Asked by j

Why did President Reagan order the CIA to recruit the Contras?
He wanted to use the Contras to help free US hostages in Iran and other Middle Eastern countries.
He thought the Contras could help sell US arms to countries fighting Communism in Latin America.
He thought the Contras were necessary to oust a threatening leftist government in Nicaragua.
He felt that such action would prompt Congress to change its stand on US involvement in Latin America.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
He believed the Contras were necessary to oust a threatening leftist government in Nicaragua.

Reagan saw the Sandinista government as aligned with the Soviet bloc/Cuba and a threat in the Western Hemisphere, so he ordered CIA support to recruit and back the Contras to try to overthrow it.