"The Iran-contra affair was the product of two separate initiatives during the administration of President Ronald Reagan" (Columbia 1). President Reagan was committed to helping the contras who were in the midst of a guerrilla against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. The Iran-contra affair was brought to light in November 1986 when President Ronald Reagan confirmed the reports that the United States had secretly sold arms to Iraq. Reagan's reasons for doing this were to improve relations with Iraq. In reality Reagan had traded arms for hostages. "Later in November, Att. Gen. Edwin Meese discovered that some of the arms profits had been diverted to aid the Nicaraguan "contra" rebels-at a time when Congress had prohibited such aid" (Grolier 1).