On November 13, 1986, President Ronald Reagan gave a televised address in which he defended secret U.S. arms sales to Iran. Ten days before, a Lebanese magazine had exposed the operation, explaining that the clandestine sales were carried out in the hope of securing the release of American hostages held by pro-Iranian groups in Lebanon. U.S. intelligence sources confirmed the sales, and on November 13, President Reagan explained that they had been implemented in order to improve U.S.-Iranian relations, to bring an end to the Iran-Iraq War, and to secure the release of U.S. hostages. However, on November 25, the Justice Department announced that proceeds from the Iran arms sales had been diverted to support of anti-Communist Contras fighting in Nicaragua. Revelations about the Iran-Contra connection caused outrage in Congress, which in 1983 had passed the Boland amendments prohibiting the Defense Department, the CIA, or any other government agency from providing military...