Why did Reagan give arms to both Iran and Iraq?

Question

I cant say for sure that he gave WMDs to Iran because I dont know for sure, so for now Im sticking with gave weapons to Iran.
When I find the answer I will be definitave

Answer 1

Reagan gave arms to Iraq, because Iran was seen as our enemy at the time. The war started after the embassy hostage crisis.

THEN Reagan sold arms to Iran, in exchange for freeing hostages in the middle east. The plan worked. BUT it became part of the Iran/Contra crisis of the mid 80's.

It was a complicated scheme to sell weapons to Iran, which lead to American hostages being released. AND use the profits to fund the contras. Which was illegal, because Congress cut the funding for the contras in 1986. The story goes on and on.

I remember this very well, and have a few books on it.

Answer 2

He gave arms to Iraq to help keep Iran under control-if they are at war, they do not bother us.

This country sided with the wrong people when they backed the Shah over Khomeini. The Shah was going to fall, and if we had backed the other regime, we would not have the problems of today. Khomeini lived in France, liked the West's way of doing things, and was impressed by the West. He would have been a good friend to have------instead, we made an enemy.

Answer 3

it was called the Iran Contra Affair,, his administration using the NSC,, was involved in selling arms to Iran, and aiding guerrilla warriors , Oliver North,,McFarlane, and Poindexter,, Bush Senior, Reagan's VP, Weinberger, DOD Sec., and Casey the CIA Director,, another Republican cover-up,, a web of official deception, mismanagement, and illegality,, these Thugs can't be trusted,, the apple never falls far from the tree

Answer 4

The Iran-Contra Affair (also called the Iran-Contra Matter and Iran-gate) was one of the largest political scandals in the United States during the 1980s. It involved several members of the Reagan Administration who in 1986 helped sell arms to Iran, an avowed enemy, and used the proceeds to fund the Contras, an anti-communist guerrilla organization in Nicaragua.

After the arms sales were revealed in November 1986, President Ronald Reagan appeared on national television and denied that they had occurred. But a week later, on November 13, he returned to the airwaves to affirm that weapons were indeed transferred to Iran. He denied that they were part of an exchange for hostages.


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In 1985, while Iran and Iraq were at war, Iran made a secret request to buy weapons from the United States. McFarlane sought Reagan's approval, in spite of the embargo against selling arms to Iran. McFarlane explained that the sale of arms would not only improve U.S. relations with Iran, but might in turn lead to improved relations with Lebanon, increasing U.S. influence in the troubled Middle East. Reagan was driven by a different obsession. He had become frustrated at his inability to secure the release of the seven American hostages being held by Iranian terrorists in Lebanon. As president, Reagan felt that "he had the duty to bring those Americans home," and he convinced himself that he was not negotiating with terrorists. While shipping arms to Iran violated the embargo, dealing with terrorists violated Reagan's campaign promise never to do so. Reagan had always been admired for his honesty.

Answer 5

To raise money secretly so he could give weapons to the Contras for one of our secret wars in South America. His Sec. of Defense was convicted on charges related to this, while Reagan was let off -- brain gone, no memory.

Answer 6

the two international locations have been terrible at militia attitude, One part became run by using Saddam Hussein with mandatory administration of the militia which Generals ought to easily do issues with Saddams very own ok, then Iran had purged its militia of maximum of its officers thereby removing experienced management and put in a gaggle of Holymen to call the photos

Answer 7

I thought you just said it was WMDs. Wha? As I said before, Iran was a huge threat to the US back then, and it would have been worse for the world if Iran had won.

Answer 8

he gave arms to iraq as part of the plan to break russia in the arms race so they would quit producing nukes..he couldn't keep up both ends at the same time..this wa pure genius on reagans part and now you see the peace we have between our countries because of that very fact..

Answer 9

So they could defend themselves against one another. They had an all out war going for a long time.

Answer 10

anthonyinkc is 100% correct.

Iran arms sales funded the contras and lead to hostage releases.
Remember ollie north?