Iran and Iraq were at war in 1985 when Iran had made a request in secret to buy weapons from the United States. President Ronald Reagan had become frustrated because he was unable to release of the seven American hostages being held by Iranian terrorists in Lebanon. As a solution Reagan came up with the arms-for-hostages deal. This deal was opposed Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and Secretary of State George Shultz, but Reagan,National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane and CIA director William Casey supported it. As soon as the sales had been discovered, more than 1,500 missiles had been shipped to Iran, three hostages had been released (only to be replaced with three more). Secretary of State George Shultz called this event "a hostage bazaar." Attorney General Edwin Meese discovered that just $12 million of the $30 million the Iranians reportedly paid had reached the government. Then Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North of the National Security Council explained: he had been redirecting funds from the arms sales to the Rebel Contras, with the knowledge of National Security Adviser Admiral John Poindexter and with the unspoken blessing, of President Reagan. Poindexter resigned, and North was fired Fourteen people were charged with either operational or "cover-up" crimes. Also President Bush issued six pardons, including one to McFarlane, who had already been convicted, and one to Weinberger before he stood trial.