| Formation | December 1, 1986 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | February 27, 1987 (report published) |
| Purpose | "a comprehensive study of the future role and procedures of the National Security Council (N.S.C.) staff in the development, coordination, oversight and conduct of foreign and national security policy."[1] |
| Location | |
Chairman | John Tower |
| Staff | 23[2] |
The Tower Commission was a United States presidential commission established on December 1, 1986, by President Ronald Reagan in response to the Iran–Contra affair (in which senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to Iran, which was the subject of an arms embargo). The commission, composed of former Senator John Tower of Texas, former Secretary of State Edmund Muskie, and former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft, was tasked with reviewing the proper role of the National Security Council staff in national security operations generally, and in the arms transfers to Iran specifically.
The Commission's report, published on February 27, 1987, concluded that CIA Director William Casey, who supported the Iran-Contra arrangement, should have taken over the operation and made the president aware of the risks and notified Congress as legally required.[3] The Commission's work was continued by two congressional investigative committees (both formed in January 1987).
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
excerptsIwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Raskywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Butterfield, Fox (February 28, 1987). "The White House Crisis; Tower Commission Feared Analysis Was Compromised". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.