PBS WASHINGTON WEEK IN REVIEW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01070R000201220008-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2008
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: May 27, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2008/12/10: CIA-RDP88-01070R000201220008-5
PBS WASHINGTON WEEK IN REVIEW
27 May 1984
*DUKE: Rick, if, if Congress is now changing in its attitude toward helping El
Salvador, giving the president basically what's he (sic), what he wants in terms
of, of new assistance for El Salvador, there's no indication of any change where
Nicaragua is concerned, and, and helping the rebels who are fighting in that
country. Why is there such fervent opposition, especially in the House, to
doing this?**SMITH: Paul, the feelings are very strong. They're very
emotional. They're very deep. They're linked both to pragmatic, geopolitical
considerations, and of moral feelings. The people who want to see the contras
aided say that it is morally wrong to abandon these people that we have put in
the field and financed through the CIA; that we must meet the Communist Soviet,
Cuban, and Nicaraguan subversion with counter-subversion; and that you cannot
separate the aid to El Salvador from aid to the Nicaraguan rebels because
they're putting pressure on the Sandinistas. On the other side, you have very,
very strong, Similarly strong moral feelings that it is wrong for the United
States to be involved in warfare against an established foreign government. And
the critics say, people like Tip O'Neill, Edward Boland, both from
Massachusetts, northern liberals, and by the way, the Democrats who are most
outspoken about this tend to come from the Northeast, the Midwest, California,
they say it's a violation of the organ..., of the charter of the Organization of
American States. The United States has no business going in there. They also
say that it's not an effective program. The administration itself says the aid
continues to flow from Nicaragua, and it's not effective. Why should we be
offending our friends and interfering in another country?
DUKE: So is the aid going to be cut off? SMITH: I think there's a stronger
chance now that it will be cut off than ever before. The issue now goes to the
Senate, which has regularly approved the aid, and the question will be whether
or not they can find some formula, the administration can find some formula to
keep a little bit alive, but the odds are getting dimmer and dimmer for it.
EXCERPTED
** Hedrick Smith (The New York Times)
Approved For Release 2008/12/10: CIA-RDP88-01070R000201220008-5