On February 3, the House of Representatives, by rejecting even an inadequate $43 million in aid to the Contras, of which only $3.6 million was military, gave further proof to the world that we are no longer dependable allies—that we will first encourage and then abandon those who are willing to fight for freedom in their own country, and that we are hopelessly naïve about Communist tactics.
The Democratic promise of a later vote on exclusively humanitarian aid to the Contras will in no way compensate for the vote taken on February 3. Humanitarian aid is predicated on “giving the Arias plan a chance.” The idea that the Arias plan ever had a chance is based on a naïve belief that the Sandinistas are genuinely interested in negotiating a settlement that would bring freedom and democracy to Nicaragua.
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