Quote Originally Posted by JMA View Post
Quite frankly very few people seriously expect the US to do anything about Zimbabwe. Carter/Vance/Young handed the country to Mugabe in 1980 and its been a wonderful democratic paradise every since.

But before we get too hung up on Zimbabwe spare a thought for Nicaragua. First Carter hands it to the Sandinistas then Reagan interfered via the Contras and now Nicaragua has returned to being yet another South American basket case. Nicaraguans can be forgiven for asking for the real America to please stand up.
The Nicaraguans aren't nearly as confused about it as you seem to be.

What you cite is the sometimes startling difference in foreign policies between US Administrations. The Nicaraguans, like most Central Americans, being neighbors and paying attention to that for over a century -- and with memory of US interventions and strange behavior of contrasting administrations in the 20s and 30s -- understand that. They may not like it but they know what it is.

The rest of the world seemingly does not, as you show...