orb@whuts.UUCP (SEVENER) (12/03/85)
I don't know if Jan has been hiding in a hole or what-his comments seem to imply so: > [-- Jim Balter (ima!jim)] > >>>The fact is that it is the U.S. that is totally isolated from > >>>world opinion concerning Nicaragua, and that rejects the Conta- > >>>dora process. > > >>You are out of date on both points. > > >You don't say? Elaborate please. > > US government had some initial hesitation about the Contadora > process; then it decided to endorse it. It has been officially > supporting it now for years. You are a genuine Rip van Winkle. Oh really, Jan? Yes, the Reagan administration *was* supporting Contadora as a stick to bit Nicaragua with: until a draft treaty was drawn up last year which called for the withdrawal of *ALL* foreign military forces both Soviet-Cuban and American. Nicaragua agreed to the draft treaty: the Reagan administration promptly reversed years of breast-beating about Contadora and opposed it. Since then it has gone nowhere - primarily because of Reagan administration opposition. It is one thing for the Soviets to withdraw from advising Nicaragua and another for the US to withdraw from Central America militarily. The famous double standard so oft-repeated. > > The isolation of US on the Nicaraguan issue ended later > than that. But it did end. > --In Europe, the press - left, center and right of center - > used to be very critical of USA on this issue. Now (judging > from stray issues of several periodicals), centrist and > right-of-center press is more critical of Nicaragua than the USA. > That change occurred even before Oct 15 decrees, though they clinched > it. (BTW, right-left axis here concerns foreign policy, so that, e.g. > Mitterand is not on the left). I have no doubt that the predominately democratic left everywhere (as usual) is conscientious in criticizing the Oct. 15 decrees for their movement away from democracy. So am I. However that does not mean anyone but the militaristic right-wing supports armed terrorism as any solution to that problem: if anything it either provides an excuse or forces such action. I would like to see quotes from leftist journals saying that, yes, the US has every right to fund terrorism in Nicaragua. I bet you find NADA. Jan's distortion is shown in the following: > --Finally - just happened to read in today's (Nov 26) NY Times > an article by a liberal democratic congressman. It is entitled: > Bridging the Gap With Nicaragua. The content corresponds to the > title: as you can see, his position is much nearer yours than > mine. He argues thus: > > >We have nothing to lose; perhaps the Sandinistas are now > >ready to deal. Mr Ortega surely must recognize that Nicaragua > >is growing more and more isolated... > I read that piece, Jan, and the Congressman said that he now regretted voting for aid to the contras: that if anything the militarized response of the US is forcing the Nicaraguans away from their previous steps towards democracy. tim sevener whuxn!orb