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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (122934)	1/21/2001 1:43:12 AM
From: GerPol	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Iran-contra affair <<Iran-contra affair, in U.S. history, secret government arrangement to provide funds to the Nicaraguan contra rebels from profits gained by selling arms to Iran. Aid to the contras had been prohibited by Congress, and discovery of the arrangement in 1986 shook the administration of Ronald REAGAN. Most directly involved were Adm. John Poindexter and Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North, both of the NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (NSC). It was unclear to what degree higher officials, particularly Reagan and Vice Pres. BUSH, were involved. North said he believed Reagan was largely aware of the secret arrangement, and the independent prosecutor's report (1994) said that Reagan and Bush had some knowledge of the affair or its coverup but no evidence could be found to link them to any crime. A presidential commission was critical of the NSC, while congressional hearings uncovered a web of official deception, mismanagement, and illegality. A number of criminal convictions resulted, including those of North and Poindexter, but North's and Poindexter's were vacated on appeal for technical reasons. Former State Dept. and CIA officials pleaded guilty in 1991 to withholding information about the contra aid from Congress, and Caspar Weinberger, the former defense secretary, was charged (1992) with the same offense. In 1992 Pres. Bush pardoned Weinberger and other government officials who had been indicted or convicted for withholding information on or obstructing investigation of the affair.>> Better to have gotten off! :o)