Cover Up: Behind the Iran Contra Affair

Ronald Reagan's ability to remain undamaged by the scandals of his administration will be a centra! theme for historians, as will be the real nature of his biggest scandal: the Iran Contra Affair. Meanwhile the skeletons continue to be rattled and nowhere more vigorously than in Barbara Trent's documentary. When the film was released in the US, some thought it would do serious damage to the Bush campaign. We know now that lrangate did not prevent a Bush landslide, but 'Cover Up' still raises disturbing questions. lts most sensational allegation is that the seeds of the arms-for-hostages deal were planted well before 1980, when Reagan and Bush made a secret agreement with Iran to delay the release of American hostages so as to scupper the re-election of Jimmy Carter. 'Cover Up' goes beyond the origins of lrangate to examine wider questions. (The Times, Feb.2, 1989)