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From: bitmap@ucbtopaz.CC.Berkeley.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Nicaraguan arms smuggling
Message-ID: <455@ucbtopaz.CC.Berkeley.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 8-Apr-84 03:17:44 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbtopaz.455
Posted: Sun Apr  8 03:17:44 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 9-Apr-84 05:18:12 EST
Organization: Univ. of Calif., Berkeley CA USA
Lines: 25

<....>
Someone expressed disbelief that arms were being, or even possibly
could be, smuggled from Nicaragua to El Salvador.  This person,
noting that there is not even a common border, suggested that
people should learn a little geography before believing things.

Well, I knew that Nicaragua and El Salvador were separated,
slightly, by Honduras, but it never hurts to learn a little
geography.  Upon consulting my atlas, it appears that the closest
distance between the two countries is ~10 miles, which would
involve crossing a bay of water, and about 40 miles by land.
I don't understand how these distances are supposed to prevent arms
smuggling from Nicaragua to El Salvador, assuming that the
(alleged) smugglers are not so polite as to notify the govt. of
Honduras with a request for permission to cross its territory.  My
understanding is that part of the reason for having military "exercises"
in Honduras was to interrupt the smuggling through there.

Does the person who felt that a common border was a requisite for
smuggling not believe that cocaine is smuggled the ~1200 mile
distance from Columbia to Florida?

Sam Hall
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