Pentagon mulls the 'death squad option'

As if creating widespread anti-Americanism in Central America with support for death squads wasn't enough, the US government is now mulling similiar tactics in Iraq. The Christian Science Monitor's terrorism and security update reports on an idea being bandied about named 'The Salvador option.'

Determined to find a way to contain the growing insurgency in Iraq, Newsweek reported Sunday that the US and Iraq are considering using a tactic that was used in Central America during the Reagan administration - "government funded or supported 'nationalist' forces that allegedly included so-called 'death squads' directed to hunt down and kill rebel leaders and sympathizers."

Death squads in Central America may have targeted rebel leaders and sympathizers but because of obtuse tactics, recklessness and chest-beating machismo, huge numbers of civilians were the main victims.

US ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte held the same position in Honduras during the early 80s where Nicaraguan Contra rebels trained.

While the Bush administration may not have a clue how to make us more safe, they could at least stop doing things that make us less safe.