this post was submitted on 26 Jun 2025
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Explain Like I'm Five

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ELI5 The Iran-Contra situation? Because it kind of seems dumb that a country who was holding US hostages for so long. Then the US thought hey lets give them money for guns? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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All the while knowing they hate the US. Why them?

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

My understanding, Extremely simplified:

  • Iran had US hostages.
  • "But we need guns".
  • US wanted to buy some goodwill
  • CIA wanted something untraceable cash
  • CIA sold guns to Iran for cash they could then funnel into backing the Contras
  • Iran accepted weapons, but took their bloody time releasing any hostages
  • The agreement had basically devolved into selling weapons for no apparent advantage (Unless you're in the CIA)
  • Media learns about the ordeal
  • Oliver North gets thrown under the bus as a scapegoat
  • Hostages are eventually released
  • fast forward a few decades, and Oliver North becomes yet another talking head for Fox News whenever something vaguely familiar to him is in the news cycle (Iran)