From: dean@vexcel.com (Dean Alaska)
Subject: Re: ...more than 200 Contra regulars and 12 commanders have been murdered
Organization: VEXCEL Corporation, Boulder CO
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 23:15:45 GMT

In article <1992Oct1.141658.4484@desire.wright.edu> demon@desire.wright.edu (Stupendous Man) writes:
>	An interesting article is in today's Wall Street Journal (October 1st,
>1992.  Page A12).
>
>	It recounts the story of a book written about the Contras, and how the
>real story was ignored by journalists because it frequently crossed the
>ideological bounds of "left" and "right".
>
>	The book "Everybody Had His Own Gringo", by Glenn Garvin, apears to be
>an insightful account of the real Contras.  Not the CIA hot-shots, the
>murderous warlords, the Somoza fanatics, but those interested in liberating
>their country from the Sandanistas.

While there were Contra's interested in democratic changes, they were not
the leaders.  
>
>	Some excerpts from the article:
>
>	Mr. Garvin's lack of idelogical bias allows him to analyze the
>developments of the Contra army with all the blemishes intact.  Some Contra
>leaders were frightening goons, including one who went by the nom de guerre,
>"Suicida."  In 1983, Suicida began ruling his territory along the
>Honduran-Nicaraguan border like a demoniacal warlord, killing local peasants at
>the slightest suggestion of collaboration with the Sandanistas.  Eventually,
>the Contra high command ordered his arrest, and Suicida and three of his
>officers were executed.
>	To most of the press corps [and some here on the net :)--Brett],
>Suicida symbolized the Contra movement.  But far more common than the Suicida
>aberrations were the genuine Contra heroes who fought against tremendous odds
>to bring democracy to their homeland....

To me, the Contra's are symbolized by their military leader, Bermudez,
who had been in Somoza's National Guard.  While this Suicida may have
been brought to justice, was Bermudez ever brought to justice?  The
best source of information about the Contra's comes from Edgar
Chamorro.  He was part of the political leadership of the Contra's
until he quit in disgust of there tactics and motivations.  He has
been _quoted_ as saying the Contra's were primarily an army looking
to reestablish the Guard and to get revenge.  The genuine contra
heroes Garvin speaks of directly contradicts what this former Contra
leader has said about them.  Who would you believe, Brett?

>	...On the contrary [credit went to everyone except the Contras], since
>Violeta Chamorro was sworn in as president in 1990, more than 200 Contra
>regulars and 12 top Contra commanders have been murdered by revengeful
>Sandanistas.  No one has been prosecuted in connection with these murders--not
>surprising since the Sandanistas still control the army, the police, and much
>of the judiciary.
>	At least the Contras now have a book that recognizes their important
>role in history.  It deserves to be read, particularly by those in the US and
>in Nicaragua who so shamefully dishonored their efforts.

Their important role in history is well understood, despite revisionist
books like the one you describe.

>---end of excerpts---
>
>	It's great to see that there are objective people out there working for
>the truth, instead of a bankrupt social/economic system.
>                    
>Brett                                                      
>_______________________________________________________________________________
>Proconsul Computer Consulting                                        CHA-CHING!
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-- 

		dingo in boulder	(dean@vexcel.com)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,alt.politics.clinton