Description:
The Peace & Justice Film Series Presents:
Coverup: Behind the Iran-Contra Affair
5:30pm & 7:30pm Thursday April 3
Directed by Barbara Trent
Narrated by Elizabeth Montgomery
This film documents the cover-up of the Iran-Contra Affair after the 13-week Congressional hearings proved inadequate, acting merely as "damage control." Failing to show any sincere effort to get to the real truth of the matter, the hearings avoided exposing delays by the Reagan-Bush ticket in releasing the American hostages until after the election after outgoing President Jimmy Carter worked tirelessly to free them. Other suppressed information included accusations that a "shadow government" regularly carried out covert activities at home and abroad, implication of the CIA in huge international shipments of cocaine and profiteering, and the supplying of weapons to the right-wing (anti-democracy) Nicaraguan Contras. Also examined are the actions of Oliver North, who willfully ignored the Constitution in masterminding covert weapons deals with Middle-Eastern governments that funded the Nicaraguan Contras. This documentary raised many questions – and provided few answers - in a post-Watergate political climate where the public had become desensitized to scandal.
Guest Speaker: Solmaz Mohadjer, Iran native and graduate student in geophysics at the University of Montana, will lead a discussion after each screening. Please join us.
University of Montana
