Planning on Cuba urgently needed, U.S. told

[Osolomia]

Sat, Jan. 17, 2004

AFTER CASTRO
Planning on Cuba urgently needed, U.S. told
U.S. officials and relief experts are stepping up planning for ways to deliver assistance to Cuba after the Castro government is gone.
BY FRANK DAVIES
[e-mail]

WASHINGTON - A top U.S. official and several public health experts Friday warned of the urgent need to plan for chaos, shortages and a potential migrant crisis in a post-Castro Cuba.

… The Bush administration's top officials on Cuba policy said an interagency commission studying how to hasten a transition to a free Cuba and get assistance to the island will report to President Bush by May 1.

''There is growing urgency for this kind of planning,'' Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega said. Otto Reich, special White House envoy, said the swift delivery of aid ``would help the Cuban people see that the future is better than the past.''

… ''The president wants to make sure that we're absolutely prepared to address every single need in Cuba,'' said Adolfo Franco, assistant administrator for the AID. ``We don't want to repeat mistakes.''

More…
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/nation/7732954.htm

Reuters version: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4150546

So that there’s no excuse for DUers ignorance of US government interference in Cuba:

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Washington, D.C.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2004

FACT SHEET: Overview of USAID Cuba Program

The USAID Cuba Program promotes a rapid and peaceful transition towards democracy in Cuba. The strategic objective is to increase the flow of accurate information of democracy, human rights and free enterprise to from and within the island. To date, a total of $26 million has been obligated in grants to 28 Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) to do the following:

BUILD SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA'S HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS: USAID grantees have delivered food and medicine to families of political prisoners and other victims of repression in Cuba. Grantees have provided the activists with books, newsletters, videos and other information materials, as well as office equipment and other materials.

PROVIDE A VOICE TO CUBA'S INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS: USAID grantees have published more than 10,000 reports, via the Internet, from Cuba's independent journalists and disseminated them in hard-copy newsletters throughout Cuba. More than 100 independent journalists have taken journalism training courses provided by USAID grantees.

DEVELOP INDEPENDENT CUBAN NGOs: USAID grantees have sent more than 80 international experts into Cuba to help train and develop independent Cuban NGOs.

PROVIDE DIRECT OUTREACH TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE: USAID has provided the following outreach to the Cuban people:
-- 10,000 short-wave radios to the Cuban people to listen to international programming of their choice;
-- 2 million books, newsletters and other informational materials;
-- Support of direct outreach activities of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana;
-- Multi-media and internet access program for Cuban citizens; and
-- Full scholarships for Cuban students to study in the U.S.

PLANNING FOR TRANSITION: USAID has provided planning grants to the following Universities and NGOs:
-- Rutgers University;
-- University of Miami;
-- International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES); and
-- U.S.-Cuba Business Council

http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=January&x=20040116121819nesnom0.8321039&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html

[kalian]

1. Something is up....

with the rumors circulating in Miami that Castro might have kicked
the bucket, I wouldn't doubt that by Feb we're going to see some
major issues with Cuba.

[RC]

2. Whatever is coming down the pike could have been avoided

by opening up Cuba to trade and tourism a long time ago. Once again the United States government is responsible for BS because of stupid, shortsighted foreign policy.

[Osolomia]

6. And who's responsible for this bullshit?!

Democratic Presidential Candidates on Cuba

Of the ten current democratic hopefuls, Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is the only one who supports an end to the embargo.

Much more...
http://www.lawg.org/Misc/prez-candidates1.htm

[shanti]

19. they are not interested in "trade"

they want to OWN cuba. comprende?

[aquart]

3. We'll invade the day we hear he's dead?

And we will get the army from where?

Oh, wait. The Cubans will be throwing flowers and we won't need an army. Just cigarettes and blue jeans.

Wow. I'll bet there's LOTS of cheap labor in Cuba.

[oldcoot]

12. The Bush administration & Reality

They sure like to plan, don't they? They had been planning to invade Iraq since 2001 (at least), yet Iraq still turned into a complete mess.

I bet there is not only LOTS of cheap labor in Cuba but also LOTS of business opportunities for American corporations like Halliburton.

[RoeBear]

4. FYI-

http://www.news24houston.com/content/headlines/?ArID=22273&SecID=2

Bogota mayor says Cuban leader Fidel Castro appears 'very sick'

[Osolomia]

7. Funny, not one of the steady stream of USA's Governors and Senators etc.

who've met with Castro in Havana in recent months ever noticed!

[RoeBear]

8. Who's been there...

...recently?

[Osolomia]

13. South Carolina's Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer met with Castro just last week

and found him to be "disarming and sincere"

http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y04/jan04/12e9.htm

The week before that there was a similar delegation from Kansas, the week before that a delegation from Texas. There's been a steady stream for a number of years now as this quick picture gallery goes to show:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=288010#289335

[Judi Lynn]

14. Thanks for the second look at the photos, Osolomia

ending with the photo of Hugo Chavez who visited him just last week, and spent some profitable time there.

You remember Raul Castro said wryly to the press recently that he, himself, apparently having a fantastic recovery from cancer. Funny guy, that one!

[RoeBear]

20. "disarming' seems like a funny word to use n/t

n/t

[Judi Lynn]

21. "Pentagon calls Cuban forces weak"

WASHINGTON—The Pentagon has concluded that Cuba poses no significant threat to U.S. national security, and senior defense officials increasingly favor engaging their island counterparts to reduce existing tensions.

In a classified report to be given to Congress by Tuesday, Secretary of Defense William Cohen plans to portray Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces as a severely diminished military and to downplay the dangers posed by chemical or biological weapons, or by another refugee exodus, according to people briefed on the findings.

At the same time, retired Marine Gen. John Sheehan has just returned from a weeklong tour of the island—the highest-ranking U.S. officer to visit Cuba since the 1959 revolution—and is urging the Clinton administration to "regularize contacts'' between Cuban and American military chiefs.

Sheehan, who spent several days in the company of Cuban Defense Minister Raul Castro and dined with Fidel Castro, said he "starts with the premise that the Cuban military is not a threat to the U.S. The question is how do we institutionalize this? It doesn't mean diplomatic recognition in the near term.''
(snip/...)

http://64.21.33.164/CNews/y98/mar98/30e6.htm

This article was written in 1998. I've read other articles on high-ranking U.S. military men who've been to Cuba, and I don't mean Guantanamo, and conducted tours of former military installations, and written their reports indicating they ALSO see Cuba as a non-threat, as well.

You can learn more by starting your own search. You'll find tons of material to read on the subject.

[leesa]

5. The arrogance of Americans is astounding! WE have to plan for

Cuba! As thought they are little children who can't possibly think for themselves. Yet somehow these little children are far advanced over the US in many areas such as healthcare and education. If there is chaos in Cuba, you can bet your ass that the US is behind it.

[oneighty]

10. US Must make certain

Cuba does not enter the USofA sugar market.

180

[Judi Lynn]

15. U. S. war lovers have come so far since 1897!

This is amazing:

(snip) The island of Cuba, a larger territory, has a greater population density than Puerto Rico, although it is unevenly distributed. This population is made up of whites, blacks, Asians and people who are a mixture of these races. The inhabitants are generally indolent and apathetic. As for their learning, they range from the most refined to the most vulgar and abject. Its people are indifferent to religion, and the majority are therefore immoral and simultaneously they have strong passions and are very sensual. Since they only possess a vague notion of what is right and wrong, the people tend to seek pleasure not through work, but through violence. As a logical consequence of this lack of morality, there is a great disregard for life.

It is obvious that the immediate annexation of these disturbing elements into our own federation in such large numbers would be sheer madness, so before we do that we must clean up the country, even if this means using the methods Divine Providence used on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

We must destroy everything within our cannons’ range of fire. We must impose a harsh blockade so that hunger and its constant companion, disease, undermine the peaceful population and decimate the Cuban army.(snip/...)

http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/bmemo.htm

[oneighty]

9. Batista

Will be very happy where ever he is when Cuba again becomes a vast playground for overly rich US Citizens. I cannot wait.

180

[Hand]

11. One suggested addition to their list...

MIND YOUR OWN FUCKING BUSINESS, ASSHOLES!

[TreasonousBastard]

16. Ha!

Curiously, the US is the only country in the western hemisphere to NOT have diplomatic or trade relations with Cube.

And yet we are planning to straighten the place out when Castro kicks it.

[Mika]

17. Remember Andrew Natsios?

From the lead post's Miami Herald link,

''There's a real possibility of a complex emergency'' including ''a high risk of chaotic migration,'' Andrew Natsios, Agency for International Development administrator, told a conference on the future of Cuba.

This is the lying bastard who toured Iraq not long after "major combat" was declared over by W* and told America (via CSPAN specials, Nighline interviews , MSNBCFOXCNN, etc) that Iraq could be fixed for one or two billion.

It looks as thought this lying admin will continue to ignore, just like Iraq's WMD's, the IMF report and the UN stats on Cuba's health care systems, and will supplant the truth with the foulest of lies. Andrew Natsios is their man to do the shoveling.

Andrew Natsios is ten pounds of shit in a five pound sack.

[shanti]

18. you KNOW they are salivating over this!

but i'm sure castro's folks have their response prepared.

[NashVegas]

22. Anyone Think the Latest Alert on Venezuela May Be Linked?

If Castro kicks, Chavez would probably be the first leader in this hemisphere to lend support to whomever Castro names as his replacement.

[Osolomia]

23. Does U.S. fund dissidents in Cuba? What DUers ought to know

So that there's no excuse for swallowing the Bushistas propaganda hook line and sinker no questions asked and spewing it all over DU as if it's gospel and being biased against those who beg to differ when Bush provokes yet another incident for re-election purposes:

Background:
With the Cuban government's March 2003 crackdown on dissidents in Cuba, the question of U.S. intervention in Cuban affairs and funding of Cuban dissidents is under renewed scrutiny. Cuba accuses the United States of seeking to disrupt the constitutional order on the island by funding programs that channel resources, an indirectly, funds to dissidents.

Cuba characterizes the relationship between U.S. AID-funded NGO's in the U.S. and Cuban recipients of that aid as a foreign power conspiring with Cuban citizens to overthrow of the Cuban government. Cuban governmental spokepeople have also pointed to the Bush administration's heightened 'regime change' rhetoric and allegations of a possible Cuban bioweapons research "effort" as evidence that the United States is actively involved in overthrowing the Cuban government.

Within the context of extremely hostile bilateral relations, then, the issue of U.S. funding of dissidents is contentious. Though the Clinton administration also funded dissident outreach through U.S. AID, the Castro government appeared to tolerate contacts between the dissidents and the U.S. Interests Section. Analysts debate whether the spring 2003 crackdown was a result of Cuba viewing the dissidents or the U.S. government as the more real threat.

… Anti-Castro groups are biggest recipients
Many of the biggest recipients of U.S. AID grants have solid anti-Castro credentials like Frank Calzon's Center for a Free Cuba (Calzon, who was the first director of the Cuban American National Foundation 20 years ago, has received more than $3 million for his democracy-building efforts), Professor Jaime Suchlicki's Cuba Transition Project at the University of Miami, which has also received more than $1 million from Bacardí, and the U.S. - Cuba Business Council, headed by Cuban exile Otto Reich (a former Bacardí lobbyist who is currently a special envoy to the Americas for President Bush).

More…
http://ciponline.org/cuba/humanrights/USfunding.htm

[alarimer]

24. Do they honestly think

that the people who did not flee Castro (or were unable to) and stayed there will welcome the exiles with open arms? I really wonder.