Stuff You Should Know

Iran-Contra Affair: Shady in the 80s, Part 1

Aug 6, 2019
Dive deep into the Iran-Contra affair, a scandal intertwining arms sales to Iran with a covert war in Nicaragua during Reagan's presidency. Discover the CIA's controversial covert operations, including the deployment of sea mines and the Boland Amendment's impact. Explore the ethical dilemmas of funding the Contras and the moral contradictions woven into U.S. foreign policy. Learn how propaganda shaped public perception, and the bold journalism that eventually exposed these shady dealings in 80s America.
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ANECDOTE

Oliver North's Testimony

  • Josh Clark remembers watching Oliver North testify during the Iran-Contra affair.
  • His sister found North dreamy because of his poise and uniform.
INSIGHT

Reagan's Anti-Communism

  • Ronald Reagan, a former Hollywood actor, strongly opposed communism.
  • He believed capitalist democracy and communism were incompatible.
INSIGHT

The Reagan Doctrine

  • The Reagan Doctrine aimed to support any opposition to communism globally.
  • This involved aiding countries and rebel groups fighting communist regimes.
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