Question

Explain how members of the Reagan administration acted illegally to sell arms to Iran and aid the Contras in Nicaragua. In a paragraph, give reasons for and against these actions, and evaluate their impact.

Write the correct answer in 7th grader words, and in paragraph form.

Answer 1

In the 1980s, members of President Reagan's administration were involved in a secret plan where they sold weapons to Iran, even though the U.S. had an arms embargo against them, and then used the money from those sales to help the Contras, a group fighting against the government in Nicaragua. Some people argued this was wrong because it broke U.S. laws and went against the will of Congress, which wanted to stop funding the Contras. On the other hand, supporters believed it was necessary to stop the spread of communism in Central America and protect American interests. Overall, these actions hurt the reputation of the U.S. government and led to investigations, revealing that sometimes leaders made choices they thought were right, even if they broke the law.