The Boland Agreement Essay

476 Words1 Page

The Boland Agreement, passed in 1984, specifically addressed the CIA and Department of Defense to not give any militaristic aid although this laid the exact framework for the famous Iran Contra Affair. Under the presidency of Ronald Reagan Iran and Iraq were involved in conflict with each other, and the United States sought to strengthen its relations with Iran by whatever means necessary. In hopes of securing a position of power in the Middle East the United States sent military supplies and weaponry to Iran; in return President Reagan also hoped to receive seven Americans that were being held hostage in Iran. According to the Civil War Museum, this trade is known as an arms-for-hostages exchange and is in a direct violation of the Boland …show more content…

The lie bested observed in this historical event would be the lie of out-and-out lie which Ericsson describes as the simplest form of lying. According to PBS, Reagan released a statement that denied the ongoing of any such activities, but later he retracted the statement and an investigation proved he was aware of the events. Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North was responsible for the diverting of funds to the Contras, and he was under the impression that Reagan was in complete knowledge of the exchange. With an overwhelming amount of evidence it can be concluded that President Reagan was knowledgeable in the occuring sales even if he did not know every intimate detail of the process. When Regan specifically addressed the nation and very clearly denied these events taking place he was simply distributing an out-and-out lie; the lie was simple to prove and after it was proved through an investigation there was a profound effect. The American public has lost its strong respect for the president and his approval rating soon plummeted although it should be noted that he was eventually able to regain the trust of the American people by the end of his presidency. Many lies, such as the Iran Contra Affair, have shaped the course of history; the affair had many consequences on both the American people, the Reagan presidency, and the United States as a

More about The Boland Agreement Essay

Open Document