In 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between. Government operations were publicly exposed, potentially implicating reagan administration officials in illegal activities. The canadian caper was the joint covert rescue by the canadian government and the cia of six american diplomats who had evaded capture during the seizure of the united states embassy in tehran, iran, on november 4, 1979, after the iranian revolution, when islamist students took most of the american embassy personnel hostage, demanding the return of the usbacked shah for trial. Freeway ricky on his role in the reagan iran contra. With hollywood set to release a movie about the contracocaine scandal and the. Of course i remember a little bit about the irancontra affair from my childhood in which reagan exchanged arms for nicaraguan contras for iranian prisoners using forgetfulness as an excuse. Feb, 2020 the last thing he wanted is a twisty, mosaiclike thriller set in the early days of the irancontra affair.
Actor jeremy renner stars as investigative journalist gary webb in the upcoming film kill. Mar 18, 20 let hiphughes accompany you through a basic understanding of the reagan era scandal iran contra. In october 1979 president jimmy carter made the decision to allow the exiled shah into america for medical treatment. And liman, perhaps taking his cue from the times reporter, moved on. Mar 21, 2015 the cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. Caso irancontra, popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the irancontra scandal, or simply irancontra, was a political scandal in the united states that occurred during the second term of the reagan administration. Imdb s advanced search allows you to run extremely powerful queries over all people and titles in the database. Irancontra affair president ronald reagan receiving the tower commission report, following the irancontra affair, february 26, 1987. Oct 09, 2014 kill the messenger is both a very gripping film and an important film. American made is an irancontra movie that gets high on. Jose bueso rosa reagan administration officials interceded on behalf of jose bueso rosa, a honduran general who was heavily involved with the cias contra operations and faced trial for his role in a massive drug shipment to the united states. On december 10, 2004, the journalist was found dead in his. It is based on the book of the same name by nick schou and the book dark alliance by gary webb, which focuses on cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking.
Walsh independent counsel august 4, 1993 washington, d. Sep 29, 2017 tom cruises american made nixed scene with bill clinton getting lap dance exclusive. Robert parry june 24, 1949 january 27, 2018 was an american investigative journalist. Why the russia investigation could be more like irancontra than watergate. The new york times wants gary webb to stay dead the nation.
Gary stephen webb august 31, 1955 december 10, 2004 was an american investigative journalist he began his career working for newspapers in kentucky and ohio, winning numerous awards, and building a strong reputation for investigative writing. A reporter becomes the target of a vicious smear campaign that drives. He was hired by trans world airlines twa in 1964 and at age 26 became one of the youngest captains operating a boeing 707. Kill the messenger, a movie starring jeremy renner, just opened, about the life and death of pulitzer prizewinning journalist gary webb, who committed suicide in. Anne hathaway eyeing role in irancontra film, the last. The cia, the contras, and the cocaine explosion webb, gary, waters, maxine on. He was best known for his role in covering the irancontra affair for the associated press ap and newsweek, including breaking the psychological operations in guerrilla warfare cia manual provided to the nicaraguan contras and the cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking in the u. Jan 30, 2020 in a panel discussion during sundance with a reporter from the atlantic, garner said she loves turtlenecks. The underlying facts the contras independent counsels investigation produced a vast record of u. I dont know the particulars of oliver norths personal life, but david keith comes off as a caricature. Even though i know what our government was up to in those days as if things have changed, i could hardly breathe, anticipating what would come next in the movie. It is about how san jose mercury reporter gary webb was first congratulated then demonized for writing a story claiming the nicaraguan contras were generating money from cocaine smuggling to fund their revolution, with the cia being in. Subscribe to hiphughes history, its stupid easy and.
Final report of the independent counsel for iran contra matters volume i. These plans were apparently aborted when the irancontra scandal broke in november 1986. Anne hathaway is a journalist caught up in the irancontra scandal. Irancontra proves a muddled milieu for movie the last thing. Instead, he found work in 1978 as a reporter at the kentucky post, a local paper affiliated with the larger cincinnati post. Ronald reagan was president, and oliver north, a staffer on the national security council, was taking the stand in a congressional inquiry into the iran contra affair, a. Government involvement with the nicaraguan contras during a prohibition on military aid from october 1984 to october 1986. In 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas. Will hollywood tell the truth about irancontra, gary webb. The last thing he wanted is a twisty, mosaiclike thriller set in the early days of the irancontra affair. It is about how san jose mercury reporter gary webb was first congratulated then demonized for writing a story claiming the nicaraguan contras were generating money from cocaine smuggling to fund their revolution, with the cia being in favor of it, or looking the other way.
What an iran contra film needs is a hook like the iranian hostage story had in argo. In a scene from the new movie kill the messenger, investigative reporter gary webb. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb telegraph. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come. The reallife story behind tom cruises character in american made. Drug trafficking was a much less convoluted method of skirting the congressional ban on funding the contras, and the cias inspector general found that in the early years after congress cut off contra funding, the cia had alerted congress about the allegations of drug trafficking. The irancontra affair american experience official site. Iran contra proves a muddled milieu for movie the last thing he wanted. Had barry seal really been a commercial airline pilot for twa. Why hasnt there been a movie made about iran contra. Security council staff member who was convicted in the 1980s irancontra affair. To understand the scope, scale, and gravity of william barrs central role working for george h. I n a scene from the new movie kill the messenger, investigative reporter gary webb played by jeremy renner says that he doesnt believe in.
Barry seal, a reallife, albeit minor, figure in the irancontra scandal, takes center stage in the factbased yet heavily fictionalized american made, with such major figures as oliver north. William barr and the irancontra scandal the millennium. Then fired by bloomberg and newsweek for more reports. Webb came late to the irancontra scandal, long after most of the.
Iran contra unfolded shortly after the midterm elections of 1986, when democrats retook control of the senate, and. With lines like buenas dias, commies and endlessly overplayed patriotic zealotry, this movie is boring at worst and mildly entertaining at best. He had book offers, a movie offer, but he told me it seemed like the paper. Oct 10, 2017 before arthur liman, the chief counsel of the senate irancontra committee, could reply, a reporter from the new york times loudly sneered, cmon, ask a serious question. Colin farrell to star as oliver north in irancontra series. The cia, the contras and the crack cocaine explosion detailing his own. American made sheds light on shady arkansas airfield deals. Kill the messenger resurrects gary webb, journalist. Senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to the. Iran contra affair president ronald reagan receiving the tower commission report, following the iran contra affair, february 26, 1987. Along with a leading role in the iran contra scandal in which north helped sell arms to iran to fund the contra war north is also said to have employed air and sea transport companies. Before arthur liman, the chief counsel of the senate irancontra committee, could reply, a reporter from the new york times loudly sneered, cmon, ask a serious question. Irancontra proves a muddled milieu for movie the last thing he wanted.
Despite its cluttered narrative, the film, scripted by director dee rees pariah. Why the russia investigation could be more like iran. Aug 27, 2017 these are the levels of nuance present in doug limans basedonatrue story action romp of seals involvement in the irancontra scandal. American made is an iran contra movie that gets high on its own supply the new movie is one that director doug liman has been making for 15 years and tom cruise has been making for almost 35. Kill the messenger, a movie starring jeremy renner due oct. Drug trafficking was a much less convoluted method of skirting the congressional ban on funding the contras, and the cias inspector general found that in the early years after congress cut off contra funding, the cia had alerted congress about the allegations of. Wow, the new anne hathaway movie is bad and more barstool. Like in the movie, the american made true story reveals that barry made a living as a commercial airline pilot for several years. Of course i remember a little bit about the iran contra affair from my childhood in which reagan exchanged arms for nicaraguan contras for iranian prisoners using forgetfulness as an excuse. Clearly, there was room to advance the contradrugcia story rather. It also suggested that the contras may have acted with the knowledge and protection of the central. Investigative reporter robert parry broke many of the irancontra stories. American made is an irancontra movie that gets high on its own supply the new movie is one that director doug liman has been making for 15. Richard grell began researching the political context of his service after the veterans of foreign wars denied him a membership in 2014 because it requires proof of hostile fire pay.
New york for jeremy renner, playing investigative reporter gary webb, whose dark alliance series in the san jose mercury news in california in 1996 blew the cover on the irancontra. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. New tom cruise movie slammed for abusing facts to attack. Anne hathaway digs into her meaty role as elena, an intrepid, maphopping reporter for the atlantic post read. Mar 20, 2017 colin farrell is returning to the small screen to play oliver north in an amazon tv show about the iran contra affair. In a panel discussion during sundance with a reporter from the atlantic, garner said she loves turtlenecks. Why the russia investigation could be more like irancontra.
Kill the messenger recalls a reporter wrongly disgraced. Most of all it had the entire cia science fiction movie angle which almost no one in the public knew about. Irancontra summary executive summary in october and november 1986, two secret u. Hathaways role has not yet been finalized, but she is currently in talks to play washington post reporter elena mcmahon. Investigative reporter gary webb linked the cia to americas. The irancontra scandal was already decadeold news and ronald reagan was long out of office when san jose mercury news reporter gary webb started sniffing around for. The one she was wearing in park city winter was a thick, chunky white irishstyle sweater. Why the russia investigation could be more like iran contra than watergate. I n a scene from the new movie kill the messenger, investigative reporter gary webb played by jeremy renner says that he doesnt believe in conspiracy theories. United states court of appeals for the district of columbia circuit division for the purpose of appointing independent counsel division no. Sep 28, 2017 american made is an irancontra movie that gets high on its own supply the new movie is one that director doug liman has been making for 15 years and tom cruise has been making for almost 35. The last thing he wanted trailer hollywood reporter.
Back in 1996, gary webb of the san jose mercury news broke a story stating not only that the nicaraguan contras supported by the united states in a rebellion against their leftleaning government were involved in the us crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s, but also that the cia knew and turned a blind eye to the operation. Journalist gary webb, california 1996, started investigating cias role in the. I picked up a copy of this book at a thrift store to learn a bit more about other parts of the world. Anne hathaway in the movie the last thing he wanted. Freeway ricky on his role in the reagan irancontra drugs. Tom cruises american made nixed scene with bill clinton getting lap dance exclusive. Gary webb, the pulitzer prizewinning reporter who broke the story of the cias involvement in the importation of cocaine into the u. Kill the messenger is a 2014 american biographical crime thriller film directed by michael cuesta and written by peter landesman. Elena soon finds herself on dangerous ground as the irancontra affairs armsfordrugs plot reaches its. Knowledge of drug trafficking and the contras the national security archive obtained the handwritten notebooks of oliver north, the national security council aide who helped run the contra war and other reagan administration covert operations, through a freedom of information act lawsuit filed in 1989. Even then, the story wasnt about the hostages in the embassy, but the handful holedup at the canadian ambassadors residence. Colin farrell is returning to the small screen to play oliver north in an amazon tv show about the irancontra affair. The film takes place in the mid1990s, when webb uncovered the cias past. How iran and contra came to be said in the same breath was the result of complicated covert activities, all carried out, the players said, in the name of democracy.
Oct 10, 2014 i n a scene from the new movie kill the messenger, investigative reporter gary webb played by jeremy renner says that he doesnt believe in conspiracy theories. The last thing he wanted is a twisty, mosaiclike thriller set in the early days of the iran contra affair. Aug 06, 2018 gary webb, the pulitzer prizewinning reporter who broke the story of the cias involvement in the importation of cocaine into the u. The iran contra scandal was already decadeold news and ronald reagan was long out of office when san jose mercury news reporter gary webb started sniffing around for verification that nicaraguan. Caso iran contra, popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the iran contra scandal, or simply iran contra, was a political scandal in the united states that occurred during the second term of the reagan administration. Irancontra proves a muddled milieu for movie the last. With jeremy renner, robert patrick, jena sims, robert pralgo. C in the case of nicaragua, the focus was on destabilizing the government and engineering the. Kill the messenger, a movie starring jeremy renner, just opened, about the. C in the case of nicaragua, the focus was on destabilizing the government and engineering the overthrow of the marxistoriented sandinista regime. Irancontra was an historical moment that reaches forwards and backwards in time to connect some of the key. Kill the messenger resurrects gary webb, journalist maligned for exposing cia ties to crack trade. Doug limans new film follows the wild true story of a pilot, drug smuggler, and.
A simple phone call concerning an unexceptional pending drug trial turned into a massive conspiracy involving the nicaraguan contra rebels, l. In july 1995, san jose mercurynews reporter gary webb found the big onethe blockbuster story every journalist secretly dreams aboutwithout even looking for it. The film opens as san jose mercury news reporter gary webb interviews. The irancontra affair american experience official. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. The reporter who uncovered the iran contra scandal. Along with a leading role in the irancontra scandal in which north helped sell arms to iran to fund the contra war north is also said to have employed air and sea transport companies. These operations were the provision of assistance to the military activities of the. Sep 26, 2014 the iran contra scandal was already decadeold news and ronald reagan was long out of office when san jose mercury news reporter gary webb started sniffing around for verification that nicaraguan.
They just sat there and watched these journalists go after gary like a. Colin farrell to star as oliver north in irancontra. The fictional mcmahon is at the center of the very real irancontra affair, in which members of the reagan administration were revealed to be selling weapons to iran in the mid1980s. The announcement of his decision led to violent protests in iran culminating in the storming of the us embassy in teheran which began the iran hostage crisis. Bush, one must grasp the significance of irancontra, the massive criminal operation that was the cornerstone of the bush era, headed by the bushes, with the clintons as partners. A veteran journalist finds herself in the thick of the irancontra scandal during the. The cia didnt really need to lift a finger to try to ruin gary webb s credibility, schou told the intercept. Feb 25, 20 argo makes the iran hostage crisis, one of the most cataclysmic episodes in u.
The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Kill the messenger recalls a reporter wrongly disgraced the. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. Security council staff member who was convicted in the 1980s iran contra affair. Gary stephen webb august 31, 1955 december 10, 2004 was an american investigative. How the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in.
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