عنوان

The Iran-Contra Affair and the Cold War: A 'Neat Idea' and the Reagan Doctrine

TL48812

انگلیسی

The Iran-Contra Affair and the Cold War: A 'Neat Idea' and the Reagan Doctrine

[Thesis]

Joseph Andrew Ledford

Ekbladh, David

Tufts University

2016

112

Committee members: Ueda, Reed; Winn, Peter

Place of publication: United States, Ann Arbor; ISBN=978-1-339-80002-8

M.A.

History

Tufts University

2016

This thesis analyzes the Iran-Contra affair and the Reagan Doctrine. It moves beyond the trappings of political theater wrought by Oliver North's "neat idea" of diverting residual funds from arms-for-hostages deals with Iran into the coffers of the Contras. It traces the formation of the Reagan Doctrine and examines the doctrine's application in Nicaragua, thereby exploring the covert operations producing Iran-Contra. Drawing upon declassified documents, I argue that Iran-Contra was not foreign policy gone awry, but rather the Reagan Doctrine fundamentally in action. The Reagan administration recast containment in confronting the Soviet Union and evaded constraints on executive power to engage the Third World with the Reagan Doctrine, a global counter-revolutionary campaign. The administration privatized foreign policy, used off-the-books covert operations in Iran and Nicaragua, and violated laws to rollback communism. Those within the administration who committed themselves absolutely to defeating the Soviet Union resorted to extralegal methods in achieving their aims. In the process, operations in Iran and Nicaragua intersected and created Iran-Contra, a product of the Reagan Doctrine in harmony with Reagan's policies.

American history; International Relations

Social sciences;Cold war;Contras;Iran-contra;Reagan doctrine;Reagan, Ronald;U.s. foreign policy

Manapa, Megahratna Sarah Datulembang

Ekbladh, David

History

Tufts University

1804413331; 10118673

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y