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From: plunkett@rlgvax.UUCP (Scott Plunkett)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Grenada, One More Time
Message-ID: <1493@rlgvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Dec-83 10:03:57 EST
Article-I.D.: rlgvax.1493
Posted: Wed Dec 21 10:03:57 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Dec-83 01:42:49 EST
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Mike Kelly writes ".. no one has ever explained specifically why it
was believed the students were in danger, and specifically why, if
they were in danger, and invasion rather than a rescue mission was
required.  No one."

Where were you Mr Kelly?  Did you not listen to the Presidents'
broadcast?  To his Satuday-afternoon radio speech?  To the comments
of his advisers, the Secretary of Defense, independent commentators,
news reports, the students themselves, the Governor General of
Grenada, the Congressional fact-finding mission, even to inumerable
submissions to this net?

At this point your skepticism should be assuaged by the following
incontrovertible points, supported and substantiated by the above
sources:

(1) The students were, as all residents of the island, under a
"shoot on sight" curfew imposed by an unstable coup d'etat.  That is
sufficient danger for my liking.

(2) Your quandry over "invasion" and "rescue mission" maybe one of
semantics:  those thankful for the mission call it a "rescue mission"
(e.g., the students in question); those who are suspicious or overly
critical of the motives behind the mission use the term "invasion"
along with such words as "Afghanistan", "gun-boat", and "interference"
(e.g., arm-chair Liberals, die-hard skeptics, Mr Castro).  That a
military action was required, call it what you like, was due to the
fact that there were other things to do there apart from ensure the
safety of the Americans.  Like giving Mr Castro a figurative slapping
about the face, the Soviets a moment of pause, and the Grenadians a
shot at self-determination.

Is this specific enough for you?  Anyway, netland, I sense, is bored by
Grenada now.  It was a success.

..allegra!rlgvax!plunkett