Ronald Reagan the Nicaraguan Revolution and the OVERVIEW Foreign policy of Reagan administration as a reaction to changes from 70s 1979 Nic socialist movement gain power Iran US backed ID: 247935
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Slide1
The Iran-Contra Affair
Ronald Reagan, the Nicaraguan Revolution, and the Slide2
OVERVIEW
Foreign policy of Reagan administration as a reaction to changes from 70s
1979
Nic.- socialist
movement gain power
Iran- US
backed
Shah gov
. overthrown by radical
Islamisists
(Ayatollahs)Slide3
The Issues
US support of rebel
forces (Contras)
vs.
communist Sandinistas
Congress had stopped
$$ (Boland Amend.)
US selling arms to Iran in exchange for release of hostages
Profits from arms sale indirectly going to fund ContrasSlide4
Background
Nicaragua, Iran, and U.S. involvementSlide5
NicaraguaSlide6
History of US involvement
Monroe Doctrine, Roosevelt Corollary, Good Neighbor Policy, Alliance for Progress
Fighting between conservatives and liberals over control of government
1
928- Liberal Jose
Moncada
as President
Former ally Augusto Sandino continued to fight against government
US trained Nic. Nat’l GuardSlide7
1932-
Anastasio
Somoza
Garcia
h
ead
of NNG and supported by US
Sandino maintained own army and control over small area of
land
1934- Somoza’s NG killed Sandino
1936- Somoza seized power over Juan
Sacasa
Somoza family in power for 43 yearsSlide8
http://www.newsofinterest.tv/politics/book_summaries/anastasio_somoza/index.phpSlide9
The
Somozas
& Sandinista Revolution
1961- Sandinista Nat’l Liberation Front (FSLN) formed
Named after Sandino, anti-Somoza, pro-socialism, tied to Cuba
1967-
Anastasio
Somoza
Debayle
(son)
President
Suppressed opposition, absorbed power
1972- Somoza gave self emergency power after
earthquake
Stole int’l aid $$
1974- Sandinistas kidnap elites, Somoza launches “state of siege” vs. guerillas and peasantsSlide10
http://www.newsofinterest.tv/politics/book_summaries/anastasio_somoza/index.phpSlide11
By 1977- Pres. Carter refuse to send aid until Somoza regime stopped human rights violations
Sandinistas still rebelling, joined by Nicaraguan businessmen & other Latin American countries
1979- US wants Somoza out
plan to “moderate” new government
7-19: Sandinistas seize powerSlide12
http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=Sandinistas_in_SFSlide13
A Socialist State is born: Sandinistas in Power
Impose state of emergency, seize land/business from “old regime,” banks/mines/ transit nationalized, nullify laws, elections
$99 mil in aid sent by US under Carter
Aid effort and to prevent ties to USSR & Cuba: FAIL
Align w/ Cubans & Soviets
Cubans advised on policy
1980- sign agreements w/ USSR
Econ,
Soc
, Tech,
Sci
WeaponsSlide14
Sandistas Gone Bad
Sandinistas sending weapons/arms trafficking to Salvadorian rebels, expansion of socialism
Attempt to guarantee Soviet support in case of war vs. US?Slide15
Birth of the Contras
Mid-1980: Nicaraguan Democratic Force (FDN) formed
Main base of support for “Contras”- counterrevolutionaries
Contras supported by farmers, Creoles, Indians, disenfranchised
Also, businessmen & elites
S
upport armed rebellion
Operate out of Honduras
US involvement through $$ and supplies
Argentina trained men, chose leadership
Fear of Somoza issues- human rights violations, violence vs. noncombatants
Former NG under Somoza involvedSlide16
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/contras.htmSlide17
https://sites.google.com/site/coldwarhotspotslathrop/nicaragua-3Slide18
US Response
TO INTERVENE OR NOT TO INTERVENE. . .?
Carter-
use CIA to support resistance, no
action
Reagan- CIA covert action, end to aid
Funding of rebellions?
Overthrow of Sandinistas?Slide19Slide20
http://herb.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/1579Slide21Slide22
1982- Reagan Doctrine
support democracy everywhere
Shifts involvement from supplier to helping shift power
Use of CIA operatives
Propaganda campaigns to gain US support leading up to vote on Contra support $$Slide23
DEBATE
1982- US press reports on Contra affairs (“secret war”) and Sandinistas
Debate sparked over issue
Boland Amendment I: no $$ to be used to overthrow N.
gov.
or start war between N. and Hon.
Problem? Promises already made to support Contras at any cost
Time to defy Congress?Slide24
COVERT ACTION
LOOPHOLE- as long as goal was not to overthrow N.
gov
, could still send $$ in form of humanitarian aid or through third-parties
1983-1984: CIA assists with air strikes, destruction of tanks, mines in harbors
Lt. Col. Oliver North- US Marine, worked for National Security Council for Reagan
NS Advisor Robert McFarlane & Carl “Spitz” Channel- secured $$ from Saudi Arabia, Taiwan for Contra supportSlide25
INCREASE D ACTION
Contra attacks increase, number of soldiers increase
Response of Cuba/USSR to send more support & weapons for SandinistasSlide26
DEBATE II
1984- Boland II passed
No federal $$ sent to N. directly or indirectly
LOOPHOLE: Private third-party funds, private individuals, other countries $ to Contras OK
Also, belief that NSC was for President only and Boland II not apply
NSC not mentioned in Boland II & is for policymaking, so not an intelligence agency/entity
Relied on North & McFarlane
Led to more creative ways of support: arms deals, air supply ops, intelligence Slide27
PRIVATE FUNDING FOR CONTRAS
By 1985- $11 mil.
i
n arms sent to Contras
Deals with Iranian businessmen
No solicitation- just that US funds were out and they needed support
Airstrip built in Costa Rica to supply arms
Plane shot down and crewmember captured by Sandinistas
North gave US/CIA info. on location of Soviet arms/equipmentSlide28
THE DIVERSION SCHEME
North’s idea to overcharge Iran for weapons & use prof its to fund Contras
Richard Secord & Albert Hakim orchestrate deals
Reported to Reagan and John Poindexter (new advisor of NSC) that $12 M used for supplies
Men involved in sale of arms kept much profit- so only a little got to Contras
Gov. money means 100% goes to effort, Privately funded means only a portion goes toward effort (room for profit)Slide29Slide30
CONGRESS BACKTRACKS
1985-1986: Congress passes legislation to allow funds to aid Contra effort
State Dept. raises funds,
CIA can train & give intelligence, but no participation or planning involvement
1987- Civil War ends
1990- ElectionsSlide31
IRAN BACKGROUND
Mohammad Reza Shah
Pahlavi- “The Shah”
1953-1979: secular, authoritarian rule, pro-Western, modernization
1978- protests, riots, violence by Iranian people
Lack of focus on religious values, relationship w/ U.S.
Jan. ‘79- left Iran, replaced
by Ayatollah
Ruhollah
Khomeini (religious and political leader)
Islamic Republic, anti-AmericanSlide32
U.S. tries to normalize relations
Need oil access, want to assert power in ME, keep Soviets out
Difficult w/ Khomeini- fundamentalist, anti-WesternSlide33
HOSTAGE SITUATION
11/4/1979- Iranians seize US Embassy in Tehran
Muslim Followers of the Line of the Imam
Ends friendly relations b/t US and Iran
53 hostages taken
Iranian people/
gov.
agree w/ actions
MFLI a radical group
Iran demands $$ for release
Released in early 1981 (Regan presidency)
Others continue to be kidnapped through the early 1980s
US/Iran relations tense- money and power doesn’t work over IranSlide34
IN THE MEANTIME…
Iran-Iraq War: 1980-1990
Reason Iran needed weapons
Conflict along borders- over territory/ethnic issues
US publicly supported Iraq
Saddam Hussein
War a stalemate between the two countries
Infantry, air, sea, missile
Human rights violations
Iran- child soldiers
Iraq- chemical warfare on Kurds (believed sided with Iran)
1988- cease-fire
1990- terms to end warSlide35
US INVOLVEMENT
1983- US tries to prevent arms getting to Iran
NSC simultaneously looking for covert ways to improve relationship
McFarlane, former CIA officials, Israel all pulled in to discussions
Summer 1985- plan devised
US arms to Iran via Israel in exchange for American hostages in Lebanon to be released
Iran had influence over terrorist groups who kidnapped Americans
No evidence plan was backed by governments- just private citizens
August 95- McFarlane gets Reagan’s approval for plan
Israel will sell US made weapons to Iran, US will replenish Israel weaponsSlide36
Shipments to Iran begin, but no hostages released.
Another round sold to Iran, one hostage released.
LTC Oliver North brought in to get hostage home
North worked with NSC and Contras
Arms supply increased, so did problems
Since dealing w/ private firms and other countries, issues w/ security, logistics, diplomacySlide37
IRAN-CONTRA
1985- $ used from sale of arms to fund contras
“The Enterprise”- company formed by Secord (worked for North) and a business
partner
US used to carry out financial operations in arms deals
$1 mil from Israel put into Swiss bank account- 150k spent on those weapons, rest of profit went to Contras
1986- one step further- US sell arms to Enterprise and then E. sells to Iran
Israel involved- serves as base for weapons movement
NSC now led by John PoindexterSlide38
THE DIVERSION
Sale of arms to Iran continues w/ OK from Poindexter, though hostages not always delivered as promised
Enterprise (under Secord/North) would buy from CIA, sell to Iranian arms dealer (
Ghorbanifar)
Profits fund Contras via Enterprise Slide39
Iran-Contra Hearings
1986- Lebanese newspaper broke news of Diversion
scheme
May 1987- House Select Committee to Investigate Covert
Arms Transactions
with Iran
& Senate
Select Committee on Secret Military Assistance to Iran and the Nicaraguan OppositionSlide40
Tower Commission Report ordered by Reagan
Report implicated North, Poindexter & others
Reagan not blamed, but he should have known more
North claimed Reagan knew- but no evidence
"Using the Contras as a front, and against international law, and US law, weapons were sold, using
Israel
as intermediaries, to
Iran
, during the brutal
Iran-Iraq war
.
The US was also
supplying weapons to Iraq
, including ingredients for
nerve gas
,
mustard gas
and other
chemical weapons
."
41 days of hearings, 3 months
Many pardoned from criminal charges