Do the revelations from The New York Times that the Reagan administration "provided Iraq with critical battle planning assistance at a time when American intelligence agencies knew that Iraqi commanders would employ chemical weapons in waging the decisive battles of the Iran-Iraq war really surprise anyone? One of the great shames of American history is our willingness to aid, abet, and ally with the worst and most murderous regimes in the world on the dubious basis that the enemy of our enemy is our friend. Since 1945, we have always come to regret these relationships. Think about it: the South Vietnamese, Batista's Cuba, the Shah's Iran, Marcos in the Philippines, Baathist Iraq, Islamic fundamentalists in Afghanistan, the Saudis (finally) -- is there any example of the United States supporting a dictatorial and oppressive regime that we have not come to recognize as having been a mistake? We are already regretting having allied with the thugs who make up the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. I am eager to hear if I'm wrong -- but I don't think so.