Throughout the previous eight years, the U.S. had publicly backed Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War. At the time McVeigh entered boot camp and, in the months prior to his enlistment, the U.S. launched naval strikes against Iranian oil operations. Secretly, however, the U.S. had been dealing weapons to Iran and supporting Saudi Arabia, the professed enemy of both. Indictments issued against Lt. Col. Oliver North and Vice Admiral John Poindexter for their roles in what came to be known as the Iran-Contra scandal did not prevent former CIA Director and Vice President George H.W. Bush from winning the
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