Quote:
Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I recall differently.
And there's a point when reckless indifference to civilian casualties becomes functionally indistinguishable from your kind of direct targeting.
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You recall differently because you were reading propaganda that was sympathetic to the Sandinistas. The main stream media (and many Democrat members of the US Congress) derided the Contras as terrorists and "US Puppets" who weren't fighting for freedom but were just criminals terrorizing the countryside and using the so called revolution just as an excuse to perpetuate crimes.
However, that view was just a little discredited, when the Sandinistas called a free multiparty election (something they swore they would never do) because the Sandinistas were winning the hearts and mind of their countrymen. Because of your brainwashing you may also be skeptical that the Contras were winning the hears and minds of the Nicaraguans, but it is also important to remember that when these elections were called the contras immediately surrendered their arms (something that casts doubt on their label as criminals - and leaving themselves defenseless is not a likely act for someone who has been terrorizing the local population), and in all the areas the contras were supposedly "terrorizing", contra candidates won seats by large margins. The "contra" backed candidate also won that presidential election. The only place the former contra candidates did not do well were mainly in areas where the contras were not operating and the only information the citizens had on the contras in those areas came from either the Sandinistas or the US media.
If the contras were terrorists and criminals (and not freedom fighters) then why did the Sandinistas call for free elections after the contras started making serious gains, and why did the people in the areas the contras were operating elect so many of them in the election and why did the contra backed candidate win the presidency?
Could it be you were fed some bad information from people who always assumed that anyone the Reagan administration helped must be the bad guys and any one that opposed the Reagan administration must be good?
And to think when the Reagan administration set the ultimatum that they would only stop supporting the contras when free elections were declared, and Kerry stepped in (as a Senator), tried to broker a deal without such a condition and was actually angry that the Reagan administration stood by their principles and wouldn't accept any compromise. If Kerry had his way the Sandinistas would still be in Nicaragua - and this idiot almost became president of the United States. Pathetic.
