1 00:00:16,271 --> 00:00:22,831 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Hey Leon here, before we get to this episode, 2 00:00:22,911 --> 00:00:24,511 Speaker 1: I want to let you know that you can binge 3 00:00:24,551 --> 00:00:28,431 Speaker 1: the entire season of Fiasco Iran Contra right now add 4 00:00:28,431 --> 00:00:32,071 Speaker 1: free by becoming a Pushkin Plus subscriber. Sign up for 5 00:00:32,111 --> 00:00:35,550 Speaker 1: Pushkin Plus on the Fiasco Apple podcast show page or 6 00:00:35,671 --> 00:00:39,871 Speaker 1: visit Pushkin dot Fm Slash Plus Now onto the show. 7 00:00:47,830 --> 00:00:51,111 Speaker 1: Two days before Christmas in nineteen seventy two, the capital 8 00:00:51,150 --> 00:00:53,791 Speaker 1: city of Nicaragua was destroyed by an earthquake. 9 00:00:54,111 --> 00:00:57,471 Speaker 2: When daylight finally came, you could still see smoke billowing 10 00:00:57,551 --> 00:01:00,471 Speaker 2: over the city of Managua. The crews shook themselves and 11 00:01:00,511 --> 00:01:03,871 Speaker 2: began another long day of digging out and trying to 12 00:01:03,871 --> 00:01:06,071 Speaker 2: clear this city and stop the fires. 13 00:01:06,591 --> 00:01:08,951 Speaker 1: Bulldozers combed the streets in search of bodies. 14 00:01:10,031 --> 00:01:13,071 Speaker 3: The scent of the city has been utterly destroyed. Even 15 00:01:13,111 --> 00:01:16,031 Speaker 3: the few tall buildings which do remain will soon be 16 00:01:16,111 --> 00:01:19,711 Speaker 3: brought down by dynamite. Unofficial estimates of the dead are 17 00:01:19,791 --> 00:01:22,671 Speaker 3: running as high as five thousand, many of these. 18 00:01:22,871 --> 00:01:27,351 Speaker 1: As the city burned, Nicaragua's right wing dictator Anastasio Simosa, 19 00:01:27,631 --> 00:01:28,791 Speaker 1: declared martial law. 20 00:01:29,311 --> 00:01:31,751 Speaker 3: The army is now in full command of the city 21 00:01:31,791 --> 00:01:35,391 Speaker 3: and the country. General Simosa is overflying the city in 22 00:01:35,431 --> 00:01:39,871 Speaker 3: a US helicopter. He will personally direct the demolition operations 23 00:01:39,911 --> 00:01:40,871 Speaker 3: to level the city. 24 00:01:41,471 --> 00:01:44,911 Speaker 1: Simosa and his family had ruled over Nicaragua for decades, 25 00:01:45,191 --> 00:01:48,271 Speaker 1: always with the full backing of the United States, but 26 00:01:48,311 --> 00:01:51,111 Speaker 1: in the aftermath of the earthquake, the Samosa government was 27 00:01:51,151 --> 00:01:56,551 Speaker 1: accused of stockpiling foreign aid, mismanagement, and fraud. Simosa responded 28 00:01:56,591 --> 00:01:59,551 Speaker 1: to the criticism by tightening the screws on all forms 29 00:01:59,551 --> 00:01:59,951 Speaker 1: of descent. 30 00:02:00,551 --> 00:02:04,791 Speaker 4: The country felt increasingly militarized. As a child, you could 31 00:02:04,831 --> 00:02:05,271 Speaker 4: feel it. 32 00:02:05,871 --> 00:02:09,231 Speaker 1: Victoria Gonzales Rivera was growing up in Nicaragua during these 33 00:02:09,270 --> 00:02:12,871 Speaker 1: turbulent years after the earthquake. Today, she's a history professor 34 00:02:12,911 --> 00:02:17,631 Speaker 1: at San Diego State University. Gonzales Rivera remembers General Simosa 35 00:02:17,711 --> 00:02:21,671 Speaker 1: seeming all powerful. His control over Nicaragua was embodied by 36 00:02:21,711 --> 00:02:25,351 Speaker 1: the constant presence of his armed loyalists, the National Guard. 37 00:02:25,511 --> 00:02:28,471 Speaker 4: They wore their uniforms, you know, these olive green uniforms. 38 00:02:28,511 --> 00:02:31,431 Speaker 4: They were everywhere. I remember, for example, at one point 39 00:02:31,511 --> 00:02:36,031 Speaker 4: a National Guards member shot someone, a civilian, you know, 40 00:02:36,151 --> 00:02:39,191 Speaker 4: on my street, and I heard the shot, and of course, 41 00:02:39,351 --> 00:02:41,751 Speaker 4: you know, adults just made me go inside the house, 42 00:02:41,791 --> 00:02:44,031 Speaker 4: and later on I could still see the blood on 43 00:02:44,271 --> 00:02:48,311 Speaker 4: the road, and the violence just became really, really widespread. 44 00:02:48,831 --> 00:02:53,231 Speaker 1: The Samosa government's increasing authoritarianism and corruption gave rise to 45 00:02:53,271 --> 00:02:57,631 Speaker 1: a popular opposition movement. A socialist revolutionary group started to 46 00:02:57,631 --> 00:02:58,791 Speaker 1: gain momentum. 47 00:02:59,231 --> 00:03:03,551 Speaker 5: The Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN, is named after 48 00:03:03,591 --> 00:03:07,031 Speaker 5: the nineteen twenties nationalist leader Augusto Sandino. 49 00:03:09,391 --> 00:03:12,631 Speaker 1: As the Samosa As regime grew more brutal, the FSLN, 50 00:03:12,871 --> 00:03:16,591 Speaker 1: also known as the Sandinistas, evolved into a cohesive force 51 00:03:16,631 --> 00:03:18,151 Speaker 1: with real military strength. 52 00:03:20,191 --> 00:03:23,751 Speaker 5: The Sandonist gorillas have launched what they called their final offensive. 53 00:03:24,111 --> 00:03:27,151 Speaker 5: With the recent development of fighting in Managua for anoun 54 00:03:27,231 --> 00:03:31,270 Speaker 5: signs that Washington will start to priss Moore openly Forsmoza's resignation. 55 00:03:33,671 --> 00:03:36,991 Speaker 1: In July of nineteen seventy nine, they deposed Simosa and 56 00:03:37,031 --> 00:03:39,111 Speaker 1: declared a new government in Nicaragua. 57 00:03:40,151 --> 00:03:43,911 Speaker 6: By midmorning here in Managua, Sandinista gorillas were coming. 58 00:03:43,631 --> 00:03:44,871 Speaker 1: In from every direction. 59 00:03:44,951 --> 00:03:47,151 Speaker 6: On Many of the tough young gorillas were raised in 60 00:03:47,191 --> 00:03:49,431 Speaker 6: the four sections of this country were support for the 61 00:03:49,471 --> 00:03:52,271 Speaker 6: Sandinista movement has been the strongest, and it. 62 00:03:52,271 --> 00:03:53,671 Speaker 7: Was the poor people in the capitol. 63 00:03:53,671 --> 00:03:56,191 Speaker 6: Who filled the breach today the Greek, the winners of 64 00:03:56,191 --> 00:03:57,471 Speaker 6: the eighteen month old war. 65 00:03:58,591 --> 00:04:00,151 Speaker 8: It wasn't long before the Gorilla. 66 00:04:00,271 --> 00:04:03,791 Speaker 1: The Sandinista government started implementing its policy agenda, including a 67 00:04:03,831 --> 00:04:07,191 Speaker 1: slate of social programs in public health and education, and 68 00:04:07,231 --> 00:04:09,511 Speaker 1: for the first time in years, it felt as though 69 00:04:09,551 --> 00:04:11,111 Speaker 1: peace was coming to Nicaragua. 70 00:04:11,751 --> 00:04:16,071 Speaker 4: Right after the revolution, there was some euphoria the literacy campaign, 71 00:04:17,190 --> 00:04:21,710 Speaker 4: vaccination campaigns. That was really safe, you know, I remember 72 00:04:21,751 --> 00:04:24,391 Speaker 4: that really clearly, Like you could be out in the 73 00:04:24,431 --> 00:04:28,351 Speaker 4: street really late, and it felt so safe. There was 74 00:04:28,391 --> 00:04:32,551 Speaker 4: a sense of there being sort of endless possibilities. 75 00:04:33,031 --> 00:04:37,591 Speaker 1: But the euphoria didn't last long. The Sandinistas quickly encountered 76 00:04:37,631 --> 00:04:40,630 Speaker 1: resistance from Nicaraguans who were unhappy with the new government. 77 00:04:41,311 --> 00:04:45,031 Speaker 1: That included former Somosa supporters and rural laborers who were 78 00:04:45,031 --> 00:04:49,551 Speaker 1: forced into collective farming. Several groups of counter revolutionaries started 79 00:04:49,551 --> 00:04:53,511 Speaker 1: popping up all over the country. Collectively, they were called 80 00:04:53,671 --> 00:04:57,991 Speaker 1: the Contras, and soon a new armed conflict was brewing 81 00:04:58,031 --> 00:05:00,831 Speaker 1: in Nicaragua. 82 00:05:01,151 --> 00:05:03,871 Speaker 9: The so called Contras claim an army of ten thousand, 83 00:05:04,111 --> 00:05:05,431 Speaker 9: with more joining every day. 84 00:05:05,831 --> 00:05:10,831 Speaker 4: The Contra War started fairly soon after seventy nine. So 85 00:05:10,871 --> 00:05:15,311 Speaker 4: it became a vicious circle of sorts where the Sandinistas 86 00:05:15,991 --> 00:05:20,231 Speaker 4: justified the authoritarianism because it was wartime. 87 00:05:20,431 --> 00:05:24,111 Speaker 8: They have shut down the only opposition newspaper five times, 88 00:05:24,151 --> 00:05:29,311 Speaker 8: They've postponed election, outlawed strikes, and jailed some of their opponents. 89 00:05:29,071 --> 00:05:33,511 Speaker 4: And then more people then turned away because of the authoritarianism. 90 00:05:33,871 --> 00:05:36,831 Speaker 4: It just felt like never ending war. 91 00:05:36,991 --> 00:05:39,791 Speaker 9: The largest of the rebel groups has extended its control 92 00:05:39,911 --> 00:05:43,071 Speaker 9: from a sliver around the Hunduran border to several advanced 93 00:05:43,071 --> 00:05:46,070 Speaker 9: locations in the center of Nicaragua. They say the war 94 00:05:46,111 --> 00:05:48,871 Speaker 9: will continue until the Sandinistas are gone. 95 00:05:49,351 --> 00:05:51,911 Speaker 1: Just as the Sandinistas were coming to power in Nicaragua, 96 00:05:52,311 --> 00:05:54,911 Speaker 1: a presidential election was getting under way in the United 97 00:05:54,911 --> 00:05:58,630 Speaker 1: States for Ronald Reagan, the Republican nominee. The spread of 98 00:05:58,631 --> 00:06:01,911 Speaker 1: communism to a Central American nation looked like a serious threat. 99 00:06:02,631 --> 00:06:05,551 Speaker 1: Here is Doyle McManus, who covered the Contra War for 100 00:06:05,591 --> 00:06:08,911 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Times and co authored the book Landslide. 101 00:06:09,431 --> 00:06:13,390 Speaker 10: It was owned only five years after the United States 102 00:06:13,511 --> 00:06:17,271 Speaker 10: lost the Vietnam War, and in those five years, the 103 00:06:17,351 --> 00:06:22,351 Speaker 10: perception on the American right was that the United States 104 00:06:22,471 --> 00:06:25,831 Speaker 10: was in headlong retreat. All over the world, and that 105 00:06:25,871 --> 00:06:30,471 Speaker 10: the Soviet Union was winning everywhere, and there was in 106 00:06:30,551 --> 00:06:34,631 Speaker 10: effect a new Domino theory that first Nicaragua, then l Salvador, 107 00:06:34,711 --> 00:06:37,591 Speaker 10: then perhaps Guatemala, Honduras, and you are on the border 108 00:06:37,631 --> 00:06:41,551 Speaker 10: of Mexico, and suddenly we have a new problem of 109 00:06:41,631 --> 00:06:44,591 Speaker 10: communist regimes right up to our border. 110 00:06:45,311 --> 00:06:48,911 Speaker 1: At the nineteen eighty Republican Convention, the GOP added a 111 00:06:48,911 --> 00:06:51,871 Speaker 1: plank to its platform affirming the party's support for a 112 00:06:51,911 --> 00:06:55,830 Speaker 1: free and independent government in Nicaragua. Reagan drove the point 113 00:06:55,871 --> 00:06:57,831 Speaker 1: home when he accepted his party's nomination. 114 00:06:58,311 --> 00:07:02,190 Speaker 11: The United States has an obligation to its citizens and 115 00:07:02,231 --> 00:07:05,311 Speaker 11: to the people of the world, never to let those 116 00:07:05,351 --> 00:07:09,711 Speaker 11: who would destroy freedom dictate the future course of life 117 00:07:09,791 --> 00:07:10,791 Speaker 11: on this planet. 118 00:07:14,111 --> 00:07:17,271 Speaker 1: As President, Reagan made no secret of his disdain for 119 00:07:17,311 --> 00:07:20,351 Speaker 1: the Sandinistas, but most Americans were opposed to the United 120 00:07:20,391 --> 00:07:24,391 Speaker 1: States getting involved in yet another proxy war abroad. One 121 00:07:24,391 --> 00:07:27,471 Speaker 1: poll in nineteen eighty three found that sixty six percent 122 00:07:27,551 --> 00:07:30,991 Speaker 1: of Americans feared that a US intervention in Nicaragua would 123 00:07:31,031 --> 00:07:35,191 Speaker 1: turn into a repeat of Vietnam. That anxiety underpinned a 124 00:07:35,231 --> 00:07:38,271 Speaker 1: lot of American politics in the seventies and eighties. It 125 00:07:38,311 --> 00:07:40,071 Speaker 1: was known as Vietnam syndrome. 126 00:07:40,511 --> 00:07:44,271 Speaker 5: Congressional critics warn of another Vietnam and say it's time 127 00:07:44,311 --> 00:07:46,111 Speaker 5: for the US to keep its hands off. 128 00:07:46,351 --> 00:07:46,991 Speaker 2: Is there now a. 129 00:07:47,071 --> 00:07:51,351 Speaker 11: Kind of Vietnam phobia, a predisposition against the use of 130 00:07:51,431 --> 00:07:54,191 Speaker 11: military force, a presumption that that is wrong and has 131 00:07:54,231 --> 00:07:57,871 Speaker 11: to be proved right the old Mark Twain anecdote, a 132 00:07:58,111 --> 00:08:00,631 Speaker 11: cat that jumps on a hot stove not only will 133 00:08:00,671 --> 00:08:02,351 Speaker 11: not jump on a hot stove, won't jump on any 134 00:08:02,431 --> 00:08:03,151 Speaker 11: stove at all. 135 00:08:03,831 --> 00:08:06,311 Speaker 1: Even some of his fellow Republicans broke from Reagan on 136 00:08:06,351 --> 00:08:10,471 Speaker 1: the Sandinista question. They agreed that democracy in Nicaragua would 137 00:08:10,471 --> 00:08:12,711 Speaker 1: be a good thing, but they didn't want the US 138 00:08:12,791 --> 00:08:15,471 Speaker 1: getting its hands dirty by helping the Contras make it happen. 139 00:08:15,591 --> 00:08:18,191 Speaker 3: I don't think President Reagan has convinced some of the 140 00:08:18,191 --> 00:08:19,991 Speaker 3: most powerful members, even of his own. 141 00:08:19,831 --> 00:08:23,471 Speaker 4: Party, that it is really a Marxist struggle down there, 142 00:08:23,511 --> 00:08:26,471 Speaker 4: and it's the US versus the Kamis. It is a 143 00:08:26,591 --> 00:08:27,831 Speaker 4: very comminateduation. 144 00:08:27,911 --> 00:08:30,511 Speaker 1: But Reagan and his top advisors did not harbor any 145 00:08:30,591 --> 00:08:33,071 Speaker 1: doubts about what was going on down in Central America. 146 00:08:33,831 --> 00:08:35,710 Speaker 1: By the same logic that would lead to the invasion 147 00:08:35,711 --> 00:08:39,231 Speaker 1: of Grenada. Nicaragua looked poised to turn into a Soviet 148 00:08:39,231 --> 00:08:41,991 Speaker 1: outpost in the Western Hemisphere if something wasn't done. 149 00:08:42,151 --> 00:08:45,631 Speaker 10: Think about the big issues the Middle East, the Soviet 150 00:08:45,710 --> 00:08:48,231 Speaker 10: Union at the time, the Cold War. They went on 151 00:08:48,351 --> 00:08:50,670 Speaker 10: endlessly and there was nothing there you could solve. But 152 00:08:50,790 --> 00:08:53,991 Speaker 10: here was a theater where someone sitting in the White 153 00:08:53,991 --> 00:08:56,511 Speaker 10: House or the Defense Department or the State Department could say, 154 00:08:56,550 --> 00:08:59,991 Speaker 10: you know, we actually do have enough power to fix 155 00:09:00,030 --> 00:09:02,511 Speaker 10: this problem, if we only dare to use it. 156 00:09:06,550 --> 00:09:10,831 Speaker 1: Nicaragua was a problem Reagan thought he could solve. The 157 00:09:10,910 --> 00:09:14,830 Speaker 1: overwhelming opposition of the American people was an obstacle, but 158 00:09:14,871 --> 00:09:18,630 Speaker 1: it wasn't insurmountable. Maybe the United States could help the 159 00:09:18,670 --> 00:09:23,030 Speaker 1: Nicaragua in contras without anyone finding out about it. Maybe 160 00:09:23,030 --> 00:09:26,231 Speaker 1: Reagan could set the Soviets BACKUPEG in Central America and 161 00:09:26,310 --> 00:09:31,351 Speaker 1: nobody would ever have to know. I'm Leon Nathalk from 162 00:09:31,391 --> 00:09:36,351 Speaker 1: Prologue Projects and Pushkin Industries. This is fiasco Iran Contra. 163 00:09:37,430 --> 00:09:40,151 Speaker 1: The Reagan administration secret war in Nicaragua. 164 00:09:40,310 --> 00:09:43,951 Speaker 11: Covert activities being engaged in uncovertly cannot be justified. 165 00:09:44,030 --> 00:09:47,190 Speaker 12: The administration is going into high gear to salvage its 166 00:09:47,190 --> 00:09:48,751 Speaker 12: policies on Central America. 167 00:09:48,871 --> 00:09:51,551 Speaker 11: We cannot turn our backs on this crisis at our doorstick. 168 00:09:51,751 --> 00:09:54,391 Speaker 9: No longer can we so easily bear witness to the 169 00:09:54,430 --> 00:09:55,991 Speaker 9: standards of international law. 170 00:09:56,231 --> 00:10:00,191 Speaker 6: The Sandinistas can hold out forever, but the US Congress cannot. 171 00:10:00,910 --> 00:10:06,431 Speaker 1: Episode three Contra Dance. How the Reagan administration forged a 172 00:10:06,471 --> 00:10:10,431 Speaker 1: secret military alliance with the Contra fighters in Nicaragua, and 173 00:10:10,511 --> 00:10:17,670 Speaker 1: what happened when Congress tried to stop them. We'll be 174 00:10:17,751 --> 00:10:25,951 Speaker 1: right back. Anthony Quainton started his mission as the US 175 00:10:25,950 --> 00:10:30,110 Speaker 1: Ambassador to Nicaragua in March of nineteen eighty two. Given 176 00:10:30,151 --> 00:10:33,711 Speaker 1: Reagan's intense interest in Nicaragua, Quainton knew the job would 177 00:10:33,751 --> 00:10:36,071 Speaker 1: put him in the spotlight, but he didn't expect the 178 00:10:36,070 --> 00:10:38,591 Speaker 1: headaches to start quite as immediately as they did. 179 00:10:39,111 --> 00:10:42,511 Speaker 13: When I arrived, I climbed off the plane from Miami 180 00:10:43,151 --> 00:10:47,550 Speaker 13: to be greeted by cameras, clea lights, microphones, and there 181 00:10:47,550 --> 00:10:50,351 Speaker 13: were some hopes that maybe a new ambassador would bring 182 00:10:50,430 --> 00:10:51,711 Speaker 13: a new approach. 183 00:10:52,391 --> 00:10:55,070 Speaker 1: It turned out that while Quainton was in the air 184 00:10:55,310 --> 00:10:58,910 Speaker 1: flying from Miami to Monagua, Contra forces had blown up 185 00:10:58,950 --> 00:11:01,631 Speaker 1: two bridges as part of their war on the Sandinistas. 186 00:11:02,111 --> 00:11:04,231 Speaker 6: The chief reason for the imposition of the state of 187 00:11:04,271 --> 00:11:08,030 Speaker 6: emergency was the sabotage of two Nicaragua bridges by anti 188 00:11:08,070 --> 00:11:09,550 Speaker 6: government guerrillas. 189 00:11:09,111 --> 00:11:12,711 Speaker 1: And according to the government led by Daniel Ortega, the 190 00:11:12,830 --> 00:11:14,591 Speaker 1: CIA had been in on the plot. 191 00:11:14,871 --> 00:11:17,391 Speaker 6: Military leaders here are telling the people they must be 192 00:11:17,430 --> 00:11:19,430 Speaker 6: prepared for a US backed invasion. 193 00:11:20,070 --> 00:11:24,191 Speaker 13: I was confronted with questions, which began more or less 194 00:11:24,231 --> 00:11:28,271 Speaker 13: as follows. Mister, Ambassador Daniel Ortega has declared a state 195 00:11:28,310 --> 00:11:31,151 Speaker 13: of emergency because the CIA has blown up the bridges 196 00:11:31,190 --> 00:11:35,231 Speaker 13: connecting Nicaragua and Honduras. What do you think about this 197 00:11:35,391 --> 00:11:36,991 Speaker 13: start to your investorship? 198 00:11:37,790 --> 00:11:40,430 Speaker 1: Quentin didn't quite know what to say. He didn't know 199 00:11:40,471 --> 00:11:44,910 Speaker 1: anything about a CIA operation to blow up bridges in Nicaragua. Officially, 200 00:11:45,271 --> 00:11:48,391 Speaker 1: the Reagan administration was exercising restraint in its opposition to 201 00:11:48,430 --> 00:11:52,471 Speaker 1: the Sandinistas. Officially they were holding back from joining the 202 00:11:52,511 --> 00:11:53,111 Speaker 1: contra war. 203 00:11:53,590 --> 00:11:56,711 Speaker 13: And I had to think very quickly because I had 204 00:11:56,751 --> 00:12:00,070 Speaker 13: not been briefed on the operation, nor did I expect 205 00:12:00,151 --> 00:12:06,030 Speaker 13: any particular clandestine operation would be time to with my arrival. 206 00:12:06,830 --> 00:12:10,231 Speaker 13: So I don't know whether I mumbled. I tried not 207 00:12:10,231 --> 00:12:13,590 Speaker 13: to mumble, but to suggest that these were very difficult issues, 208 00:12:13,631 --> 00:12:17,070 Speaker 13: and I look forward to discussing them with Commandante Ortega 209 00:12:17,151 --> 00:12:17,751 Speaker 13: and others. 210 00:12:18,030 --> 00:12:21,670 Speaker 6: The newly appointed US Ambassador, Anthony Quainton is now a Nicaragua. 211 00:12:21,830 --> 00:12:23,830 Speaker 6: He says he wants to try to decrease the level 212 00:12:23,830 --> 00:12:24,350 Speaker 6: of tension. 213 00:12:24,871 --> 00:12:27,511 Speaker 1: That was only the first time Quainton would find himself 214 00:12:27,550 --> 00:12:29,830 Speaker 1: caught between the Reagan administration he was supposed to be 215 00:12:29,910 --> 00:12:32,470 Speaker 1: representing in the Nicaraguin leaders he was supposed to be 216 00:12:32,550 --> 00:12:36,350 Speaker 1: working with. The awkwardness was never more palpable than when 217 00:12:36,351 --> 00:12:42,950 Speaker 1: the Sandinistas sang their anthem in Quaintan's presence. The hymn 218 00:12:43,070 --> 00:12:46,111 Speaker 1: of the Sandinistas was sung at nearly every official function 219 00:12:46,631 --> 00:12:49,071 Speaker 1: and referred to the Yankee enemy of mankind. 220 00:12:49,471 --> 00:12:51,551 Speaker 13: So every time they sang an Imigo del money, that 221 00:12:51,670 --> 00:12:58,670 Speaker 13: enemy of humanity, it was a dilemma. I mean, at 222 00:12:58,670 --> 00:13:03,950 Speaker 13: what point would I should I be? Was I expected 223 00:13:03,950 --> 00:13:10,030 Speaker 13: to be visibly in opposition? It was a constant question 224 00:13:10,351 --> 00:13:10,631 Speaker 13: for me. 225 00:13:14,351 --> 00:13:16,910 Speaker 1: The tension over the Contra War escalated in the fall 226 00:13:16,991 --> 00:13:20,511 Speaker 1: of nineteen eighty two when Newsweek ran a blockbuster cover 227 00:13:20,590 --> 00:13:24,471 Speaker 1: story about CIA covert operations being coordinated out of Honduras 228 00:13:24,550 --> 00:13:25,950 Speaker 1: along the Nicaragua border. 229 00:13:26,391 --> 00:13:29,710 Speaker 6: Newsweek's cover story this week is an extraordinary exclusive report 230 00:13:29,751 --> 00:13:32,550 Speaker 6: on the Reagan administration secret war in Nicaragua. 231 00:13:32,710 --> 00:13:34,951 Speaker 14: There are a number of different types of operations in 232 00:13:35,070 --> 00:13:37,711 Speaker 14: what is generally perceived to be a war of nerves. 233 00:13:38,550 --> 00:13:41,711 Speaker 1: Newsweek reported that some fifty CIA operatives were working in 234 00:13:41,751 --> 00:13:45,750 Speaker 1: Central America to undermine the Sandinistas. The Contras only had 235 00:13:45,790 --> 00:13:49,271 Speaker 1: about twelve thousand guerrilla soldiers, but according to Newsweek, Reagan 236 00:13:49,310 --> 00:13:52,550 Speaker 1: had approved a CIA plan to help them. It entailed 237 00:13:52,590 --> 00:13:57,631 Speaker 1: relatively modest activities like repairing equipment and disrupting Sandinista supply chains, 238 00:13:58,111 --> 00:14:01,230 Speaker 1: but it also involved training Contra forces and helping them 239 00:14:01,271 --> 00:14:04,990 Speaker 1: plan attacks. According to many of the US officials quoted 240 00:14:05,030 --> 00:14:08,910 Speaker 1: in the Newsweek story, these efforts were ineffective, risky, and 241 00:14:08,991 --> 00:14:13,271 Speaker 1: deeply embarrassing. One official said, this is our bay of pigs. 242 00:14:14,950 --> 00:14:17,151 Speaker 1: The contract didn't come across well in the article either. 243 00:14:17,830 --> 00:14:21,191 Speaker 1: One Contra officer was quoted saying that come the counter revolution, 244 00:14:21,631 --> 00:14:24,271 Speaker 1: there will be a massacre in Nicaragua. We have a 245 00:14:24,271 --> 00:14:26,551 Speaker 1: lot of scores to settle, and there will be bodies 246 00:14:26,590 --> 00:14:30,031 Speaker 1: from the border to Monagua. Here's one of the authors 247 00:14:30,031 --> 00:14:32,671 Speaker 1: of the Newsweek story giving a radio interview about her piece. 248 00:14:33,191 --> 00:14:35,191 Speaker 14: The policy may in fact have the opposite effect of 249 00:14:35,231 --> 00:14:37,951 Speaker 14: that which is intended. In other words, it may consolidate 250 00:14:37,991 --> 00:14:41,511 Speaker 14: what little support remains for the Sandinistas. As one person 251 00:14:41,551 --> 00:14:44,071 Speaker 14: told me in Minaugua earlier this summer, just because we 252 00:14:44,111 --> 00:14:46,031 Speaker 14: want these bastards out doesn't mean we want the old 253 00:14:46,071 --> 00:14:46,870 Speaker 14: bastards back. 254 00:14:51,071 --> 00:14:53,471 Speaker 1: The Newsweek's story put a lot of heat on Reagan 255 00:14:53,551 --> 00:14:54,431 Speaker 1: and the CIA. 256 00:14:54,631 --> 00:14:58,151 Speaker 3: The COVID operation in Central America has drawn sharp criticism 257 00:14:58,191 --> 00:14:59,191 Speaker 3: on Capitol Hill. 258 00:14:59,191 --> 00:15:01,671 Speaker 9: I've told the President I feel that he makes a 259 00:15:01,710 --> 00:15:05,511 Speaker 9: foreign policy mistake if he wants to substitute COVID activity 260 00:15:06,271 --> 00:15:08,791 Speaker 9: for a good foreign policy. 261 00:15:09,631 --> 00:15:12,991 Speaker 1: Opposite position to Reagan's secret medaling in Nicaragua was led 262 00:15:12,991 --> 00:15:15,831 Speaker 1: by Democratic Congressman Edward P. Boland. 263 00:15:16,151 --> 00:15:19,271 Speaker 8: House Intelligence Committee Chairman Edward Boland has made it almost 264 00:15:19,311 --> 00:15:23,151 Speaker 8: a personal crusade to cut off CIA financing for guerrillas 265 00:15:23,191 --> 00:15:23,871 Speaker 8: in Nicaragua. 266 00:15:24,071 --> 00:15:27,031 Speaker 1: Boland was appalled that the administration was trying to avoid 267 00:15:27,071 --> 00:15:31,231 Speaker 1: congressional oversight in order to pursue a secret agenda. Boland 268 00:15:31,311 --> 00:15:33,391 Speaker 1: wanted to rein in the rogue executive branch. 269 00:15:33,991 --> 00:15:36,911 Speaker 8: He argues, the Reagan administration is trying to overthrow the 270 00:15:36,991 --> 00:15:40,470 Speaker 8: Nicaraguan government with the gorillas and the US support for them, 271 00:15:40,511 --> 00:15:43,031 Speaker 8: makes this country the meddler the bully in the region. 272 00:15:43,631 --> 00:15:47,311 Speaker 1: Another congressman had proposed a blanket ban on all military 273 00:15:47,311 --> 00:15:50,071 Speaker 1: aid to the Contras, but Boland wanted to find a 274 00:15:50,071 --> 00:15:53,911 Speaker 1: compromise that Reagan would be willing to sign, so he 275 00:15:53,951 --> 00:15:56,871 Speaker 1: suggested an amendment to the Defense budget that would specifically 276 00:15:56,911 --> 00:16:00,071 Speaker 1: forbid the CIA from sending military aid to anyone seeking 277 00:16:00,111 --> 00:16:03,791 Speaker 1: to overthrow the Sandinista government, which is to say, the 278 00:16:03,871 --> 00:16:06,871 Speaker 1: CIA could help the Contras as long as they weren't 279 00:16:06,871 --> 00:16:10,471 Speaker 1: doing it with the intention of bringing about regime change. 280 00:16:10,631 --> 00:16:12,671 Speaker 1: The law came to be called the bowl In Amendment, 281 00:16:13,071 --> 00:16:16,511 Speaker 1: and it passed the House unanimously with overwhelming support from 282 00:16:16,511 --> 00:16:20,831 Speaker 1: both Democrats and Republicans. Here again is La Times reporter 283 00:16:21,031 --> 00:16:21,951 Speaker 1: Doyle McManus. 284 00:16:22,671 --> 00:16:25,791 Speaker 10: As long as they said the purpose of this operation, 285 00:16:26,471 --> 00:16:29,511 Speaker 10: the purpose of this arms shipment is not to overthrow 286 00:16:29,551 --> 00:16:31,991 Speaker 10: the government of Nicaragua, they figured they were in the clear. 287 00:16:33,271 --> 00:16:38,591 Speaker 10: So the CIA saw that as the biggest loophole that 288 00:16:38,631 --> 00:16:42,711 Speaker 10: they could drive arms trucks through that they had ever seen, 289 00:16:42,911 --> 00:16:44,231 Speaker 10: and that's exactly what they did. 290 00:16:44,431 --> 00:16:47,511 Speaker 8: So for now, the administration feels free to pursue what 291 00:16:47,671 --> 00:16:51,951 Speaker 8: some here feel are rather uncovert covert activities in Nicaragua. 292 00:16:52,590 --> 00:16:55,551 Speaker 1: The debate over the Bolan Amendment coincided with the major 293 00:16:55,631 --> 00:16:59,710 Speaker 1: pr push by the Reagan administration. They wanted to galvanize 294 00:16:59,710 --> 00:17:02,831 Speaker 1: support for the contrast among American lawmakers and to get 295 00:17:02,871 --> 00:17:06,551 Speaker 1: regular Americans excited about the contract cause. To that end, 296 00:17:06,911 --> 00:17:09,991 Speaker 1: the CIA set about finding a group of counter revolutionary 297 00:17:10,471 --> 00:17:14,270 Speaker 1: who could represent Nicaragua's anti communist movement, and if they 298 00:17:14,271 --> 00:17:17,870 Speaker 1: couldn't find one, they would settle for creating one. 299 00:17:18,071 --> 00:17:21,830 Speaker 10: There was in the Reagan administration a kind of generalized 300 00:17:21,911 --> 00:17:24,951 Speaker 10: search for good guys. We could back that if you 301 00:17:25,071 --> 00:17:30,350 Speaker 10: wanted to organize and mobilize American public support for this 302 00:17:30,511 --> 00:17:35,190 Speaker 10: great crusade against Soviet Communism, you needed some heroes, You 303 00:17:35,231 --> 00:17:37,951 Speaker 10: needed some good guys, and so that was an important 304 00:17:37,991 --> 00:17:39,630 Speaker 10: part of the narrative. 305 00:17:40,231 --> 00:17:43,470 Speaker 1: Selecting members for this contra organization was kind of like 306 00:17:43,511 --> 00:17:46,710 Speaker 1: putting together a boy band. The perfect number of people 307 00:17:46,711 --> 00:17:49,551 Speaker 1: to serve in the group was seven. It would include 308 00:17:49,551 --> 00:17:53,590 Speaker 1: a businessman, a politician, and a doctor. The CIA was 309 00:17:53,630 --> 00:17:57,991 Speaker 1: looking for Nicaraguan anti communists with good reputations, people who 310 00:17:58,031 --> 00:18:01,150 Speaker 1: weren't associated with the brutality of the Samosa National Guard. 311 00:18:02,150 --> 00:18:04,910 Speaker 1: The new seven person directorate was going to be the 312 00:18:04,911 --> 00:18:08,470 Speaker 1: public face of an entity called the Nicaraguan Democratic Force, 313 00:18:09,071 --> 00:18:09,950 Speaker 1: the FDN. 314 00:18:12,630 --> 00:18:16,710 Speaker 15: Well, my life called many, many ups and downs, or 315 00:18:16,870 --> 00:18:18,351 Speaker 15: ins and out. 316 00:18:18,590 --> 00:18:21,711 Speaker 1: Edgar Chamorro moved to Miami from Monagua in the midst 317 00:18:21,751 --> 00:18:25,430 Speaker 1: of the Sandinista Revolution. Chamorro was born to one of 318 00:18:25,511 --> 00:18:29,471 Speaker 1: Nicaragua's most powerful and well connected families. There were multiple 319 00:18:29,511 --> 00:18:33,031 Speaker 1: former presidents of Nicaragua and the Chamorrow family tree, but 320 00:18:33,150 --> 00:18:36,271 Speaker 1: Edgar never felt the poll of politics. After a short 321 00:18:36,311 --> 00:18:39,391 Speaker 1: stint as a Jesuit priest, he founded an advertising agency 322 00:18:39,590 --> 00:18:43,230 Speaker 1: and made ads from breweries, rum distilleries, and car dealerships. 323 00:18:43,830 --> 00:18:46,630 Speaker 1: After he moved to Miami, Chamorrow became more interested in 324 00:18:46,630 --> 00:18:49,911 Speaker 1: his home country's politics. He didn't doubt that the Sandinistas 325 00:18:49,951 --> 00:18:52,710 Speaker 1: genuinely wanted to help people, but he thought their plans 326 00:18:52,711 --> 00:18:56,111 Speaker 1: for transforming the country were too radical. He started attending 327 00:18:56,150 --> 00:18:58,750 Speaker 1: meetings in the homes of other Nicaragua expats who were 328 00:18:58,751 --> 00:19:00,311 Speaker 1: critical of the Sandinista government. 329 00:19:00,791 --> 00:19:04,751 Speaker 15: When I started attending groups that were interesting what was 330 00:19:04,791 --> 00:19:07,710 Speaker 15: going on, I followed very closely, and I went to 331 00:19:07,751 --> 00:19:10,671 Speaker 15: many meetings and I heard things that people were sending 332 00:19:10,791 --> 00:19:15,791 Speaker 15: weapons or even hunting rifles. I heard stories like that. 333 00:19:15,870 --> 00:19:18,551 Speaker 1: The meetings were pretty informal. What could a bunch of 334 00:19:18,551 --> 00:19:20,511 Speaker 1: people sitting in the living room in Miami we do 335 00:19:20,630 --> 00:19:24,270 Speaker 1: about a government a thousand miles away. But then at 336 00:19:24,271 --> 00:19:27,750 Speaker 1: the end of nineteen eighty two, Tomorrow got a mysterious 337 00:19:27,791 --> 00:19:28,271 Speaker 1: phone call. 338 00:19:29,031 --> 00:19:35,871 Speaker 15: He spoke with a very solemn or gravitas, like somebody 339 00:19:35,870 --> 00:19:38,750 Speaker 15: who has power or something. He said us speaking on 340 00:19:39,031 --> 00:19:42,591 Speaker 15: behalf of high authority of the government. 341 00:19:43,390 --> 00:19:46,710 Speaker 1: The man said his name was Steve Davis, and he 342 00:19:46,751 --> 00:19:48,150 Speaker 1: invited Tomorrow to lunch. 343 00:19:48,551 --> 00:19:50,950 Speaker 15: He already had chosen a restaur and we went there. 344 00:19:51,431 --> 00:19:56,110 Speaker 15: But he looked like a very sharp, well dressed like 345 00:19:56,711 --> 00:20:02,591 Speaker 15: politician or Washington executive or business executive. He was well dressed. 346 00:20:03,991 --> 00:20:07,150 Speaker 1: Tomorrow came to believe that Steve Davis was an agent 347 00:20:07,191 --> 00:20:11,231 Speaker 1: of the CIA. He invited Chamorro to join the new 348 00:20:11,350 --> 00:20:16,551 Speaker 1: FDN Directorate, and Chamorrow accepted the offer. About a month later, 349 00:20:17,071 --> 00:20:19,390 Speaker 1: he and the other members of the Directorate gathered for 350 00:20:19,431 --> 00:20:23,311 Speaker 1: a press conference at a hotel near Fort Lauderdale. There 351 00:20:23,590 --> 00:20:26,430 Speaker 1: they would introduce the new Contra brand to the world. 352 00:20:31,191 --> 00:20:34,991 Speaker 15: There was a long table with aposion. We all very 353 00:20:35,071 --> 00:20:37,590 Speaker 15: just stop. I had to buy best suit or best usual. 354 00:20:38,471 --> 00:20:38,710 Speaker 13: You know. 355 00:20:39,031 --> 00:20:42,670 Speaker 15: Everybody looked very sharp, and so it was like a 356 00:20:42,751 --> 00:20:45,630 Speaker 15: meeting for something in olive or something. 357 00:20:46,870 --> 00:20:50,551 Speaker 1: The Americans overseeing the directorate briefed Tomorrow and the others 358 00:20:50,551 --> 00:20:53,710 Speaker 1: on what they should say to the public and more importantly, 359 00:20:53,870 --> 00:20:57,710 Speaker 1: what they absolutely should not say. The main thing was 360 00:20:57,751 --> 00:21:00,911 Speaker 1: to never, under any circumstances let it slip they had 361 00:21:00,911 --> 00:21:03,471 Speaker 1: received help or even been in contact with anyone from 362 00:21:03,471 --> 00:21:06,711 Speaker 1: the American government. At one point during the press conference, 363 00:21:07,071 --> 00:21:09,711 Speaker 1: a reporter asked whether the group had any supporters who 364 00:21:09,711 --> 00:21:14,430 Speaker 1: were fits in Nicaragua. We do have people, chamorro' said many. 365 00:21:15,110 --> 00:21:18,350 Speaker 15: I knew all that I was not telling them the truth. 366 00:21:18,390 --> 00:21:21,791 Speaker 15: I mean, it was so fake in that sense, but 367 00:21:21,951 --> 00:21:24,151 Speaker 15: dous the way the American want us to do it. 368 00:21:26,711 --> 00:21:29,751 Speaker 1: Soon, Chamorro moved to Honduras to be closer to where 369 00:21:29,791 --> 00:21:32,751 Speaker 1: most of the contras were based. At a salary of 370 00:21:32,791 --> 00:21:36,071 Speaker 1: two thousand dollars per month plus expenses, he was put 371 00:21:36,071 --> 00:21:40,630 Speaker 1: in charge of communications and pr Among his responsibilities was 372 00:21:40,671 --> 00:21:44,870 Speaker 1: giving interviews to international newspapers and TV reporters. He also 373 00:21:44,911 --> 00:21:48,791 Speaker 1: worked on propaganda. One of the most consequential projects Chamorro 374 00:21:48,870 --> 00:21:51,951 Speaker 1: helped with was an eighty eight page guide called Psychological 375 00:21:51,991 --> 00:21:56,111 Speaker 1: Operations in Guerrilla Warfare. It was intended for distribution among 376 00:21:56,231 --> 00:21:59,551 Speaker 1: contra leadership on the ground, but when Chamorro looked over 377 00:21:59,630 --> 00:22:02,870 Speaker 1: the final draft of the text, he was deeply disturbed. 378 00:22:03,830 --> 00:22:07,830 Speaker 1: Under the heading selective use of violence for propagandistic effects, 379 00:22:08,311 --> 00:22:12,071 Speaker 1: he read the following line, it is possible to neutralize 380 00:22:12,110 --> 00:22:16,551 Speaker 1: carefully selected and planned targets such as court judges, police 381 00:22:16,671 --> 00:22:18,791 Speaker 1: and state security officials. 382 00:22:19,150 --> 00:22:22,350 Speaker 15: And I started reading the booklet and I got very upset. 383 00:22:23,590 --> 00:22:27,871 Speaker 15: It says very clearly neutralize, a word that sounds neutral, 384 00:22:27,870 --> 00:22:31,110 Speaker 15: but it's not neutral at all. It means eliminating people 385 00:22:31,191 --> 00:22:35,990 Speaker 15: who are capable, or leaders of unions or whatever. So 386 00:22:36,110 --> 00:22:38,311 Speaker 15: he wasn't recommending selective assassination. 387 00:22:39,630 --> 00:22:42,870 Speaker 1: Tomorrow knew from that very first FDN press conference in 388 00:22:42,911 --> 00:22:45,791 Speaker 1: Florida that American agents might ask him to bite his 389 00:22:45,911 --> 00:22:48,590 Speaker 1: tongue or even lie in service of the contract. Cause 390 00:22:49,671 --> 00:22:52,151 Speaker 1: now Tomorrow just felt like a puppet of the US government. 391 00:22:53,271 --> 00:22:55,311 Speaker 1: That feeling was reinforced when in the middle of the 392 00:22:55,390 --> 00:22:58,991 Speaker 1: night on January fifth, nineteen eighty four, he was awakened 393 00:22:59,031 --> 00:23:00,791 Speaker 1: by a call from a CIA operative. 394 00:23:01,630 --> 00:23:05,710 Speaker 15: It was a late at night. I was called and 395 00:23:05,870 --> 00:23:08,991 Speaker 15: I was told it was something very important I have 396 00:23:09,071 --> 00:23:12,471 Speaker 15: to do right now. Or who was an origin matter? 397 00:23:13,671 --> 00:23:16,630 Speaker 1: The agent told Chamorrow that bombs had been placed in 398 00:23:16,711 --> 00:23:20,630 Speaker 1: Nicaraguan harbors. The idea had been to scare off commercial 399 00:23:20,630 --> 00:23:23,391 Speaker 1: ships from other countries that were doing business with the Sandinistas. 400 00:23:24,711 --> 00:23:27,150 Speaker 1: Chamorrow had to get on the radio right away and 401 00:23:27,231 --> 00:23:30,590 Speaker 1: announce on air that the contrast had been behind the operation. 402 00:23:31,511 --> 00:23:33,991 Speaker 15: And then he gave me this page that I was 403 00:23:33,991 --> 00:23:38,110 Speaker 15: supposed to read. I was asked to cover it up. Basically. 404 00:23:39,511 --> 00:23:42,590 Speaker 1: Three months later, the Wall Street Journal told the world 405 00:23:42,671 --> 00:23:46,111 Speaker 1: who was actually responsible for planning the harbor bombing operation. 406 00:23:46,870 --> 00:23:50,951 Speaker 8: US government sources confirmed tonight that the Central Intelligence Agency 407 00:23:51,031 --> 00:23:54,271 Speaker 8: is actively directing the mining of Nicaragua harbors. 408 00:23:54,350 --> 00:23:58,390 Speaker 7: The government of Nicaragua opened Puerto Corinto to foreign journalists. 409 00:23:58,431 --> 00:23:58,751 Speaker 3: Today. 410 00:23:59,150 --> 00:24:01,110 Speaker 1: Military leaders at the port say it. 411 00:24:01,031 --> 00:24:03,071 Speaker 7: Was done to show the world that the US is 412 00:24:03,110 --> 00:24:05,630 Speaker 7: involved in so called terrorist acts. 413 00:24:05,991 --> 00:24:07,311 Speaker 4: The mines have been removed. 414 00:24:07,671 --> 00:24:11,111 Speaker 1: This was an enormous story. The harbor bombings were evidence 415 00:24:11,150 --> 00:24:15,031 Speaker 1: of direct military action taken by Americans in a foreign country. 416 00:24:15,551 --> 00:24:18,031 Speaker 12: Suddenly, the law and order president is being attacked around 417 00:24:18,071 --> 00:24:20,150 Speaker 12: the world and even by members of his own party 418 00:24:20,191 --> 00:24:22,031 Speaker 12: as a man who has no respect for law and order. 419 00:24:22,350 --> 00:24:24,350 Speaker 1: The backlash was swift and broad. 420 00:24:25,511 --> 00:24:29,350 Speaker 12: Nicaragua and some Democratic Congressmen are saying that US involvement 421 00:24:29,431 --> 00:24:32,631 Speaker 12: with that mining of the Nicaragua Harbor's constitutes an act 422 00:24:32,671 --> 00:24:33,110 Speaker 12: of war. 423 00:24:33,830 --> 00:24:37,870 Speaker 1: Even Barry Goldwater, the Republican Senator, was furious. Here's Doyle 424 00:24:37,911 --> 00:24:38,630 Speaker 1: McManus again. 425 00:24:39,471 --> 00:24:45,231 Speaker 10: Barry Goldwater, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, asked 426 00:24:45,231 --> 00:24:48,350 Speaker 10: the CIA what the hell was going on? And the 427 00:24:48,390 --> 00:24:52,991 Speaker 10: CIA's answer was, oh, we told you about this. And 428 00:24:53,071 --> 00:24:56,630 Speaker 10: Senator Goldwater was not happy because, as far as he knew, 429 00:24:56,751 --> 00:24:59,231 Speaker 10: he had never been told, and as far as most 430 00:24:59,271 --> 00:25:01,911 Speaker 10: of the members of the committee knew, they had never 431 00:25:01,951 --> 00:25:05,710 Speaker 10: been told. And Goldwater hit the ceiling. 432 00:25:06,271 --> 00:25:08,591 Speaker 1: Goldwater wrote a letter to the director of the CIA 433 00:25:08,711 --> 00:25:11,551 Speaker 1: to express his frustration that Congress had not been informed 434 00:25:11,590 --> 00:25:15,430 Speaker 1: of the operation. It gets down to one little simple phrase, 435 00:25:15,471 --> 00:25:20,190 Speaker 1: Goldwater wrote, I am pissed off. This was not just 436 00:25:20,231 --> 00:25:23,951 Speaker 1: about the contras and whether they deserved America's support. It 437 00:25:24,071 --> 00:25:26,670 Speaker 1: was about the separation of powers between the executive branch 438 00:25:26,711 --> 00:25:30,150 Speaker 1: and Congress. Lawmakers had used the power of the purse 439 00:25:30,191 --> 00:25:34,230 Speaker 1: to impose restrictions from the president's foreign policy objectives, and 440 00:25:34,271 --> 00:25:37,111 Speaker 1: the president had gone ahead and pursued those objectives. Anyway, 441 00:25:38,271 --> 00:25:41,471 Speaker 1: the controversy would have been a major headache under any circumstances, 442 00:25:42,031 --> 00:25:44,831 Speaker 1: but this was erupting during Reagan's re election campaign. 443 00:25:45,350 --> 00:25:48,111 Speaker 11: My fellow Americans, much has been made of late regarding 444 00:25:48,150 --> 00:25:51,670 Speaker 11: our proper role in Central America and in particular toward Nicaragua. 445 00:25:51,870 --> 00:25:54,630 Speaker 11: We cannot turn our backs on this crisis at our doorstep. 446 00:25:55,071 --> 00:25:58,430 Speaker 1: The news went from bad to worse. A few days 447 00:25:58,431 --> 00:26:01,950 Speaker 1: before Reagan was set to debate his Democratic opponent, Walter Mondale, 448 00:26:02,350 --> 00:26:05,190 Speaker 1: the story of the Guerrilla Warfare Manual became public. 449 00:26:05,431 --> 00:26:08,991 Speaker 7: Controversy mounted over a CIA manual that offers advice to 450 00:26:09,071 --> 00:26:11,311 Speaker 7: rebels on care billing officials in Nicaragua. 451 00:26:11,551 --> 00:26:13,431 Speaker 8: In other words, that means assassination. 452 00:26:13,711 --> 00:26:16,590 Speaker 1: It was reported that pages explaining how to carry out 453 00:26:16,630 --> 00:26:20,350 Speaker 1: political assassinations have been part of the original document, the 454 00:26:20,431 --> 00:26:25,190 Speaker 1: same pages that had horrified Edgar Chimorro. Despite his misgivings, 455 00:26:25,511 --> 00:26:27,911 Speaker 1: Chimorro defended the manual in front of the cameras. 456 00:26:28,150 --> 00:26:31,350 Speaker 6: Rebel leader Edgar Chamorro says, in a guerrilla war sometimes 457 00:26:31,350 --> 00:26:33,470 Speaker 6: there's no choice for us. 458 00:26:33,671 --> 00:26:38,590 Speaker 15: It's legal in our Catholic tradition to assassinate tiets. 459 00:26:39,150 --> 00:26:43,390 Speaker 1: This prompted another flood of outrage. Here was documentary proof 460 00:26:43,431 --> 00:26:46,630 Speaker 1: that the US had a grand strategy to de stabilize Nicaragua, 461 00:26:47,110 --> 00:26:50,351 Speaker 1: a strategy that encouraged contrafighters to commit war crimes. 462 00:26:50,551 --> 00:26:53,031 Speaker 6: Nicaragua and rebel leaders have now acknowledged that some of 463 00:26:53,031 --> 00:26:58,191 Speaker 6: the manual's tactics, including political assassination, were followed by the commandos. 464 00:26:57,711 --> 00:27:00,590 Speaker 11: And that CIA officials not only knew about it, they 465 00:27:00,830 --> 00:27:01,511 Speaker 11: encouraged it. 466 00:27:02,350 --> 00:27:05,551 Speaker 1: During the debate with Mondale, Reagan was caught off guard 467 00:27:05,590 --> 00:27:10,031 Speaker 1: by a question about the CIA's operations in Nicaragua. In response, 468 00:27:10,031 --> 00:27:12,630 Speaker 1: once the Great Communicator made a slip up that you 469 00:27:12,751 --> 00:27:14,350 Speaker 1: really have to hear to believe. 470 00:27:15,350 --> 00:27:19,551 Speaker 14: Is this not, in effect our own states supported terrorism. 471 00:27:20,350 --> 00:27:22,630 Speaker 11: No, I'm glad you asked that question, because I know 472 00:27:22,671 --> 00:27:25,431 Speaker 11: it's on many people's minds. We have a gentleman down 473 00:27:25,511 --> 00:27:30,471 Speaker 11: in Nicaragua who is on contract to the CIA, advising 474 00:27:30,551 --> 00:27:37,390 Speaker 11: supposedly on military tactics the Contras, and he drew up 475 00:27:37,431 --> 00:27:41,711 Speaker 11: this manual. It was turned over to the agency head 476 00:27:41,830 --> 00:27:45,791 Speaker 11: of the CIA in Nicaragua to be printed, and a 477 00:27:45,870 --> 00:27:49,590 Speaker 11: number of pages were excised by that agency head there, 478 00:27:49,711 --> 00:27:50,590 Speaker 11: the man in charge. 479 00:27:51,150 --> 00:27:54,230 Speaker 7: Mister President, you are implying, then, that the CIA in 480 00:27:54,311 --> 00:27:56,751 Speaker 7: Nicaragua is directing the contras there. 481 00:27:57,191 --> 00:28:00,671 Speaker 11: I'm afraid I misspoke when I said a CIA head 482 00:28:00,671 --> 00:28:03,751 Speaker 11: in Nicaragua. There's not someone there directing all of this activity. 483 00:28:04,271 --> 00:28:07,830 Speaker 1: The Reagan campaign's internal polling numbers that night were a disaster, 484 00:28:08,991 --> 00:28:11,830 Speaker 1: but by the end of the week, nearly every poll 485 00:28:11,951 --> 00:28:15,350 Speaker 1: showed that Reagan had won the debate, in part because 486 00:28:15,350 --> 00:28:18,551 Speaker 1: the CIA exchange had been overshadowed by a much more 487 00:28:18,590 --> 00:28:19,830 Speaker 1: memorable one. 488 00:28:19,911 --> 00:28:23,110 Speaker 11: I will not make age an issue of this campaign. 489 00:28:23,311 --> 00:28:27,791 Speaker 11: I am not going to exploit for political purposes my 490 00:28:28,031 --> 00:28:29,951 Speaker 11: opponent's youth and inexperience. 491 00:28:34,671 --> 00:28:38,071 Speaker 1: In the end, Reagan was re elected by an astounding margin. 492 00:28:38,951 --> 00:28:41,591 Speaker 1: He won forty nine out of the fifty states. 493 00:28:41,711 --> 00:28:44,231 Speaker 11: A jubilant President Reagan today is savory and a re 494 00:28:44,311 --> 00:28:46,711 Speaker 11: election mandate of near record proportions. 495 00:28:46,831 --> 00:28:49,471 Speaker 14: Mister Reagan came just shy of the fifty states sweets. 496 00:28:49,631 --> 00:28:52,671 Speaker 1: But by this point lawmakers had already made their displeasure 497 00:28:52,671 --> 00:28:56,111 Speaker 1: with Reagan known. In response to the Harbour bombing operation, 498 00:28:56,751 --> 00:28:59,911 Speaker 1: Congress had strengthened the Bowland Amendments for the upcoming fiscal year. 499 00:29:00,391 --> 00:29:04,871 Speaker 10: The second Bowland Amendment basically said no money, no weapons, 500 00:29:05,191 --> 00:29:10,511 Speaker 10: no indirect aid, no advice, no nothing. The intelligence age 501 00:29:10,551 --> 00:29:14,031 Speaker 10: of the United States cannot get involved in this war, 502 00:29:14,751 --> 00:29:19,311 Speaker 10: and that presented the Reagan administration with a terrible problem. 503 00:29:19,751 --> 00:29:23,111 Speaker 10: The people the President wanted to support in Nicaragua had 504 00:29:23,151 --> 00:29:27,391 Speaker 10: no more access to the CIA or any other American 505 00:29:27,431 --> 00:29:29,871 Speaker 10: intelligence agency for help what to. 506 00:29:29,871 --> 00:29:33,151 Speaker 1: Do, But some members of the administration saw that as 507 00:29:33,191 --> 00:29:37,551 Speaker 1: another door left slightly open. The new and improved Bonone 508 00:29:37,591 --> 00:29:41,991 Speaker 1: Amendment specifically barred US intelligence agencies from supporting the conference, 509 00:29:42,751 --> 00:29:48,991 Speaker 1: but what exactly was the definition of an intelligence agency. 510 00:29:50,071 --> 00:29:58,431 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. By the end of nineteen eighty four, 511 00:29:58,991 --> 00:30:01,951 Speaker 1: Oliver North was a rising star on the National Security 512 00:30:01,951 --> 00:30:05,591 Speaker 1: Council staff. He'd been assigned to the NFC in nineteen 513 00:30:05,631 --> 00:30:08,591 Speaker 1: eighty one, partly because Reagan was trying to shrink the 514 00:30:08,631 --> 00:30:10,911 Speaker 1: cost of the federal government, and it was cheaper to 515 00:30:10,951 --> 00:30:15,911 Speaker 1: deputize military personnel than to hire new political staffers. North 516 00:30:15,991 --> 00:30:19,671 Speaker 1: was inexperienced and overextended, but he worked harder and longer 517 00:30:19,711 --> 00:30:22,951 Speaker 1: than almost anyone else to get up to speed. North 518 00:30:22,991 --> 00:30:24,671 Speaker 1: wanted to be the guy who could be relied on 519 00:30:24,711 --> 00:30:27,791 Speaker 1: to accomplish any task as superiors put in front of him. 520 00:30:28,271 --> 00:30:32,391 Speaker 1: He wanted to be indispensable. Here is Anne Roe, the 521 00:30:32,431 --> 00:30:36,111 Speaker 1: obituari's editor of The Economist, an author of the book Lives, 522 00:30:36,271 --> 00:30:38,311 Speaker 1: Lives and the Iran Contra Affair. 523 00:30:38,951 --> 00:30:43,311 Speaker 16: In his notebook, there's a rather nice little reference to 524 00:30:43,591 --> 00:30:47,351 Speaker 16: Isaiah six', eight the part where the lord, says who 525 00:30:47,391 --> 00:30:49,911 Speaker 16: AM i going to? Find who SHALL i? Send and 526 00:30:50,631 --> 00:30:53,671 Speaker 16: the obedient servant, says, HERE i am send. Me and 527 00:30:53,711 --> 00:30:56,551 Speaker 16: that was Something north was aware of all the. Time 528 00:30:56,631 --> 00:30:58,831 Speaker 16: he'd be the man who'd be available to, send and 529 00:30:58,911 --> 00:30:59,631 Speaker 16: he would. 530 00:31:00,111 --> 00:31:04,751 Speaker 1: Obey roe says that When north started at THE, nsc 531 00:31:05,271 --> 00:31:07,951 Speaker 1: he thought he'd be stuck in his office doing boring administrative. 532 00:31:07,991 --> 00:31:10,671 Speaker 1: Work but now he saw wo how he could be 533 00:31:10,711 --> 00:31:12,471 Speaker 1: involved in the exciting parts of foreign. 534 00:31:12,511 --> 00:31:16,871 Speaker 16: Policy he had an, office a set up completely like 535 00:31:16,991 --> 00:31:20,031 Speaker 16: secret agent's, office with the codes on the, door and 536 00:31:20,071 --> 00:31:23,151 Speaker 16: the five telephones and the secure, phone and the tempered 537 00:31:23,151 --> 00:31:26,031 Speaker 16: glass in the, windows and the huge, safe and heaven 538 00:31:26,031 --> 00:31:26,831 Speaker 16: knows what was in the. 539 00:31:26,871 --> 00:31:30,271 Speaker 1: Safe with the Second Bolon amendment about to go into, 540 00:31:30,311 --> 00:31:33,950 Speaker 1: effect The reagan administration needed someone who wasn't involved in 541 00:31:33,991 --> 00:31:37,431 Speaker 1: official intelligence activities to be in charge of organizing The. 542 00:31:37,471 --> 00:31:41,111 Speaker 1: Contras in their narrow reading of The New Bowlan, amendment 543 00:31:41,511 --> 00:31:45,751 Speaker 1: The National Security council wasn't technically an intelligence, agency so 544 00:31:45,991 --> 00:31:48,031 Speaker 1: they thought setting up shop in THE nsc was the 545 00:31:48,071 --> 00:31:51,191 Speaker 1: perfect way to get around the, restrictions And Oliver north 546 00:31:51,391 --> 00:31:52,791 Speaker 1: seemed like the right man for the. 547 00:31:52,871 --> 00:31:57,631 Speaker 16: Job norles had maps Of managua maps At nicaragua up 548 00:31:57,631 --> 00:32:00,071 Speaker 16: on his. Wall he would talk about how they were 549 00:32:00,111 --> 00:32:02,871 Speaker 16: going to be In monagula By. Christmas he was in 550 00:32:02,911 --> 00:32:05,511 Speaker 16: a way directing the battle from his. Desk as he. 551 00:32:05,551 --> 00:32:09,951 Speaker 1: Said north was put in charge of supplying The contra 552 00:32:10,271 --> 00:32:14,551 Speaker 1: with money for, weapons food and other, supplies but Without congressional, 553 00:32:14,551 --> 00:32:18,351 Speaker 1: funding the money had to come from somewhere. Else one 554 00:32:18,391 --> 00:32:23,111 Speaker 1: solution was to solicit donations from foreign. Countries these efforts 555 00:32:23,151 --> 00:32:26,471 Speaker 1: by The White house yielded huge piles of, cash including 556 00:32:26,471 --> 00:32:29,391 Speaker 1: millions of dollars From Saudi arabia and a ten million 557 00:32:29,471 --> 00:32:33,071 Speaker 1: dollar donation from The sultan Of. Brunei unfortunately for The, 558 00:32:33,071 --> 00:32:36,311 Speaker 1: contras that money was accidentally sent to the Wrong Swiss 559 00:32:36,351 --> 00:32:39,671 Speaker 1: bank account Because, north secretary wrote down the wrong routing. 560 00:32:39,751 --> 00:32:43,671 Speaker 1: Number another Way north got around The Bowland amendment was 561 00:32:43,711 --> 00:32:48,071 Speaker 1: by soliciting funds from, regular, old Wealthy. Republicans THE us 562 00:32:48,151 --> 00:32:50,991 Speaker 1: government wasn't allowed to pay for The contra's, weapons But 563 00:32:51,111 --> 00:32:54,831 Speaker 1: congress hadn't said anything about private. Citizens So north set 564 00:32:54,871 --> 00:32:58,271 Speaker 1: about wooing potential donors who believed in The contra's freedom fighting. 565 00:32:58,351 --> 00:33:02,230 Speaker 1: Cause to that, end he worked with a nonprofit called THE, 566 00:33:02,391 --> 00:33:06,791 Speaker 1: nepl The National endowment for The preservation Of. LIBERTY a 567 00:33:06,831 --> 00:33:10,271 Speaker 1: man Named carl Spitz channel from THE npl made the diligoustical. 568 00:33:10,351 --> 00:33:12,031 Speaker 1: Arrangements north was the. 569 00:33:12,071 --> 00:33:16,351 Speaker 16: Salesman these donors were particularly an interesting group of, people 570 00:33:16,431 --> 00:33:19,591 Speaker 16: and there's a whole group of true believers who are 571 00:33:19,871 --> 00:33:23,671 Speaker 16: generally quite elderly and female and very. 572 00:33:23,791 --> 00:33:27,511 Speaker 1: Rich one of those donors Was Ellen, garwood and she 573 00:33:27,711 --> 00:33:35,111 Speaker 1: was indeed, elderly, female and very. Rich garwood's anti communist 574 00:33:35,111 --> 00:33:38,071 Speaker 1: philanthropy was inspired by her, father who had worked in 575 00:33:38,111 --> 00:33:40,551 Speaker 1: The truman administration and was one of the architects of 576 00:33:40,591 --> 00:33:41,031 Speaker 1: The Marshall. 577 00:33:41,031 --> 00:33:44,871 Speaker 16: Plan they'd taken out for drinks And north joined them 578 00:33:44,951 --> 00:33:46,351 Speaker 16: in somewhere like the Hay Addams. 579 00:33:46,391 --> 00:33:50,190 Speaker 1: Hotel Here's garwood in nineteen eighty seven speaking about her 580 00:33:50,191 --> 00:33:51,311 Speaker 1: experience as A contra. 581 00:33:51,391 --> 00:33:54,671 Speaker 7: DONOR i met with him at the Hay Adams hotel 582 00:33:55,551 --> 00:33:57,311 Speaker 7: in the. Evening after, dinner The. 583 00:33:57,351 --> 00:33:59,311 Speaker 16: North would talk about the desperate plight of the. 584 00:33:59,351 --> 00:34:02,991 Speaker 7: Contrast he said that they were in such a bad 585 00:34:03,071 --> 00:34:08,111 Speaker 7: condition that they were out of, food madisone other, necessities 586 00:34:08,751 --> 00:34:12,631 Speaker 7: and also practically out of. Weapons they might cease to 587 00:34:12,671 --> 00:34:15,391 Speaker 7: exist if something weren't done about these various. 588 00:34:15,591 --> 00:34:18,830 Speaker 16: Needs he then decides he'll, go but before he, goes 589 00:34:18,831 --> 00:34:22,911 Speaker 16: he just slides a weapons price list onto the, table the. 590 00:34:23,111 --> 00:34:27,951 Speaker 7: List of weapons that they. NEEDED i love that the 591 00:34:28,111 --> 00:34:33,471 Speaker 7: list had different categories of, weapons had hand, GRENADES i, remember, 592 00:34:33,750 --> 00:34:40,671 Speaker 7: bullets cartridge, belts possibly surface to air, missiles and there 593 00:34:40,671 --> 00:34:44,911 Speaker 7: were quantities opposite each. Category and after that there was 594 00:34:45,031 --> 00:34:48,951 Speaker 7: a sum of money that was needed in order to 595 00:34:48,991 --> 00:34:51,031 Speaker 7: provide those weapons that those weapons would. 596 00:34:51,071 --> 00:34:54,551 Speaker 1: Cost the idea of helping The contras was as thrilling 597 00:34:54,551 --> 00:34:55,951 Speaker 1: to the donors as it was To. 598 00:34:56,071 --> 00:34:59,631 Speaker 16: NORTH i love the idea of these blue rinsed women 599 00:34:59,750 --> 00:35:03,991 Speaker 16: who know buying weapons to give to The. Contras and 600 00:35:04,671 --> 00:35:06,991 Speaker 16: one of them was so enthusiastic she wanted her name 601 00:35:07,031 --> 00:35:08,071 Speaker 16: put on a missile. 602 00:35:10,631 --> 00:35:13,671 Speaker 1: Potential donors were invited to attend special briefings in the 603 00:35:13,671 --> 00:35:17,750 Speaker 1: Old Executive office. Building north would give a slideshow presentation 604 00:35:18,270 --> 00:35:21,430 Speaker 1: showing photographs of The contras and the conditions they, faced 605 00:35:21,710 --> 00:35:24,310 Speaker 1: often including an image of A contra grave marked with a. 606 00:35:24,391 --> 00:35:28,750 Speaker 1: Cross some donors were so moved that they, cried but 607 00:35:29,151 --> 00:35:31,270 Speaker 1: they weren't always giving only out of the goodness of their. 608 00:35:31,270 --> 00:35:34,271 Speaker 16: Hearts if you gave more than three hundred thousand, dollars 609 00:35:34,471 --> 00:35:37,431 Speaker 16: you got an audience in The Oval office for fifteen, 610 00:35:37,471 --> 00:35:41,431 Speaker 16: minutes often one on. One and it's so interesting to. 611 00:35:41,511 --> 00:35:44,031 Speaker 16: Read how you know they went in there and really 612 00:35:44,071 --> 00:35:45,710 Speaker 16: Told reagan what they thought he ought to be doing 613 00:35:45,791 --> 00:35:49,591 Speaker 16: on foreign. Policy you, know it's the moment when citizens 614 00:35:49,591 --> 00:35:52,511 Speaker 16: and complete demeateurs are trying to make foreign policy and 615 00:35:52,551 --> 00:35:54,710 Speaker 16: shape it. Themselves they get the air of the president 616 00:35:54,750 --> 00:35:56,671 Speaker 16: and they tell him what he what he should. 617 00:35:56,750 --> 00:35:59,911 Speaker 1: Do the fundraising pitch painted The contra war as a 618 00:35:59,911 --> 00:36:04,270 Speaker 1: black and white, conflict a fight between democracy and, communism 619 00:36:04,791 --> 00:36:08,310 Speaker 1: good and, evil and that wasn't just a. Story north 620 00:36:08,311 --> 00:36:10,390 Speaker 1: And reagan told donors to try to get them to give. 621 00:36:10,431 --> 00:36:15,471 Speaker 1: Money it was a story they. Believed, meanwhile down In, 622 00:36:15,511 --> 00:36:19,151 Speaker 1: honduras some of The contras were making it awfully hard 623 00:36:19,151 --> 00:36:22,551 Speaker 1: to root for. Them here is An american nun who 624 00:36:22,591 --> 00:36:25,471 Speaker 1: lived In nicaragua talking to A tv reporter about the 625 00:36:25,551 --> 00:36:26,790 Speaker 1: lawless brutality of The. 626 00:36:26,791 --> 00:36:29,991 Speaker 14: Contras when we first came, here we visited forty eight. 627 00:36:30,031 --> 00:36:34,190 Speaker 14: Communities now we only visit thirty eight because the communities 628 00:36:34,190 --> 00:36:37,871 Speaker 14: have been wiped. Out many people have frightened as a 629 00:36:37,871 --> 00:36:39,431 Speaker 14: result of contractivity in this. 630 00:36:39,551 --> 00:36:43,750 Speaker 1: Area Edward chamorro couldn't stomach these, tactics and after just 631 00:36:43,791 --> 00:36:46,830 Speaker 1: a few years with THE fdn he grew profoundly. 632 00:36:46,831 --> 00:36:51,911 Speaker 15: Disillusioned part of my thing was the credibility. Problem how 633 00:36:51,951 --> 00:36:52,671 Speaker 15: we were committing. 634 00:36:52,710 --> 00:36:58,151 Speaker 1: Atrocities according To, chamorrow the contras were murdering, civilians raping, 635 00:36:58,151 --> 00:37:00,031 Speaker 1: women and destroying entire. 636 00:37:00,111 --> 00:37:03,270 Speaker 15: VILLAGES i don't believe in the anglify the. MEANS i 637 00:37:03,311 --> 00:37:05,391 Speaker 15: believe the means and the ends have to be. 638 00:37:05,471 --> 00:37:09,430 Speaker 1: Good chamorrow parted ways with THE fdn in nineteen eighty. 639 00:37:09,431 --> 00:37:12,991 Speaker 1: Four he returned to his family In miami and started 640 00:37:13,031 --> 00:37:14,391 Speaker 1: sharing his experiences with the. 641 00:37:14,391 --> 00:37:18,871 Speaker 15: Press this policy has not, work and direcord of The 642 00:37:18,911 --> 00:37:22,031 Speaker 15: contra is not. GOOD i think it's time to look 643 00:37:22,111 --> 00:37:23,991 Speaker 15: for a better and cleaner. 644 00:37:24,031 --> 00:37:28,591 Speaker 1: Approach chamorrow later settled In massachusetts and became a. Teacher, 645 00:37:32,431 --> 00:37:36,190 Speaker 1: Meanwhile Victoria Gonzales rivera moved To michigan with her. Mother 646 00:37:37,311 --> 00:37:39,351 Speaker 1: it was hard for her to hear people In america 647 00:37:39,391 --> 00:37:43,071 Speaker 1: talk About nicaragua as some, hypothetical far away, place as 648 00:37:43,111 --> 00:37:45,151 Speaker 1: if the war was just part of a political, argument 649 00:37:46,111 --> 00:37:48,511 Speaker 1: and she was shocked by how Little americans seemed to 650 00:37:48,551 --> 00:37:50,190 Speaker 1: know about what was really going. 651 00:37:50,190 --> 00:37:54,270 Speaker 4: ON i felt that people in THE us were not just, 652 00:37:54,431 --> 00:37:59,471 Speaker 4: uninformed but were just so, naive very very. Naive people 653 00:37:59,671 --> 00:38:02,870 Speaker 4: wanted it to be a black and white. Story they 654 00:38:02,951 --> 00:38:05,751 Speaker 4: wanted it to, be you, know good guys and bad. Guys, 655 00:38:06,151 --> 00:38:10,071 Speaker 4: right over two percent Of nicaraua's population died between in 656 00:38:10,230 --> 00:38:14,991 Speaker 4: the mid seventies and nineteen Ninety and what you see 657 00:38:15,230 --> 00:38:21,631 Speaker 4: is just this, continuous CONTINUOUS us military and political and 658 00:38:21,671 --> 00:38:26,951 Speaker 4: financial involvement in this, tiny tiny. Country and it just 659 00:38:27,031 --> 00:38:30,591 Speaker 4: makes you, wonder like, why you, know what have Nicarong 660 00:38:30,671 --> 00:38:36,350 Speaker 4: ones done to deserve? This and there is no, answer you, 661 00:38:36,351 --> 00:38:39,631 Speaker 4: know as a nicarague and as a, historian there is no. 662 00:38:39,831 --> 00:38:47,151 Speaker 1: Answer by the summer of nineteen eighty, Five Oliver north's 663 00:38:47,190 --> 00:38:50,230 Speaker 1: secret campaign to funnel, money, weapons and supplies to The 664 00:38:50,270 --> 00:38:53,631 Speaker 1: contras was going full steam, ahead but it wasn't quite 665 00:38:53,671 --> 00:38:56,511 Speaker 1: a secret as he. Thought here again Is doyle. 666 00:38:56,591 --> 00:39:00,831 Speaker 10: McManus there were enough reporters In washington following The Contra 667 00:39:00,951 --> 00:39:04,830 Speaker 10: war that they began to realize That Ali north had 668 00:39:04,951 --> 00:39:07,511 Speaker 10: something to do with. It they didn't know exactly what it, 669 00:39:07,591 --> 00:39:10,351 Speaker 10: was but in the middle of nineteen eighty five a 670 00:39:10,431 --> 00:39:14,310 Speaker 10: number of articles in newspapers said That Ollie north and 671 00:39:14,351 --> 00:39:18,310 Speaker 10: The White house were somehow involved with The, contras and 672 00:39:18,391 --> 00:39:20,151 Speaker 10: at that Point congress got. 673 00:39:20,190 --> 00:39:26,551 Speaker 1: Interested members Of congress started writing letters To National Security 674 00:39:26,551 --> 00:39:29,750 Speaker 1: Advisor bud McFarlane asking what exactly was going on With 675 00:39:29,791 --> 00:39:33,071 Speaker 1: Oliver north and whether THE nsc was violating The Boland. 676 00:39:33,071 --> 00:39:37,911 Speaker 10: Amendment and McFarlane sat down and wrote a formal, reply 677 00:39:38,710 --> 00:39:41,591 Speaker 10: and it, said in, PART i can state with deep 678 00:39:41,591 --> 00:39:45,470 Speaker 10: personal conviction that at no time DID i or any 679 00:39:45,511 --> 00:39:49,191 Speaker 10: member of THE nsc staff violate the letter or spirit 680 00:39:49,270 --> 00:39:53,831 Speaker 10: of the. Law these were breathtakingly false. Denials he knew 681 00:39:53,831 --> 00:39:55,190 Speaker 10: that what he was writing was a. 682 00:39:55,230 --> 00:39:59,351 Speaker 1: Lie McFarlane met with members of The House Intelligence committee in, 683 00:39:59,431 --> 00:40:03,271 Speaker 1: person and his responses reassured the committee chairman that everything 684 00:40:03,351 --> 00:40:07,551 Speaker 1: was above. Board after their, meeting the chairman told, McFarlane 685 00:40:08,071 --> 00:40:20,671 Speaker 1: i for one am willing to take you at Your 686 00:40:21,710 --> 00:40:25,190 Speaker 1: on the next episode Of, Fiasco Oliver north And bud 687 00:40:25,270 --> 00:40:29,511 Speaker 1: McFarlane lead A us delegation on a risky secret operation 688 00:40:29,831 --> 00:40:30,671 Speaker 1: into the heart Of. 689 00:40:30,710 --> 00:40:34,991 Speaker 4: IRAN i later learned that he and McFarlane had suicide 690 00:40:35,031 --> 00:40:37,430 Speaker 4: pills AND i had nothing. 691 00:40:38,750 --> 00:40:41,591 Speaker 1: For a list of, books articles and documentaries we used 692 00:40:41,591 --> 00:40:44,031 Speaker 1: in our research follow the link in the show. Notes 693 00:40:44,750 --> 00:40:47,991 Speaker 1: fiasco is a production Of Prolog projects and it's distributed 694 00:40:47,991 --> 00:40:51,631 Speaker 1: By Pushkin. Industries the show is produced By Andrew, Parsons 695 00:40:51,710 --> 00:40:56,831 Speaker 1: Madeline Kaplan ulakulpa and Me Leon. Mathock our editor Was Camilla. 696 00:40:56,871 --> 00:41:01,671 Speaker 1: Hammer our researcher Was Francis. Carr additional archival research From Caitlin. 697 00:41:01,750 --> 00:41:05,870 Speaker 1: Nicholas our music is By Nick. Silvester our theme song 698 00:41:05,951 --> 00:41:09,231 Speaker 1: is By Spatial. Relations our artwork is By Teddy blanks 699 00:41:09,230 --> 00:41:13,031 Speaker 1: At chips And. Water audio mixed By Rob, Buyers Michael 700 00:41:13,111 --> 00:41:17,190 Speaker 1: rayphiel And Johnny Vince. Evans copyright council provided By Peter 701 00:41:17,311 --> 00:41:21,791 Speaker 1: yassi At Yass BUTLER. Poc thanks To Sam, Graham, Felsen 702 00:41:21,951 --> 00:41:25,591 Speaker 1: Siria shockley And katchik And. Kova special thanks To luminary 703 00:41:25,951 --> 00:41:26,830 Speaker 1: and thank you for. 704 00:41:26,951 --> 00:41:27,311 Speaker 7: Listening