March 1986

3/19/86

Reagan’s speech Sunday on Nicaragua has since been contracted by 1) Brazil, which says no one is trying to overthrow it; 2) DEA, which says Nic. high officials not trafficking; 3) Jews--no synagogue fire-bombed.
-Philip Habib quoted a non-existent Gallup poll that Central Americans supported Contra aid
-(2 yrs later: the Gallup poll real, but classified; only those w/7ht-grade ed., filtered for knowledge of Contra support. Indeed using data from the USIA (the client) in US is illegal).


3/21/86

26th anniversary of Sharpeville Massacre. A banner suggests the judge who exonerated massacrers “must be tortured here.”

A bomb will be tested tomorrow, though USSR has a testing moratorium.

The gov of Hungary was defeated in Parl on death duties!

3/22/86

Spain to give diplomatic recognition to PLO. Did same for Israel 2 mos ago

That bomb test was moved forward deliberately to break the moratorium

3/24/86

6 Libyan surface-to-air missiles launched at American planes operating in Gulf of Sidra & a missile boat sunk (no survivors). The map shows that Gulf of Sidra really should be considered Libyan. We now consider all Libyan vessels hostile. In other words, anyone can operate near Libya exc Libya!! Libyans aren’t even going to be allowed to see what ships are approaching their shores. Note thought that these events occurred roughly 100 mi. from shore

State Dept may have lied about a Nicaraguan raid into Honduras of 1,500+. There’s a Senate vote on Contra aid tomorrow

3/25/86

Nicaragua claims has no troops in Honduras. Honduras says it does not have enough troops to constitute an invasion

3/26/86

Number of amicus briefs before Sup Court at all time high
1961-6 77. Reagan admin to 3/13/86 206

I think I’ve figured out the Cent. Amer. border war. The event was not unusual as Nicaragua has had small incursions into Honduras frequently. Size probably much smaller than 1,500 (Honduras claims 500-800). Facts are scarce. RR can control the terms of debate and never be disproved. Turns assistance into Contras into assistance to a sovereign state

SA police allegedly killed 201 children (under 18) last yr

3/27/86

What can you say about a day in which your horoscope says that you should make sure your health insurance is up-to-date?

3/28/86

Today’s horoscope began: “Clear up loose ends early in the day...”

Marcos et al spent $39,000 at US bases, which has been picked up by Treasury

Miami Herald claims that Honduras was threatened w/loss of aid unless it went along w/US on Nicaraguan raid

3/29/86

Cardinal Obando y Bravo suggested that Miguel d’Escoto a devil sent to divide Nicaraguan Catholics

All politics banned Lesotho.

The Libyans at a rally killed a cow with “Reakn” on the side

Logic: Honduras denies contra presence, therefore fighting between Nicaragua & contras must have occurred inside Nicaragua.

Mrs Marcos had 3,500 pairs of underpants.

Western Sahara: problem for a referendum = who are the Western Saharans? One census said there were 73,420 (1974) but many more than that in refugee camps, inc possibly Malians & Mauritanians and there are many new Moroccans in the territory.

Russian life expectancy has been declining steadily


3/30/86

US approached Egypt on actions against Libya.

Schultz wants return to quiet (silent?) diplomacy on arms control. In other words, he wants Moscow to stop getting PR out of American intransigence.

A miracle: the UK banned a Protestant march in NI.

Marcos really thinks himself president. Mrs Aquino’s gov. is “a plain and simple dictatorship.”

Is the USSR as weak as RR admin seems to think? Is it that weak at the periphery? Does the Gorbachev admin define its nat interests differently from previous admins?


3/31/86

Marcos really wants to return

“To smash the simple atom
All mankind was intent
Now any day
The atom may
Return the compliment.”

The Greater London Council, etc, went out of existence