Allan Nairn in an April 11. 1983 article in the New Republic has aptly described the Guatemalan militarys interest in purchasing this equipment: The United States refusal to sell spare parts had grounded much of the fleet. so Lieutenant Bonilla (a Guatemalan officer) was encouraged by reports that the Reagan Administration was considering a change in policy. "That would be wonderful." he said. "With six helicopters. for example. the airborne troops would land all at once before they could make a move. The nicest. the ideal. the dream. would be a surprise: suddenly. pow! Helicopters with troops!" As he spoke. he made machine gun noises and waved his Galil toward the refugee shacks. The day before this conversation. a peasant family in Bonillas camp. interviewed In their shack outside the view of soldiers. described such an assault on their village. "Two times they came there in helicopters." said one of the men. "They would come in and land and the people would retire and they would always kill a few. They flew over. machinegunning people from the helicopter." The family said that five were killed in the strafing.