But after news of the atrocities of the Contra war made its way out of the jungles, Congress rescinded funding for the Reagan’s Contras. Read our breakdown of CIA’s training manual for the Contras to get a glimpse into the terrorist-like tactics that Reagan’s trainers sought for the Contras.
Reagan was entirely unfazed by Congress making Contra funding illegal, directing Oliver North and his national security team to keep the paramilitary force functioning “body and soul.” Iran, named one of only three “state sponsors of terrorism” by the State Department, was in need of weapons for its cataclysmic war with Iraq (whom the US backed and supplied as well). Reagan’s team conducted a series of lucrative, secretive, and highly illegal arms deals with Iran, then laundering and channeling the proceeds to the Contras.
When news leaked of the deals and the heat started coming down on the White House, Reagan’s team went into emergency mode. Reagan took to the national airwaves to issue a fantastically lie-ridden address, and he convened a softball commission to “investigate” the matter. Meanwhile, Oliver North embarked on his famous “shredding party” to destroy all the documents that would incriminate himself, Reagan and likely the entire inner circle.
He missed one. We break down the so-called “Diversion Memo,” in which North discusses the means of selling arms to terrorists in Iran to fund other terrorists in Central America. The eventual Independent Counsel report, released after both Presidents Reagan and Bush left office, would demonstrate undeniably that the Reagan team worked in willful contravention of a whole array of laws. The case brought by Nicaragua against the US in the World Court brought charges of terrorism against Reagan’s White House.
So given all of these serious violations of law and basic human rights understandings, did Reagan and company sell cocaine into the hood to fund the Contras? All things considered, it’s not an unreasonable charge. The Contras were trafficking cocaine to the US, lots of it. We’ve known that since the 1986 Kerry Committee investigation, which found that “U.S. officials involved in Central America failed to address the drug issue for fear of jeopardizing the war efforts against Nicaragua.”
