---
born: 1929-08-06
category: Iran-Contra
location: New Jersey
summary: In February 1989, Cave was spotted in Paraguay with Earl Brian, visiting
  Gen.
tags:
- Person
- IranContra
- CIA
- Israel
---

[George Cave](/people/george-cave/) was a longtime [CIA](/organizations/central-intelligence-agency/) official and an [Iranian](/places/iran/) expert, fluent in Farsi. He was officially purged from the [CIA](/organizations/central-intelligence-agency/) in 1977 but remained active until 1989. His career was somewhat parallel to [Ben-Menashe's](/people/ari-ben-menashe/).[^1]

[Cave](/people/george-cave/) was a member of what [Israel](/places/israel/) called the "[Iran Group](/organizations/iran-group/)," headed by [Robert Gates](/people/robert-gates/), which was created as a result of the October 1980 [Paris Summit Meeting](/events/paris-summit-meeting/). Due to his expertise on [Iran](/places/iran/), he participated with the [Israelis](/places/israel/) in arms sales. He became well-known in [Washington, D.C.](/places/washington-dc/) circles and was very close to [Gates](/people/robert-gates/).[^1]

[Cave](/people/george-cave/) was present at the October 1980 [Paris Summit Meeting](/events/paris-summit-meeting/), along with [George H.W. Bush](/people/george-hw-bush/), [William J. Casey](/people/william-j-casey/), [Robert McFarlane](/people/robert-mcfarlane/), and [Donald Gregg](/people/donald-gregg/). He was also present at the [Santiago](/places/santiago/) meeting in late 1986, where [U.S.](/places/united-states/) officials reaffirmed their intention to maintain arms channels to [Iraq](/places/iraq/).[^1]

In February 1989, [Cave](/people/george-cave/) was spotted in [Paraguay](/places/paraguay/) with [Earl Brian](/people/earl-brian/), visiting [Gen. Andres Rodriguez](/people/andres-rodriguez/) prior to the coup against [President Stroessner](/people/alfredo-stroessner/). [Ari Ben-Menashe](/people/ari-ben-menashe/) confronted [Cave](/people/george-cave/) about his presence, and [Cave](/people/george-cave/) claimed to be there on personal business.[^1]

[Cave](/people/george-cave/) was named as an enemy of the state by an [Israeli](/places/israel/) intelligence committee in March 1989, due to his involvement in supplying [Iraq](/places/iraq/) with chemical weapons and nuclear technology.[^1]

[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.