1
 Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega may have accomplished over the weekend what his U.S. antagonists have failed to do:
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2
 revive a constituency for the Contra rebels.
1
elaboration-object-attribute-e

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 Lawmakers haven't publicly raised the possibility 
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4
of renewing military aid to the Contras,
3
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5
 and President Bush parried the question at a news conference here Saturday,
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6
 saying only 
5003
attribution

7
that 
5003
Same-Unit

8
if there's an all-out military offensive,
9
condition-e

9
 that's going to change the equation 180 degrees.
5002
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10
 But Mr. Ortega's threat over the weekend 
5010
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11
to end a 19-month cease-fire with the rebels 
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12
seeking to topple him,
11
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13
 effectively elevated the Contras as a policy priority 
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14
just as they were slipping from the agendas of their most ardent supporters.
13
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15
 Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell
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 (D., Maine)
15
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17
 said yesterday on NBC-TV's Meet the Press 
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that Mr. Ortega's threat was a very unwise move, particularly the timing of it.
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19
 The threat came during a two-day celebration in Costa Rica 
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20
to highlight Central America's progress toward democracy in the region,
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21
 attended by President Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and 14 other Western Hemisphere leaders.
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22
 Mr. Bush returned to Washington Saturday night.
21
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23
 Mr. Ortega announced on Friday 
24
attribution

24
that he would end the cease-fire this week in response to the periodic Contra assaults against his army.
5022
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25
 Saturday, he amended his remarks 
5025
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to say 
5023
attribution

27
that he would continue to abide by the cease-fire 
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28
if the U.S. ends its financial support for the Contras.
27
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29
 He asked 
30
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30
that the remaining U.S. humanitarian aid be diverted to disarming and demobilizing the rebels.
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31
 Not only did Mr. Ortega's comments come in the midst of what was intended as a showcase for the region,
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32
 it came 
5030
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33
as Nicaragua is under special international scrutiny in anticipation of its planned February elections.
32
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34
 Outside observers are gathering in Nicaragua 
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35
to monitor the registration and treatment of opposition candidates.
34
purpose

36
 And important U.S. lawmakers must decide at the end of November
5035
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37
 if the Contras are to receive the rest of the $49 million in so-called humanitarian assistance under a bipartisan agreement
5035
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38
 reached with the Bush administration in March.
37
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39
 The humanitarian assistance,
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40
 which pays for supplies such as food and clothing for the rebels
5038
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41
 amassed along the Nicaraguan border with Honduras,
40
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42
 replaced the military aid 
5037
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43
cut off by Congress in February 1988.
42
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44
 While few lawmakers anticipated 
45
attribution

45
that the humanitarian aid would be cut off next month,
5043
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46
 Mr. Ortega's threat practically guarantees
47
attribution

47
 that the humanitarian aid will be continued.
5042
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48
 Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole 
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49
(R., Kan.)
48
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50
 said yesterday on Meet the Press:
5047
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51
 I would hope 
52
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52
after his {Mr. Ortega's} act yesterday or the day before, we'd have unanimous support for quick action on remaining humanitarian aid.
5045
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53
 Sen. Dole also said
5050
attribution

54
 he hoped for unanimous support for a resolution 
5049
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55
he plans to offer tomorrow 
54
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56
denouncing the Nicaraguan leader.
5049
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57
 While renewing military aid had been considered out of the question,
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58
 rejected by Congress
5057
List

59
 and de-emphasized by the Bush administration,
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List

60
 Mr. Ortega's statement provides Contra supporters with the opportunity
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61
 to press the administration on the issue.
60
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62
 The administration should now state 
5060
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63
that
5060
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64
 if the {February} election is voided by the Sandinistas . . .
65
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65
 they should call for military aid,
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66
 said former Assistant Secretary of State Elliott Abrams.
5061
attribution

67
 In these circumstances, I think they'd win.
5062
evaluation-s

68
 Sen. Mitchell said 
5067
attribution

69
that congressional Democrats intend to honor the March agreement
5067
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70
 to give non-lethal support to the Contras through the February elections,
69
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71
 although he added 
5065
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72
that the agreement requires 
73
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73
that the Contras not initiate any military action.
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74
 Mr. Ortega's threat 
5074
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75
to breach the cease-fire 
74
elaboration-object-attribute-e

76
comes
5075
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77
 as U.S. officials were acknowledging 
78
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78
that the Contras have at times violated it themselves.
5072
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79
 Secretary of State James Baker,
5079
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80
 who accompanied President Bush to Costa Rica,
79
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81
 told reporters Friday:
5080
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82
 I have no reason
5078
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83
 to deny reports 
5077
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84
that some Contras ambushed some Sandinista soldiers.
83
elaboration-object-attribute-e

85
 Mr. Baker's assistant for inter-American affairs, Bernard Aronson,
5084
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86
 while maintaining 
87
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87
that the Sandinistas had also broken the cease-fire,
5083
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88
 acknowledged:
5085
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89
 It's never very clear who starts what.
5086
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90
 He added 
5087
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91
that the U.S. has cut off aid to some rebel units 
5087
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92
when it was determined that those units broke the cease-fire.
91
circumstance

93
 In addition to undermining arguments in favor of ending Contra aid,
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94
 Mr. Ortega's remarks also played to the suspicions of some U.S. officials and conservatives outside the government
5093
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95
 that he is searching for ways
5092
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96
 to manipulate or void the February elections.
95
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97
 Administration officials 
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98
traveling with President Bush in Costa Rica
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99
 interpreted Mr. Ortega's wavering as a sign 
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100
that he isn't responding to the military attacks so much 
5096
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101
as he is searching for ways
5095
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102
 to strengthen his hand prior to the elections.
101
elaboration-object-attribute-e

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 Mr. Abrams said 
5101
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104
that Mr. Ortega is seeking to demobilize the Contras prior to the elections 
5101
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105
to remove any pressure
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106
 to hold fair elections.
105
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107
 My sense is what they have in mind is an excuse 
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for clamping down on campaigning 
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by creating an atmosphere of a military emergency,
108
means

110
 he said.
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