Quote:We took out Noriega on Christmas of 1987 or so...


I think that's what he's referring to...

 

 

Quote:So Panama, not Nicaragua. And it worked. But it was a US military action. 
I wouldn't call that supporting the opposition, which I'd equate to supplying them weapons, advice, and intel.

Actually, I was referring to the "Contras" of the Iran-Contra affair.

 

You remember - that time the Reagan administration was selling arms to the Iranian government, and using the money the sales raised to fund rebels leading a fight against the Communist Sandanista regime in Nicaragua, circa 1987?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80...tra_affair

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandinista...tion_Front

 

You know what eventually took down the Sandanistas?  Technically nothing, as they're still in power, just not as Marxist as they once were.  AN ELECTION.  The Bush administration poured millions of dollars into the campaign supporting the opposition, Violeta Chamorro.  And unlike Marcos in the Phillipines in 1986, they were actually fair, and when Sandanista president Ortega did not win, he actually stepped down.

 

End of conflict, but not the Sandanista party.

 

Back to Iran.

 

We monkeyed with Iran's political process during the Eisenhower administration, and don't think the Iranians have forgotten.  We've also shot down a civilian jetliner of theirs for good measure, killing 290 innocent people.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655

 

And as I've mentioned before, I think Iran sucks, just as every theocracy sucks - but they do have a basis for not liking us aside from their hatred of Israel and our continuing support of that country.

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