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From: berman@ihopb.UUCP (Rational Chutzpah)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Those Crates
Message-ID: <637@ihopb.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Nov-84 13:45:51 EST
Article-I.D.: ihopb.637
Posted: Mon Nov 19 13:45:51 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 21-Nov-84 00:13:48 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 46

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The most significant aspect of the "Migs in the crates" story
put forth by the Reagan Administration was its use as a
trial balloon. The Soviets and the Nicaraguans damn well
knew there were no jet fighters in those crates, so obviously
the target of the campaign was the US media and the American
public.  The intent of Reagan's jingoistic lies was to warm us up
for further escalation of the war against Nicaragua.
It was, in essence, an attempt to habituate us to the
possibility of direct intervention in Central America,
and, in the least part, to see how we would react.

As warrior Milo (who surely will be in the front lines) points
out, a ground invasion by US troops into Central America would
have the quickest and nastiest repercussions: American soldiers
would begin to die and the American public would begin to protest
in a variety of ways.  Logically it would be a stupid move on
the part of the Administration (but then...they aren't particularly
committed to rational behavior anyway..)
More likely are massive air strikes
against Nicaragua and/or the FMLN zones in El Salvador. 

What then? The scenario gets hard to predict. At some point during
the Vietnam war, when the US population, including the ground troops,
was so opposed to the continuation of the war, the Administration
shifted tactics to the "air war" of 1971-73. It only prolonged the
agony, and, from a military point of view, really didn't work.

The important thing, for the case of Central America, is to stop
the madness early on, before the body bags come home, before the
US pilots get shot down (US POWs in rebel areas of Central America!!
---who wants that nightmare??). That means effort now, lobbying,
protest, pressure of all kinds to stop Reagan's attacks against
Nicaragua and El Salvador. People are not quite so aroused yet,
but if the madness can be stopped now, a lot of lives, including
many American lives, will be saved.

                  ---Andy Berman
                     Sp/4, retired, U.S. Army, 1971-73
                     (the views expressed here are not necessarily
                      those of my current and certainly not those
                      of my former employer)


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