When the irancontra scandal story broke in november 1986, he ordered hall to destroyso many documents that the. Introduction the irancontra scandal occurred on the insert specific dates in the midst of the cold war. The crack epidemic coincidently began around the same time when the irancontra scandal was being exposed. Snowfall is a onehour drama set against the infancy of the crack cocaine epidemic and its ultimate radical impact on the culture as we know it. John kerry being nominated to secretary of the state brings his ever looming presence within the iran contra scandal full circle. May 12, 2018 the full extent of norths complicity in cocaine trafficking will never be known. When the irancontra scandal story broke in november 1986, he ordered hall to destroy so many documents that the. Theres another piece to the portrait, the drug running and the turned, and sometimes supportive head of the cia, dea, and reagan administration to fund the contras, a rightwing. Iran contra affair and scandal irangate interesting facts about iran contra scandal for kids and schools summary of the iran contra affair and scandal in us history the iran contra scandal, a major event in us history ronald reagan from january 20, 1981 to january 20, 1989 fast, fun facts about the iran contra affair and scandal. Intelligence agency operatives were tied to the crack cocaine epidemic has prompted calls that the oliver northrun iran contra scandal be.
In 1986 its spokesman acknowledged that funds from sales of cocaine smuggled into the us had helped fund the contra rebels, but said that the smuggling was not authorized by the us. Oliver north worked with cocaine traffickers to arm. Although the term irancontra was initially coined to reference the scandal involving the reagan administrations illegal selling of weapons to iran to fund contra terrorists in nicaragua, the scandal is a bit more expansive than the name would suggest. Caso iran contra, popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the iran contra scandal, or simply iran contra, was a political scandal in the united states that occurred during the second term of the reagan administration. Mar 27, 20 starring jeremy renner as the late gary webb, the movie of webbs investigation of the cias contracocaine scandal and of webbs destruction by mainstream news outlets is set to begin filming this summer. A look at the twisted history of the ciacontracocaine story. How an ugly cocaine controversy reignited 30 years later the. When you hear of the irancontra scandal you mostly think of the hostage crisis that happened in tehran, iran which was seen as another case of blowback by many.
Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. For those interested in the war on drugs or the iran contra scandal, i. The full extent of norths complicity in cocaine trafficking will never be known. The irancontra affair, like the ciaorganized invasion of the bay of pigs in cuba in 1961, struck a global blow to american credibility.
Cia involvement in trafficking is usually alleged to be connected to the contra war in nicaragua and the iran contra affair during the reagan administration. For the cia contra cocaine connection they include the invocation of national security, the limiting of testimony by narrow questions, limited mandates for investigative bodies and, in the case of the select iran contra committee hearings, the appointment of a cia connected lead investigator. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. His contra cocaine witnesses were depicted as simply convicts trying to get lighter prison sentences by embroidering false allegations onto the iran contra scandal. Oliver north and the irancontra scandal 25 years later. In it, he claimed the contra rebels in nicaragua were shipping cocaine into the us.
Beneath the good fun surface, however, lurks the irancontra scandal that rocked the reagan regime. The heroin epidemic resembles the days when crack cocaine became the major drug that destroyed communities across the united states and other parts of the world including the caribbean that began in the early 1980s. While the irancontra affair is obviously a massive chapter in modern us history, the contracocaine connection has stunning implications for 1980s uscentral america relations. How the us government sold weapons to iran and cocaine to americans to fund terrorism in latin america and spur prowestern regime change.
Along with a leading role in the irancontra scandal in which north helped sell arms to iran to fund the contra war north is also said to have employed air and sea transport companies. Iran contra trafficker freeway rick ross headed for tv emmett. An august, 1996, series in the san jose mercury news by reporter gary webb linked the origins of crack cocaine in california to the contras, a guerrilla force backed by the reagan administration that attacked nicaraguas sandinista government during the 1980s. Starring jeremy renner as the late gary webb, the movie of webbs investigation of the cias contracocaine scandal and of webbs destruction by mainstream news outlets is set to begin filming this summer. Along with a leading role in the iran contra scandal in which north helped sell arms to iran to fund the contra war north is also said to have employed air and sea transport companies. The contras, cocaine, and covert operations national security archive electronic briefing book no. It was a war that was already being funded by the small countrys cocaine. Powderburns is the story of celerino castillo iii who spent 12 years in the drug enforcement administration. Parry broke the contracocaine scandal while at the associated press in 1985 work that webb later built upon. The united states central intelligence agency cia has been accused of involvement in drug trafficking. Intelligence agency operatives were tied to the crack cocaine epidemic has prompted calls that the oliver northrun irancontra scandal be.
Congress or violated the stated public policy of the government. In 1986 its spokesman acknowledged that funds from sales of cocaine smuggled into the us had helped fund the contra rebels, but said that the smuggling was not authorized by the us government or resistance leaders. But the information in the times story was patently untrue. The cia, the contras and crack cocaine albion monitor.
The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. While the iran contra affair is obviously a massive chapter in modern us history, the contra cocaine connection has stunning implications for 1980s uscentral america relations. Jun 04, 20 his contracocaine witnesses were depicted as simply convicts trying to get lighter prison sentences by embroidering false allegations onto the irancontra scandal. Caso irancontra, popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the irancontra scandal, or simply irancontra, was a political scandal in the united states that occurred during the second term of the reagan administration.
Cia involvement in trafficking is usually alleged to be connected to the contra war in nicaragua and the irancontra affair during the reagan administration. Oct 07, 2014 parry broke the contracocaine scandal while at the associated press in 1985 work that webb later built upon. Oct 25, 2004 how john kerry exposed the contra cocaine scandal derided by the mainstream press and taking on reagan at the height of his popularity, the freshman senator battled to reveal one of americas. Jose bueso rosa reagan administration officials interceded on behalf of jose bueso rosa, a honduran general who was heavily involved with the cias contra operations and faced trial for his role in a massive drug shipment to the united states. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion. In appendix b and c we briefly describe how crack is made and the history of cocaine. Jun 24, 2001 until last week the iran contra scandal seemed ready to fade from the courts, the news and the mind. Two years before the irancontra scandal would begin to bubble up in the reagan white house, pilot william robert tosh plumlee revealed to thensen. On august 18, 1996, the san jose mercury news published the first installment of a threepart series of articles concerning crack cocaine, the central intelligence agency cia, and the nicaraguan contra army. Iran contra trafficker freeway rick ross headed for. A simple phone call concerning an unexceptional pending drug trial turned into a massive conspiracy involving the nicaraguan contra rebels, l.
Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come. Nov 17, 2014 jayz, ronald reagan, kanye west apreutersbenoit tessierdanny moloshokphoto montage by salon ronald reagans hiphop nightmare. In july 1995, san jose mercurynews reporter gary webb found the big onethe blockbuster story every journalist secretly dreams aboutwithout even looking for it. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. How john kerry exposed the contracocaine scandal derided by the mainstream press and taking on reagan at the height of his popularity, the. The contras have been associated with intrigue since the irancontra affair rocked the reagan administration in late 1986 with the news. Ciacontra connection recent central american history. The ap contra cocaine story had run in december 1985, almost a year before the iran contra story broke. The truth about the remaining dark secret of the iran contra scandal the united states governments collaboration with drug smugglers. Most popular iran contra affair movies and tv shows imdb.
Oliver north, a member of the national security council of the united states, was accused of diverting money from weapon sales in iran to support the contras in central america. These men were involved in a secret and illegal covert military operation, whereby weapons were being sold to an enemy state, iran, and the profits from those sales were going to illegally fund an army of rebels the cia was building in central america. On august 18, 1996, the san jose mercury news published the first installment of a threepart series of articles concerning crack cocaine, the central intelligence agency cia, and the nicaraguan contra. The ap contracocaine story had run in december 1985, almost a year before the irancontra story broke. Fears that the irancontra scandal could lead to reagans impeachment made it even less likely that the justice department would pursue an investigation. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. Books and investigations on the subject that have received general notice include works by historian alfred mccoy. Until last week the irancontra scandal seemed ready to fade from the courts, the news and the mind. These men were involved in a secret and illegal covert military operation, whereby weapons were being sold to an enemy state, iran, and the profits from those sales were going to illegally fund an army. When the irancontra scandal story broke in november 1986, he ordered hall to. How john kerry exposed the irancontra scandal and showed.
The man responsible for uncovering a scandal that cocaine was being brought into the united states as part of a multicontinental black market with the knowledge of the cia and u. For the ciacontracocaine connection they include the invocation of national security, the limiting of testimony by narrow questions, limited mandates for investigative bodies and, in the case of the select irancontra committee hearings, the appointment of a cia connected lead investigator. If youve heard about the ciacontracrack allegations, its probably because of gary webb, who in august 1996 authored several. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. Officials at the highest level had been detected organizing international terrorism i. Jayz, ronald reagan, kanye west apreutersbenoit tessierdanny moloshokphoto montage by salon ronald reagans hiphop nightmare. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. This is where seal and his aerial transportation of cocaine. How john kerry exposed the irancontra scandal and showed the. These plans were apparently aborted when the irancontra scandal broke in november 1986. If hollywood gets the story right, it will be a dark and enlightening tale. The truth about the remaining dark secret of the irancontra scandal the united states governments collaboration with drug smugglers.
When you hear of the iran contra scandal you mostly think of the hostage crisis that happened in tehran, iran which was seen as another case of blowback by many. How john kerry exposed the contracocaine scandal salon. Mar 21, 2015 the cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Irancontra scandal gets the tom cruise, hollywood treatment. As american made indicates, after congress forbid u.
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