POST SCRIPTS

needs, at the same time we assume nobody can get along without us." We believe our perpetual involvement (some might call it interference) in the affairs of other nations, helpful or otherwise, will be warmly welcomed by a grateful world.

Like all good co-dependents, we're constantly trying to buy our friends, lavishing them with our gifts, even though some gifts can't be given, they must be earned. For instance, freedom can't be given to someone who has never had it, never appreciated it and has no vested interest in keeping it. They have to want it, earn it and fight to keep it, just as every democracy throughout history has done. There is no short cutting this process. For example, can you imagine French or Germans fighting our revolutionary war for us; what kind of patriots would that have produced?

Co-dependency's opposite side is of course dependency and we've created too much dependency around the world! That dependency has devolved into a mix of jealousy, resentment and frustration by our peers and even those we've helped. In this great endeavor to save the world, we've enabled corrupt regimes to stay afloat, riding high at our expense and diminishing our prestige.

In the old cold war days, we would often help despotic governments under the premise that the "enemy of our enemy is our friend" and that made for some very strange alliances with some of histories worst dictators. And I might add, done much to the consternation of the people they oppressed.

As it says in the book, "Friendly Dictators" by Dennis Bernstein and Laura Sydel: "Tyrants, torturers, killers, and sundry dictators and corrupt puppet-presidents have been aided, supported, and rewarded handsomely for their loyalty to US interests."

Is this the kind of legacy we want for future generations?

Among the tyrants we've propped up are some you might recognize...Idi Amin of Uganda, General Humberto Branco of Brazil, Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines, General Augusto Pinochet of Chile, Fulgencio Batista of Cuba, Ngo Dihn Diem of Vietnam, Vinicio Cerezo, of Guatamala and Anastasio Somoza Jr. of Nicaragua, to name but a few. These people should have all been tried for crimes against humanity, not been the benefactors of US aide.

The support for these unethical regimes spans many decades and many administrations, that included both Republicans and Democrats.