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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, MARCH 18, 1983
PAGE 13
"We are and will continue to be friends of the people and govern
ments of Cuba and Nicaragua and we're not ashamed of it. To the
contrary, it makes us proud to maintain relations with these
nations," [Radio] Venceremos said.
"We've armed our forces•••through all routes that we could and
for this we have used all of Central America and other
countries," the radio said•••• "Our war is and will continue to
be national, but•••we view � plans in the framework of !,
regional conflict in which there are interests of the people of
Central America, the Caribbean and Latin America."
In this light, it was interesting to see Cuba's Fidel Castro arriving at the
recent non-aligned nations conference in New Delhi, India aboard a private
jet belonging to the Soviet airline, Aeroflot. Of even more significance
were the two men traveling with him, the leftist leaders of Grenada and
Surinam (formerly Dutch Guiana).
Times have indeed changed since the United States, possessing the military
advantage, forced the Soviets to withdraw missiles from Cuba in October,
1962.
Now it's Moscow that's issuing the ultimatums. Just yesterday,
Georgi Arbatov, the Kremlin's chief
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americanologist" departed from his
usual soft words to warn Washington that the Soviets will install new mis
siles "near American borders" if the U.S. deploys advanced Pershing 2 and
cruise missiles in Europe. Most observers felt "near American borders" re
ferred either to some place in the Caribbean/Central American region or
possibly in far eastern Siberia, near Alaska.
The curse of Vietnam, which crushed America's pride in its power (Leviticus
26:19) stalks the halls of Congress and the corridors of editorial offices
all over America! The lead article in moderate-liberal THE NEW REPUBLIC of
March 28, 1983 analyzed this crippling paralysis as follows:
Damn Vietnam. It is now entering its third decade of interfer
ence with America's perception of America's interest.... Mr.
Reagan assures us that "there is no parallel whatsoever with
Vietnam,".•• [yet] the press and the pundits address themselves
portentously to the collective memory. "Why Are We in Vietnam?"
asks Anthony Lewis [of the NEW YORK TIMES] about El Salvador••••
Naturally it is difficult for us to escape the encrustations of
the recent past. · Vietnam will continue for many years to weigh
like � nightmare upon the foreign policy of the living. But we
must make our foreign policy in a waking state. The task before
the American government is not simply to stay out of Vietnam. It
is to provide security for the United States in a manner that
will not preclude social justice in El Salvador.
The endurance of the Salvadoran insurgency has persuaded many
Americans, commentators and Congressmen, that it is time for
negotiations. The most commonly espoused goal of such negotia
tions is "power-sharing." Now, if there is � thing in the
world that Leninists do not do, it is share power.
How many
revolutions will have to ruin how many countries before this is
clear?.••