Democratic International
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The Democratic International was a 1985 meeting of anti-communist global insurgents held at the headquarters of UNITA in the southeast Angolan city of Jamba, Angola.
The meeting was primarily funded by Rite Aid founder Lewis Lehrman and organized by lobbyists Jack Abramoff and Jack Wheeler. It had the endorsement of President Reagan and other United States conservatives. The International Freedom Foundation was founded as a result of this conference. [1]
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[edit] Conference participants
Some participants in the conference included:
- Jack Abramoff, lobbyist.
- Adolfo Calero, leader of Nicaraguan Contras.
- Pa Kao Her, Laos-based rebel leader.
- Lewis Lehrman, businessman.
- Oliver North, representative.
- Jonas Savimbi, UNITA leader.
- South African security forces.
- Abdurrahim Wardak, Afghan Mujahideen leader.
- Jack Wheeler, American conservative policy advocate.
[edit] Quotes concerning the conference
- "The participants signed a communiqué declaring "our solidarity with all freedom movements in the world and ... our commitment to cooperate to liberate our nations from the Soviet imperialists."[citation needed].
- "The jamboree itself ended up being largely ceremonial. Everyone pledged to share intelligence, and Lehrman read a letter Dana Rohrabacher had drafted on Reagan's behalf, expressing solidarity with those struggling against the Soviet empire. The Time reporter on the scene concluded that the meeting marked the beginning of "a new lobby to urge Congress to support the Nicaraguan contras and other anti-Communist guerrillas."
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Mark Hemingway. "My Dinner With Jack", The Weekly Standard, April 3, 2006.
