Political Warfare Timeline 1985
Notes towards a chronology of the modern history of covert action with particular reference to the role of the Lovestoneite movement.
May
- Michael Ledeen persuades Robert McFarlane to permit him to approach Shimon Peres, ostensibly for Israeli intelligence to help formulate policy for a post-Khomeini Iran.[1]
July
- Adolf Schwimmer and David Kimche visit Washington to relay a feeler from Manucher Ghorbanifar to Michael Ledeen and Robert McFarlane.[1]
- 18 - President Ronald Reagan authorises McFarlane to pursue Kimche's proposal for a dialogue with Iran.[2]
August
- 6 McFarlane presents proposal for Israeli sale of US arms to Iran to National Security Planning Group.[2]
- 30 - Israel ships 96 TOW missiles to Iran through intermediaries including Manucher Ghorbanifar, in a transaction approved by US President Ronald Reagan.[3]
September
- 14 - Second shipment of TOW missiles to Iran.[4] Reverend Benjamin Weir released.
October
- 3 Islamic Jihad claims it murdered US hostage William Buckley in retaliation for Israeli raids in Tunis.[5]
November
- 17-18 - Iran-Contra meetings in London.[5]
- 24 - 18 Hawk anti-aircraft missiles delivered to Iran by a CIA owned proprietary in a shipment arranged by Oliver North. The Iranians are outraged to discover the missiles are Israeli castoffs.[6]
December
- 5 - Reagan signs a presidential finding, retroactively authorising the Hawk shipment.[7]
- 6-8 Iran-Contra meetings in London.[5]
- 23 - William Casey writes a letter warning Reagan that Ghorbanifar may be unreliable but suggesting he is the best chance of releasing hostages.[8] Amiram Nir becomes primary Israeli point of contact for US officials involved in Iran-Contra.[5]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lawrence E. Walsh, Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up, W.W. Norton, 1997, p.37.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lawrence E. Walsh, Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up, W.W. Norton, 1997, p.38.
- ↑ Lawrence E. Walsh, Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up, W.W. Norton, 1997, p.5.
- ↑ Lawrence E. Walsh, Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up, W.W. Norton, 1997, p.5.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Report of the congressional committees investigating the Iran-Contra Affair , U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Secret Military Assistance to Iran and the Nicaraguan Opposition, 1987, p.67.
- ↑ Lawrence E. Walsh, Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up, W.W. Norton, 1997, pp.5-6.
- ↑ Lawrence E. Walsh, Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up, W.W. Norton, 1997, p.12.
- ↑ Lawrence E. Walsh, Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up, W.W. Norton, 1997, p.43.