What the Contras did (Warning: Graphic)

[ck4829]

The Catholic Institute for International Relations summarized contra operating procedures in their 1987 human rights report: "The record of the contras in the field, as opposed to their official professions of democratic faith, is one of consistent and bloody abuse of human rights, of murder, torture, mutilation, rape, arson, destruction and kidnapping."

The Catholic Institute for International Relations. "Right to Survive: Human Rights in Nicaragua" (print), The Catholic Institute for International Relations.

An influential report on alleged Contra atrocities was issued by lawyer Reed Brody shortly before the 1985 U.S. Congressional vote on Contra aid. The report was soon published as a book, Contra Terror in Nicaragua (Brody, 1985). It charged that the Contras attacked purely civilian targets and that their tactics included murder, rape, beatings, kidnapping and disruption of harvests.

A Sandinista militiaman interviewed by The Guardian stated that Contra rebels committed these atrocities against Sandinista prisoners after a battle at a Sandinista rural outpost:

"Rosa had her breasts cut off. Then they cut into her chest and took out her heart. The men had their arms broken, their testicles cut off. They were killed by slitting their throats and pulling the tongue out through the slit."

Jonathan Steele and Tony Jenkins (1984-11-15). "The Slaugter at the Cooperatives" (print), The Guardian.

Americas Watch - which was subsequently folded into Human Rights Watch - stated that "the Contras systematically engage in violent abuses... so prevalent that these may be said to be their principal means of waging war." It accused the Contras of:

targeting health care clinics and health care workers for assassination.
kidnapping civilians.
torturing civilians.
executing civilians, including children, who were captured in combat.
raping women.
indiscriminately attacking civilians and civilian houses.
seizing civilian property.
burning civilian houses in captured towns.

http://www.hrw.org/reports/1989/WR89/Nicaragu.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contras#Human_rights_controversies

Now, what are the Republicans saying about Obama again?

[riverdeep]

1. No, you're wrong.

Reagan told me so. And Reagan is my GOD.

If you want to know why people in Latin America hate us, the answers are right there. Hell, there are people in this country who still hate the Japanese for Pearl Harbor, imagine what we would think of a foreign country that trained and funded torturers that did that stuff to our citizens. It's American exceptionalism at it's best.

[two gun sid]

2. I was in Honduras in 1985 as part of...

JCS Special Operation Jittery Prop. I believe everything America's Watch accused them of is true.