New Brevoort Formspring

Regarding the inclusion of the Sandinistas on the list of terrorist groups, the historical record suggests otherwise. The Sandinistas were no angels, but they were not terrorists. To choose just one example, according to the LOS ANGELES TIMES in 1985 “The most detailed report, issued Thursday by the International Human Rights Law Group, was based on 145 sworn statements from Nicaraguans who said they had witnessed 28 incidents of misconduct by the contras. ‘The documentation shows a pattern of brutality against largely unarmed civilians, including rape, torture, kidnapings, mutilation and other abuses,’ the group said. Earlier, Americas Watch, another private human rights group, said that both the contras and the Sandinistas have violated the laws of war in their conflict but added that the government has reduced its abuses while reports of contra violence against civilians continue to accumulate.”

I am not an apologist for the crimes of the Sandinistas, but they pale in comparison to the atrocities conducted by the contras. This is why Congress cut off the contras, thus leading Reagan to fund them with profits from weapons sold to Iran.

I know this conversation is supposed to be about comics, and I totally agree with your refutation of anti-Islamic prejudice, but this is an important bit of history.