with a proposal to get hostages held by Hezbollah in Lebanon released. • Israel would act as an intermediary and sell arms (missiles) to Iran for the U.S. in exchange for Iran’s help in getting hostages released. • In December 1985, President Reagan signed a secret presidential "finding" describing the deal as "arms-for-hostages." • The arms were eventually sold However, Hezbollah proceeded to take more hostages after they had released old ones, and failing to produce any meaningful results, the arms-for-hostages program was finally cancelled.
The Reagan administration had been helping the Contras since November 1981 • Boland Amendment blocked military aid to the Contras- no covert military assistance. • The Reagan administration went around the amendments by using the National Security Council to supervise covert support. • The NSC proceeded to raise private and foreign funds for the Contras. In addition, proceeds from the arms sales to Iran were used to purchase arms for the Contras in an arrangement instituted by Colonel Oliver North and aide to National Security Advisor John Poindexter. The Enterprise. • Eugene H. Hasenfus was an unemployed construction worker from Wisconsin who got secured work as a cargo handler for the CIA. He was aboard the cargo plane shot down over Nicaragua on October 5, 1986 while delivering illegal weapons to the Nicaraguan Contras.
Iran-Contra Affair • U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese on Nov. 25, 1986 admitted that profits from weapons sales to Iran were made available to assist the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. • Senate Committee- “The Tower Committee” would be looking into the matter. • President Reagan said he had not been informed of the operation. • The U.S. Congress issued its final report onNov. 18, 1987, which stated that the President bore "ultimate responsibility" for wrongdoing by his aides and his administration exhibited "secrecy, deception and disdain for the law." • Oliver North and John Poindexter were indicted on multiple charges on March 16, 1988 • Reagan survived the scandal, and would see his approval ratings return to previous levels
Iran-Contra Affair 1:23 min.
Conflict in Nicaragua • Aug. 1986, before Iran-Contra Affair, congress voted $100 million for military aid to Contra’s. • 1987- Central American Peace Accord- countries signed to end all outside aid to to guerilla groups. • 1990- Sandanistas allowed free elections and the opposition won. • Civil War continued in El Salvador.
Troubles in the Persian Gulf • Iran-Iraq War • 1987- increased attacks on oil tankers. • May 17, 1987- U.S.S. Stark mistakenly attacked by Iraqi plane. Two missiles kill 37 U.S. crewmen. • July 1988, U.S.S. Vincennes mistook an Iranian Civilian airliner for an attacking Iranian F-14 fighter and shot it down. 290 people died. • To avenge the martyrs, Iran ordered the bombing of Pan American 103 over Scotland- 259 died and 11 on the ground. • Palestinian uprisings in Gaza and the West-Bank.