LATIN AID DEBATE 'FAR FROM REALITY'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000505390132-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2010
• Sequence Number: 132
• Publication Date: April 18, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/09: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505390132-5
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ARTICLE APPEARED
ON PAGE
USA TODAY
18 April 1981+
Latin aid
debate. `far
from reality'
By Mike Connolly
USA TODAY
WASHINGTON - Congres-
sional debate over President
Reagan's Central American
policy has "strayed too far
from reality," Reagan said
Tuesday - lashing out at his
critics as he charged that com-
munist moves in the area
threaten the USA's security
"from pole to pole.".
Reagan - with his proposals
for military aid for El Salvador
and anti-government 'rebels in
Nicaragua stalled in Congress
- said at a White House lunch
with: Hispanic leaders that "if
Central America is lost, then
our own borders will be threat-
ened. .
"We cannot ignore the con-
sequences of passively watch-
ing guerrillas force communist
dictatorships down the throats
of the people of Central Amer:-
ca,".he said, claiming commu-
nists are attempting to form a
string of "anti-American Sovi-
et-style dictatorships" there.
Reagan said, "Economic as-
sistance, as much as somepeo-
pie on Capitol Hill would like to
think otherwise, will not over-
come the military threat" in El
Salvador.'
'Reagan made no mention of
reported CIA involvement in
the mining of Nicaraguan har-
bors or new reports that it was
behind an Oct. 10 attack on a
Nicaraguan fuel storage area.
The reports said the raid on
the town of Corinto was carried
out by CIA-hired mercenaries
and directed by CIA agents.
A World Court -ruling is ex-
pected today on whether the
USA must answer Nicaraguan
charges stemming from the
mining. The White House has
said it will ignore any world
court decision on Central
America.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/09: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505390132-5