Astiz is a fascinating, if repugnant, example of the (inter-)national and
domestic security dilemma … especially as we see the distinction
between “military” and “domestic” becoming blurred by terrorism,
drugs, etc. The film “Clear and Present Danger” raised some profound
questions.

The Argentine junta’s pre-emptive extermination of leftist/intellectual
terrorism was entirely effective, to the point that Argentina was so
stable that it was becoming an effective *ally* in the effort to halt
Soviet-backed revolution/terrorism in the Western hemisphere.

However, the junta had so lost touch with (political) reality … in
its own total control environment … that it actually thought it
could take on Great Britain, without undue NATO interference. (The
parallel to Saddam Hussein’s arrogance/over-aggression is striking,
but unfortunately SH is not as geopolitically convenient/accountable
… and is far more dangerous, given his immediate sources of mass
murder technology.) It had also allowed monsters like Astiz to spawn.

The Argentine Army and Navy were sullied by their involvement in
suppression and their poor showing in the Falklands/Malvinas war.
The A. Air Force shown brightly for the opposite on both count.

A government must make a choice whether or not to combine security
forces or separate them. Stalin could repudiate and in-turn-purge
Yezhov and the NKVD hierarchy, after the great purges, at will, in
part because they were a separate entity … enabling his own
continued survival. Hitler was not personally capable of doing so
to his own lieutenants: he was much more loyal/”human” … to those
*near* him … as the survival of his Rumanian Jewish cook attested.

Speaking generally, should … or can …
… law enforcement agencies be kept separate from
the investigation and apprehension of political activity which *is*
… in the true sense … criminal in intent and consequences? By
the same token, can national security agencies be kept separate from
identifying/apprehending domestic threats to and/or corruption of
national security/survival?

The Defense Intelligence Agency was involved in counter-treason
operations during the Vietnam War … as the distinction between
political and military warfare blurred both in VN and at home.

In any case, a *junta* has no legitimacy … UNLESS it is dedicated
to the restoration … Reconstitution … of humane, democratic,
ethical society … truth and justice. … and *mutual* loyalty and
gratitude? The only legitimacy salvaged by Franco’s regime was his
political last will and testament … concession … of democracy
to King Juan Carlos.

If Astiz gave his interview to politically threaten, he has violated his
political amnesty and should now be prosecuted. (Anyone who murders
young women is unworthy of survival, anyway. Motherhood “solves”
female political agitation/restlessness and women are a people’s most
basic “natural resource.”) In any case, having embarrassed the junta,
aroused the left, and jeopardized the political truce/stability, I
suspect Astiz’ life will soon end in any number of ways.

Lou Coatney