For those of you who have missed it, there are members of the GOP who like to claim that the Reagan administration's policy in Central America during the 1980s was a resounding success and indeed provides a model for Iraq. Basically the shtick is to trot out the example of a particular mid-80s election in El Salvador, make a few noises about "terrorists" and freedom, and claim that the election brought democracy to that troubled nation. They don't acknowledge the coup, the junta, the human rights abuses, the civil war, or the 1992 treaty.
Those of us who were adults during the '80s remember that the term "death squad" was associated with right-wing paramilitary groups in El Salvador. I remember the accounts of government or government-approved atrocities and the stories of desperate people fleeing the country. I read of an American nun assisting Salvadoran refugees who had gotten into this country illegally and were trying to reach Canada.
Here's a quote from Duncan Hunter's press conference today:
"And I can remember the days in Central America when many critics said: This is Vietnam, and we've got to get out now. El Salvador is gone, and you have to simply accept that and leave.
"And we provided that military shield for the government while we stood up -- we stood up a free government. We provided a military shield while we were building up a military force capable of securing that free government..."
Apparently Hunter loves that phrase "military shield," which he trotted out the other week to Chris Matthews, who was oblivious to the fact that what Hunter was saying was drivel.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15730511/I'll skip the other inarticulate passages in today's press conference to cut to the chase: reality bears no resemblance to Hunter's claims.
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/enemiesofwar/elsalvador2.htmlThe 1980 election of Ronald Reagan as President of the United States changed American policy in El Salvador dramatically. The new U.S. administration worried about Communist expansion in Central America and viewed the El Salvador military government as a potential barrier against Communism. The Reagan administration substantially increased both military and economic aid to El Salvador.
The civil war raged on in El Salvador, fueled by U.S. aid to the Salvadoran military. The government harshly repressed dissent, and at least 70,000 people lost their lives in killings and bombing raids waged against civilians throughout the countryside. The country's infrastructure had crumbled, and the nation appeared to be no closer to its goals of peace, prosperity and social justice than when the process began. Then, in 1989, the murder of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter at the University of Central America shocked the international community into action.
With continuing reports of atrocities and murders in El Salvador, the U.S. Congress no longer accepted the State Department's assurance that things were getting better. Speaker of the House Tom Foley created a special task force to monitor El Salvador's investigation of the murders. Congressman Joe Moakley of Massachusetts was selected to head up the investigation. During his research and visits to El Salvador, Congressman Moakley encountered a massive cover-up, deep problems with the Salvadoran armed forces, conspiracy and lies, which led him to challenge U.S. policy. He discovered that from a very high level, the armed forces of El Salvador had been responsible for the murders of the Jesuits. His investigation also led to the conclusion that certain levels of the U.S. government had known about the situation long before the task force was created.
Moakley's report revealed the cruel injustice of the U.S.-backed Salvadoran government, setting in motion an international process to end the war. Both sides of the conflict in El Salvador approached the United Nations for help in negotiating a settlement. The United Nations sponsored talks, which culminated in the January 1992 signing of the Peace Accords, ending 12 years of civil war.Not the noble "military shield" Hunter described, was it?
Cheney also likes to make a fairy tale out of the GOP talking points on El Salvador. Fortunately, somebody at Newsday caught him on it and called him on the carpet -- something I haven't noticed pundits doing, particularly that buffoon Chris Matthews.
See the reprint of the Newsday article below:
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1201-30.htm
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