‘A fabulous achievement’

Elliott Abrams, the architect of Ronald Reagan’s “dirty war” in Central America, is an undisputed war criminal and blatant liar.

In 1991 he pleaded guilty to two counts of withholding evidence to Congress about the notorious “Iran-contra affair.” Earlier, Abrams had dismissed as “communist propaganda” a factual report on the infamous El Mozote massacre in El Salvador, in which U.S.-backed paramilitaries had slaughtered over 800 people, including children as young as 2 years old.

In 2002, as Bush Jr.’s special assistant, he orchestrated a failed coup attempt aimed at toppling the elected government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.  

These are just a few “achievements” of the man the ultra-right Heritage Foundation calls “a patriot and dedicated voice for repressed communities.”

Thus it was hard not to jump up and cheer when newly elected Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar grilled Abrams, Trump’s recent appointee to again oversee U.S. efforts to “restore democracy” — read regime change — in Venezuela.

As a member of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Omar reminded Abrams of his notorious statement that U.S. policy in Central America under Reagan was “a fabulous achievement.” She asked him point-blank if he considered El Mozote to be “a fabulous achievement” and if genocide would be permissible if it furthered U.S. interests in Venezuela.

This forceful questioning, which Abrams failed to answer, would have been a courageous act for any House member to engage in. However, for Congresswoman Omar — a Black woman, a Somali immigrant and, along with Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, one of the first two Muslim women ever elected to the House — it was especially bold.

Not surprisingly, this multiply-oppressed sister has been ruthlessly criticized, not only by Trumpites and conservatives but by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other establishment Democrats.

Antiwar activists, on the other hand, couldn’t help but feel glee seeing Abrams put in the hot seat. The video, which has gone viral, depicts a real “fabulous achievement.” (tinyurl.com/y46p436h) For this, for criticism of Israel and for other political stands, Congresswoman Omar has been viciously attacked — and must be defended!

(Photo credit: Fibonacci Blue)