Irangate
Reagan administration scandal
Irangate is a name for the Iran-Contra affair, a 1980s political scandal in which the Reagan administration secretly sold weapons to Iran and funneled profits to Nicaraguan rebels despite Congressional prohibitions.
The -gate suffix, from Watergate, marks it as a scandal: The Irangate revelations dominated headlines for months.
Captives held for demands
- TehranIran's capital city
- missilesSelf-propelled guided weapons
- HezbollahLebanese Shiite militant organization
- LebanonMideast coastal nation
Ayatollah Khomeini · Beirut · McFarlane · arms deal · Israel · intermediaries · spare parts · secret negotiations
Hiding wrongdoing from public
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- hearingsOfficial evidence-gathering sessions
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- special prosecutorAttorney for high-profile investigations
indictment · perjury · obstruction of justice · congressional inquiry · executive privilege · accountability · subpoena · whistleblower
Nicaraguan anti-government fighters
- SandinistasNicaraguan revolutionary political party
- counterrevolutionariesThose opposing revolutionary change
- proxy warConflict fought through intermediaries
- ManaguaNicaraguan seat of government
guerrillas · insurgency · diversion · humanitarian aid · death squads · Central America
Concealed official missions
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- plausible deniabilityArranged protection from accountability
- off-the-booksUnrecorded for tax purposes
- Swiss bank accountsAnonymous foreign financial holdings
shell companies · Enterprise · black ops · compartmentalization · classified · unauthorized · shadow government · backchannel
hostages
Captives held for demands
- TehranIran's capital city
- missilesSelf-propelled guided weapons
- HezbollahLebanese Shiite militant organization
Ayatollah Khomeini · Lebanon · Beirut · McFarlane · arms deal · Israel · intermediaries · spare parts · secret negotiations · hostage release
cover-up
Hiding wrongdoing from public
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- hearingsOfficial evidence-gathering sessions
- investigationFormal examination of facts
special prosecutor · indictment · perjury · obstruction of justice · congressional inquiry · executive privilege · accountability · subpoena · whistleblower · political crisis
Contras
Nicaraguan anti-government fighters
- SandinistasNicaraguan revolutionary political party
- counterrevolutionariesThose opposing revolutionary change
- proxy warConflict fought through intermediaries
Managua · guerrillas · insurgency · diversion · humanitarian aid · death squads · Central America
secret operations
Concealed official missions
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- plausible deniabilityArranged protection from accountability
- off-the-booksUnrecorded for tax purposes
Swiss bank accounts · shell companies · Enterprise · black ops · compartmentalization · classified · unauthorized · shadow government · backchannel
Ronald Reagan
- George Bush
- CIAU.S. foreign intelligence service
Irangategood governance
Accountable, transparent institutional management
Irangatecongressional oversight
Legislature monitoring executive branch
Iran, Iranian, Iranians, gate, gates, gated, gating, Watergate