> d - If the USA is a liberal democracy it is NOT thanks to the
> facts in Nicaragua and Chile. Quite the contrary. Please, have
> the courage to admit the crimes of your nation. It would make you
> a better person, and America a better nation.
Alas, Marco, to that list we can add many more, such as Guatemala, where US
policies led to the killing of some 120,000 Mayans and the displacement into
conditions of virtual labor slavery of many more in the southern coffee
lands.
The US has had some terrible political appointees leading our policy toward
South and Central America in recent years, and with Bush in, a couple of
them are back in.
Clinton did apologize for the Guatemalan tragedy, and there is hope in the
current elections there.
Would that these apologies, including those of the Pope, were backed by a
compensation policy, even if only a nominal one.
A positive prospect on the horizon is the growing legal doctrine of
universal jurisdiction: war criminals can be brought to justice outside
their countries. This is the doctrine under which Serb and Rwandan war
criminals are currently being tried. Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of
State, has been mentioned as a potential war criminal, and the French
government tried to question him about the accusations while Kissinger was
last in Paris. Upon receiving the summons, Kissinger immediately left his
hotel and the country, but I believe the summons are still in effect.
I do agree with you that apology for crimes would make the US (and any other
country) a better place. The precedent is there...
Lawry
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