The Iran-Contra Affair: How Reagan Barely Escaped Unscathed

The White House has an oval room, designed with cunning care. So any wily president who happens to be resident could never be cornered there. - E. Y. Harburg, "White House"

This quote directly correlates to the international controversy involving President Ronald Reagan during his term and how he managed to escape impeachment. In November 1986, President Ronald Reagan betrayed his fellow countrymen by initiating and leading the bartering of military arms to the Iranians, an avowed enemy of the United States. This was the start of the Iran-Contra Affair, in which the United States Presidential administration was discovered to have illegally sold weapons to Iran for the release of hostages. The U.S. then used the money to help the Contras, an anti-communist guerrilla movement in Nicaragua, who were guilty of human rights abuses. Reagan lied about the scandal, stating on national television that he had no knowledge of the criminal transaction. He was an unsatisfactory President because he failed to uphold the high moral standards inclusive with being placed in such an eminent position. People sworn into office should maintain a certain, albeit high, state of integrity and honor.

The Iran-Contra scandal came to light when a Lebanese newspaper published the wrongdoings on November 3, 1986, after a plane full of U.S. weaponry was brought down over Nicaragua. About 10 days after the incident, President Reagan announced that the U.S. had exchanged military arms for money, but yet still denied that it was for the return of American hostages (Cohen and Mitchell 195). He officially called the scandal the "Iran-Contra so-called affair" and states that it was not a scandal, and never at any time did we view this as trading weapons for hostages (Brinkley, par. 1). He continued to claim that his administration would never respond to terrorist demands, nor would he make deals.