Why was the Reagan administration's sale of weapons to lran damaging for Ronald Reagan's image?
1 Answer
Jun 4, 2017
Reagan lost the midterms elections in 1986 because he had sold weapons to an enemy of the United States
Explanation:
In 1986 Republicans lost the Senate for the forst time since the fifties because of the scandal despite the flamboyant victory in 1984(Mondale carried only one state in this election). It was the biggest scandal that hit the Reagan administration.
Since the 1979 revolution and the toppling of the Shah regime, the USA no longer considered Iran as an ally and therefore selling weapons to them(to have the hostages freed and finance the Contras in Nicaragua) was seen as an act of corruption or even treason by many Americans. Colonel North was blamed for the deal and Reagan was only discredited.
