Supporting the Nicaraguan Contras
scalperthoughts.blogspot.com
About thirty million dollars was received from Iran. However, less than half of this ended up in proper hands. It turned out that Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North of the National Security Council had been diverting funds from the arms sales to the Contras in Nicaragua, with the full knowledge of his National Security Advisers and with the assumed blessing of President Reagan. Although the Administration claimed that freeing the hostages was a priority for Reagan, the funds obtained from these weapons sales directly turned into profits for the Contras in Nicaragua who were fighting the government. Reagan's goal was to assist the Contras against a power that he regarded as a Communist threat.
The U.S. had various reasons to support the Nicaraguan Contras. During the Cold War, the U.S. supported any anti-communist government to combat the growing power of the Soviet Union. Also, the Reagan administration had to somewhat dispose of the money made from the sale of arms to Iran.
The U.S. had various reasons to support the Nicaraguan Contras. During the Cold War, the U.S. supported any anti-communist government to combat the growing power of the Soviet Union. Also, the Reagan administration had to somewhat dispose of the money made from the sale of arms to Iran.
However...
life.com
The Nicaraguan Contras deeply violated basic human rights by attacking civilians and by treating prisoners severely, often torturing them and committing other atrocities against them before finally murdering them. The Reagan Administration tried to justify its support for the Contras by claiming that the Communists they were fighting was even worse than the Contras. However, the real justification was that the United States was trying to combat growing Soviet Power by fighting communism globally. When the deteals of Reagan's entire process were revealed to the public, they were greeted by much protest. The abuses performed by the Nicaraguan Contras were alsoused against the Reagan administration and contributed to the ruin of its reputation.