[Toshi]

Ronald Reagan, 1985:

They are our brothers, these freedom fighters, and we owe them our help. I've spoken recently of the freedom fighters of Nicaragua. You know the truth about them. You know who they re fighting and why. They are the moral equal of our Founding Fathers and the brave men and women of the French Resistance. We cannot turn away from them for the struggle here is not right versus left; it is right versus wrong.

how is the distinction so clear between the "freedom fighters" (the Contras) of nicaragua that reagan so outlandishly praised, and the "insurgents" of iraq? can america not be a target of "freedom fighters" since we spread freedom by our own definition?

just a random saturday night thought as i watch the excellent pbs documentary frontline: the choice 2004 and nurse a sore throat.

 

[valve bouncer]

The American support of the Contras is such a black mark against the USA that I defy any of the frothers to support it. Shame.

 

[DRB]

But this has always been the case.... one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist. Its all perspective that can shift quickly with the passage of time.

However, that speech was a classic.

Now, whether government borrows or increases taxes, it will be taking the same amount of money from the private economy, and either way, that's too much. We must bring down government spending. We need a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. It's something that 49 states already require -no reason the federal government should be any different.

How many balanced budgets were approved during the Reagan era?

But we cannot reduce the deficit by raising taxes .

Strangely enough the next two presidents began doing so by just that method. Along with spending cuts that Reagan could OR WOULD accomplish.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

Ronald Reagan, 1985:



how is the distinction so clear between the "freedom fighters" (the Contras) of nicaragua that reagan so outlandishly praised, and the "insurgents" of iraq? can america not be a target of "freedom fighters" since we spread freedom by our own definition?

just a random saturday night thought as i watch the excellent pbs documentary frontline: the choice 2004 and nurse a sore throat.

nicaragua is not the only place the US support "freedom fighters". it was not an accident. support of "freedom fighters" or other terrorists with less subversive names by the US is common in SouthAmerica from the late 40s to the present.

that double standard is the basis for the US foreign policy.



.....
George Kennan in a policy planning study of the U.S. State Department in 1948 said:


...we have 50% of the world's wealth, but only 6.3% of its population...IN this situation, we cannot fail to be the object of envy and resentment. Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which will permit us to maintain this position of disparity without positive detriment to our national security. To do so, we will have to dispense with all sentimentality and day dreaming...We need not deceive ourselves that we can afford today the luxury of altruism and world benefaction...We should cease to talk about vague and unreal objectives such as human rights, the raising of living standards and democratization. The day is not far off when we are going to have to deal in straight power concepts...


...Kennan talks about "the protection of our raw materials"...primarily from the indigenous population. The problem is that the indigenous populations have the tendency to try to use "our raw materials" for their own purposes.


Now thats a "conspiracy" that has to be stopped! ink:

 

[genpowell71]

Dont care what you say about Reagan. He still 3 times the president Bush, Clinton, and Bush sr are. Reagan had the moral scruples to do what he had to. He never apologized for it and still had an approval rating over 69% when he left the White House. Not to mention, As I recall from the 84 election, didnt he win almost all of the electoral votes except 5-8? Whats that say about that? Yes, Reagan backed the Contra's. OOPS! Who was his national security advisor again?

 

[Skookum]

Dont care what you say about Reagan. He still 3 times the president Bush, Clinton, and Bush sr are. Reagan had the moral scruples to do what he had to. He never apologized for it and still had an approval rating over 69% when he left the White House. Not to mention, As I recall from the 84 election, didnt he win almost all of the electoral votes except 5-8? Whats that say about that? Yes, Reagan backed the Contra's. OOPS! Who was his national security advisor again?

 

[genpowell71]

I know he's a flamer. Thanks

 

[DRB]

Dont care what you say about Reagan. He still 3 times the president Bush, Clinton, and Bush sr are.

That's like being the best baseball player on the Arizona Diamondbacks.....