The Iran-Contra Affair Trivia Quiz

Answer: November, 1985

The shipment of arms to the Iranians was tied directly to U.S. efforts to secure the release of hostages. The hostages were taken by individuals who had ties to the Iranian regime.

Answer: Robert McFarlane

When McFarlane arrived, the high level Iranian officials never appeared. Iran took high level officials in the White House for fools. They received so many U.S. weapons just to occasionally release singular hostages to placate the U.S.

Answer: 1976

The ACEA is the principal U.S. statute governing arms sales abroad, makes it unlawful to export arms without a certifed license. Criminal penalties are provided for willful violations.

Answer: Lebanon

On June 14, 1985, TWA airliner, Flight 847 flying from Athens to Rome, was hijacked by terrorists. The airliner was forced to fly to Beirut, where nineteen passengers were released, then to Algiers, where twenty-two more were freed. Eventually, there left only seven hostages aboard when the plane returned to Beirut.

Answer: Abraham Sofaer

Schultz wanted Sofaer to consider whether the sale of arms to Iran was legal or not. Sofaer concluded that the sales would not be legal. Schultz, in White House meetings strongly argued against trading arms for hostages.

Answer: No

By not claiming executive privilege and by turning over important documents to the independent counsel and congressional investigators, President Reagan salvaged his reputation and legacy from everlasting condemnation.

Answer: Edmund Muskie

Muskie had been the favorite to win the 1972 Democratic Presidential nomination. But being the front-runner for over a year proved difficult. During the New Hampshire primary, Muskie choked with anger and seemed to cry because of a couple of nasty articles written about his wife.

The episode came to symbolize the collapse of Muskie's Presidential campaign because of the perception that he was weak. Muskie then went back to the Senate and headed the Budget Committee until President Carter tapped him to be Secretary of State in the twilight of his presidency.

Answer: Harold Greene

Poindexter still remained charged with conspiracy, two counts of obstructing Congress and two counts of making false statements. Judge Greene also ordered President Reagan to turn over 33 excerpts from his diaries.

Answer: 5

Poindexter was not quite as lucky as Caspar Weinberger, Elliot Abrams and Robert McFarlane who were all pardoned by President Bush in 1992. Nevertheless, his convictions were eventually reversed on appeal, based on a legal technicality.

Answer: Manuchehr Ghorbanifar

Before the Iran deal got underway, the CIA had said that Ghorbanifar should be off-limits for purveying bad information to U.S. intelligence in the past. They saw no reason to trust him the future. They were right. Ghorbanifar was almost universally discredited for misrepresenting both sides in the talks.