Jim on History recalls the 1980s Iran-Contra scandal.
In a nutshell, it was a secret U.S. arms deal by the Reagan administration that traded missiles and other arms to free some Americans held hostage by terrorists in Lebanon, but also used funds from the arms deal to support armed conflict in Nicaragua.
Lt. Col. Oliver North was summoned to testify before televised hearings of a joint congressional committee that was formed to investigate the Iran–Contra scandal.
During the hearings, North said that he viewed the Iran–Contra scheme as a “neat idea.”
WATCH: A Neat Idea? The Iran-Contral Scandal