The US supported terror in Nicaragua and in Guatemala and in Chile and in Iran.
Yes.. To an extent, the US has supported regimes where terror and torture has be utilized by the host regime.
But how many times have we supported regimes or movements where members are willing to commit suicidal attacks against civilians in order to collect 72 virgins, and call for a worldwide Jihad against ALL western nations??
There is just a different mindset being implanted in the Muslim world John.. One that I perceive closely replicates the fanaticism displayed by the Japanese under the guise of Bushido (Samurai) and led to kamikaze attacks and human wave assaults. Except that for the Japanese Samurai, there was no honor to be had in the killing of innocent civilians, it had to be death against your opponent.
And you would have to ask whether any of those nations you mentioned are better off today than they were during the periods of oppression in the past.
Look at Nicaragua... The only reason the FSLN came into power was due to support from the middle/business class, and tacit support from Jimmie Carter, who didn't oppose the overthrow of Somoza. And the result was betrayal and exiling of those supporters in the business class, economic chaos, theft of private property, and FAR GREATER OPPRESSION than had been the case before.
And the economic and social damage inflicted during the Sandinista regime of the '80s will take time to repair.
Guatemala?? Still not perfect, but definitely improving in the quality of government and economy.
Chile? Same thing... except they have made the transition from authoritarian to democratic society and I don't perceive any situation that would reverse that.
Iran... Same thing as Nicaragua... One oppressive, but modernist, regime was replaced by an even more repressive, and culturally regressive regime, which has left the nation in economic chaos and a pariah state. |
