Castro Warns Bush Against Launching Attack

[Kadie]

Castro Warns Bush Against Launching Attack

Mon Jun 21,12:50 PM ET

By ANITA SNOW, Associated Press Writer

HAVANA - Tens of thousands of Cubans rallied Monday, as Fidel Castro (news - web sites) warned President Bush (news - web sites) against launching a military attack on Cuba, saying it would provoke a mass exodus and an all-out ground war.

Washington has repeatedly denied it is planning any military action against Havana.

But an increased tightening of sanctions against the island, along with the Bush administration's pre-emptive strike on Iraq (news - web sites), has convinced the Cuban leadership that a military attack is not impossible.

"Do not try crazy adventures such as surgical strikes or wars of attrition using sophisticated techniques because you could lose control of the situation," Castro said in a speech addressed specifically to Bush before the morning.

more... http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040621/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cuba_us_protest_1

[stopthegop]

1. a plea for attention on Castro's part....eom

[Bandit]

29. Why does Castro need your attention?

His country is in better condition that the US. Higher education standards, lower infant mortality, longer life span, etc. etc.

[skooooo]

2. I'd take Fidel at his word....

...let's get Bush out of office before something even more stupid happens.

[ArkDem]

3. My cousin in the navy says we are massing our

forces in Cuban waters. At least, two full battle groups.

[Dardi]

7. We are so close to Cuba

Why would we need to mass forces in "Cuban waters?" I don't understand. Does your cousin mean Cuban territorial waters? That makes no sense at all. If military action was planned against a country that's a ston's throw away, why would the military tip its hand? And why would we put massive naval forces there? It's not as if Cuba has a strong navy and massive off-shore bombardment from ships just makes zero sense. I think your cousin may be misreading the situation.

[ArkDem]

10. My cousin has never thrown a ston but he knows the Navy.

[Judi Lynn]

13. I would think they intend to do the Bay of Pigs again, but harder.

Something went wrong the first time: the people fought back.

[ArkDem]

25. Do the Bay of Pigs, harder?

I don't get it. That sounds pornographic.

[Judi Lynn]

28. Here's a short history, if you're willing to read for a moment.

The counterrevolutionary forces, known as Brigade 2506, were assembled at Retalhuleu, on the west coast of Guatemala, where U.S. engineers refurbished the airport especially for the mission. On April 14 six ships sailed from Nicaragua’s Puerto Cabezas, cheered on by Nicaraguan president and U.S.-friendly dictator Luis Somoza, who jokingly urged the soldiers to bring him some hairs from Castro’s beard.

The Cuban government knew an invasion was coming, but could not guess exactly when or where the attack would take place. When teams of U.S. B-26 bombers began attacking four Cuban airfields simultaneously on Saturday, April 15, the Cubans were prepared. The few planes belonging to the Cuban Air Force were dispersed and camouflaged, with some obsolete, unusable planes left out to fool the attackers and draw the bombs.

As part of the CIA cover story, the attacking B-26 planes were disguised to look as if they were Cuban planes flown by defecting Cuban pilots. An exile Cuban pilot named Mario Zúñiga was presented to the media as a defector, and was photographed next to his plane. The photo was published in most of the major papers, but the surprising omission of several serious details, and the overwhelming amount of information already gathered by reporters, helped bring out the truth much sooner than anyone expected.

Prior to the start of the operation, CIA operatives were sent to Cuba. Their job was to aid the invading forces by blowing up key bridges and performing other acts of terrorism that would make it appear that the people of Cuba were joining the invasion. José Basulto was one of those operatives. He flew straight into Havana airport posing as a student from Boston College coming home on vacation.
~ ~ more ~ ~

http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/baypigs/pigs4.htm

Be sure there's a lot more reading you can do on this subject, as there are 287,000 links available in google which will help you to understand what happened.

[ArkDem]

32. Wow, so if Kennedy hadn't backed off of US air support

the US might have ruined the revolution in Cuba?

[Judi Lynn]

33. I wouldn't know much more about that. I just started reading on Cuba

during the time Elián Gonzalez was held hostage by his drunken great uncle in Miami.

I've heard the Cuban people intend to fight as hard as they can if they EVER are invaded.

I have no idea how much damage the air strikes would have done, but from what I've heard, they would have had a hell of a fight on their hands anyway they tried it.

Cubans had no interest in going back to the hell they had just left, after fighting for their revolution, getting rid of the slime which fled the country.

[hang a left]

4. I would think he must have some intelligence to make such statements.

'"Do not try crazy adventures such as surgical strikes or wars of attrition using sophisticated techniques because you could lose control of the situation," Castro said in a speech addressed specifically to Bush before the morning.'

[colonel odis]

5. perhaps this is our october surprise. n/t

[napi21]

6. It seems I hear a different place of conflict every day!

Afghanastan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, N. Korea, now Cuba? Oh yea, I forgot about Al Qeada!

Yesterday there was talk of defending Sudan.

It sound like if we are to do all this stuff the Shrub wants to do, we better issue an all out draft of EVERYONE between 18 & 35....that's the only way we'll ever have enough people to handle all of this!

[Bluzmann57]

8. Cuba does not have the military might to threaten anybody

After all, Russia isn't a communist country anymore and could care less about Castro. Castro no longer poses a threat to the U.S. either so there is no reason to attack Cuba. He'll die soon enough and then the people down there will probably take back the country. Sort of like in Poland. The people did it, not Reagan.

[Judi Lynn]

11. Wake up, Rip Van Winkle.

They took back their country in 1959 from the murderous, corrupt American-approved and sustained dictator, Fulgencio Batista who had been controling Cuba both as a "President" twice, and from behind the scenes ever since 1930's.

Had you not heard about this? It was in all the papers!

[Dardi]

23. It seems to me that

Castro is much more useful as a live, impotent bogeyman than as a dead martyr or, worse, an eloquent defendant. No one is going to touch a hair on his head until time finally kills him.

[Judi Lynn]

9. I'm afraid the Disease in Chief won't be satisfied until he has spilled

Latin American blood. I think there is something really kinky going on. Just sick about this.

From the article:

The moves have been welcomed by more conservative Cuban exiles in Miami. But they have been rejected by other Cuban immigrants, especially those who arrived in the United States more recently and still have family on the island.

Small protests against the measures were held in Miami and Key West over the weekend.

The measures will also make it even more difficult for non-Cuban Americans to travel here legally. Students now will be prohibited from traveling to Cuba for courses that last less than 10 weeks.

This change will end a host of short educational trips sponsored here in recent years by American universities and other groups.
(snip/)

Things had been evolving over the years to a warming of relations and an eventual move to drop the embargo and travel ban.

Our own House of Representatives and Senate have passed the necessary legislation for years to bring this about, only to have it sabotaged at the last minute. We've heard it said that this could actually be the year they'll get the first veto-proof majority and pull it off right in front of his face. To BEAT THEM, _Bush could, apparently, seize control of the matter and invade Cuba first, for crissakes, using one of their always handy trumped up charges. They're really good at lies, as in that barbaric, outlandish assault upon tiny Grenada, and Haiti, Haiti being done through the back door, arming and training Dominicans. These Republicans are sick.

[Dardi]

12. I don't understand why Clinton

or Carter, for that matter, didn't lift the ban when they had the chance. Any idea?

[Judi Lynn]

14. Carter did. Reagan reinstated it.

On edit:

Clinton, although being connected through marriage, yet, (sister in law's Cuban-American) DID initiate some people-to-people programs, and a lot of travel took place between the U.S. and Cuba through various study programs, etc.

_Bush threw all that away.

[stopthegop]

18. are you saying Carter lifted the embargo? completely?

are you sure? I don't think so...remember the Marial (sp?) boatlift?

[Judi Lynn]

19. Travel ban.

It's a little more complicated, in that Americans are forbidden to spend money in Cuba.

Supposedly you could go there, and as long as you didn't stay at a hotel, or go to a restaurant, or a pay-toilet, or get a drink, or buy from a street vendor, or get a souvenir, etc., etc. you'd be o.k.

If you buy anything you're screwed. Jimmy Carter changed that. Here's a reference:

Historic and Legal Underpinnings

• During the Cold War the State Department banned American citizens from using their passports to travel to a number of blacklisted countries, including restrictions on expenditures of U.S. currency for travel to blacklisted countries.
  
  
  
• In 1967, the Supreme Court ruled that restricting travel was an infringement on the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens.
  
  
  
• In 1977, President Jimmy Carter lifted the currency controls, recognizing them as a de facto ban on travel.
  
  
  
• In 1982, the Reagan administration re-imposed the currency-cum-travel ban.
  
  
  
• The Reagan administration re-imposed the ban, arguing that the 1917 Trading with the Enemy Act allowed for currency controls only during either a national emergency or war. Given that neither condition existed in 1982, the administration grandfathered in the national emergency declared in 1950 at the start of the Korean War as grounds for reinstating the travel ban on Cuba.
  
  
  
• Thus the Reagan administration was able to reimpose a de facto ban on travel because if citizens cannot pay for their travel, they cannot travel. The travel ban on Cuba remains to this day.
  
  
  
• The travel ban violates Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 13 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which protect citizens' right to freedom of travel.
  
  
  
• The travel ban violates the United States' commitment to the free flow of people and ideas across national frontiers, as set forth in the 1975 Helsinki Agreements signed by the U.S., the Soviet Union and other states. These agreements were seen as a key step towards opening up the Soviet Union to broader contacts and concepts, and many believe this was a major factor in the sweeping changes that ended the Cold War.
  
  
  
• In response to the Cuban government's massive crackdown on dissidents in spring 2003, the bipartisan Cuba working groups in the Senate and House have offered legislation to end the travel ban, reasoning not only that the ban violates the fundamental rights of American citizens but that ending the ban will, now more than ever, help open Cuban society.
  
  
• Supporters of the bicameral, bipartisan legislation (S.950 and HR.2071) include: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, 'The Time is Now' coalition of more than 17 Cuban American advocacy groups, the American Farm Bureau Federation, USA*Engage as well as numerous other policy, human rights and religious organizations around the country. <. . . more>

http://ciponline.org/cuba/travel/travelbanhome.htm

[Dardi]

21. I should have been clearer

I was referring to the embargo. I wonder why neither Carter and especially Clinton (in light of the fall of the Soviet Union) didn't lift it.

[Judi Lynn]

24. I wouldn't know.

One thing is certain, and that is that there has been a killer block in the House of Representatives, and for a while in the Senate of politicians who were psychotically obsessed with crushing Cuba.

Jesse Helms left, and that was a help. Robert Toricelli, although a Democrat, was bought by the Cuban American National Foundation, and sponsored a nasty bit of legislation for them against Cuba.

Dan Burton and Tom Delay in the House of Representatives are continuing threats.

What's different now is that the old nasty "Commie-fighting" looneytoons are dying, and the House and Senate are starting to change rapidly in favor of removing the crushing pressure on Cuba due to pressure from American citizens, from American food producers, who'd like to sell to Cuba, as well as pharmaceuticals, etc., etc.

The numbers are growing, but there was a ferocious block during both Carter and Clinton's Presidencies on any possible LARGE steps to bring positive change.

You might want to look up Colorado's Congressman David Skaggs who crossed Lincoln Diaz-Balart, from Miami, by suggesting it's a good idea to remove heavy taxpayer support for the Cuban-American Radio and TV Marti stations beaming propaganda 24/7 from Miami to Cuba, at the cost of $28,000,000.00 yearly, or at least the TV Marti part.

Diaz Balart told him that he personally would make sure that EVERY project Skaggs found near and dear to him would be destroyed, and he did it. Then the Cuban American National Foundation took out ads in Colorado papers to inform Colorado voters of what they had done, and that it was David Skaggs fault. He lost his career over that.

They are @$$####$. It's time to take these jerks out of our driver's seat.

[stopthegop]

26. thanks eom

[Judi Lynn]

27. I might want to add, Democratic Presidents haven't operated with the view

they become Gods when they are Presidents, even though they have been ELECTED.

As you start reading more you'll see that if you follow traditional, legitimate paths, you DON'T violate legislation, and you have to deal with complexities as they are.

I don't think it has ever been possible for an American President to simply claim, "I'm getting rid of that embargo." This would have to be deal with legislatively, I believe.

[gatlingforme]

15. If Bush gets elected this time, the only country eventually left

to attack would be the USA, oops he is doing that now by dismantling the constitution

[Judi Lynn]

16. You'd better believe it! n/t

[TX-RAT]

17. Why would we want to attack?

The cigars.

[Dardi]

20. Cigars?

That's what trips to Mexico are for.

[TX-RAT]

22. No kidding

[gatlingforme]

34. HAHAHAHA. LOL and very FUNNY. Bush can make his own

cigars with a roller and some flour.

[Mika]

30. Yahoo neglected to mention what the occasion was

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2004/junio/domin20/ma%F1ana.html

THE Jose Martí Anti-imperialist tribunal will once again be the setting for our people’s Battle of Ideas against the powerful and aggressive opponent who threatens us.

Tomorrow, at 8 a.m., at that historic site of our combat, 200,000 compatriots in Havana will gather at the Revolutionary Open Tribunal to express, in the name of our seasoned people, their most vigorous condemnation and protest against the brutal anti-Cuban measures taken by the current United States government.

It will be a new stage for the battle of truth against lies, and the noble ideas of our people against the fascist and totalitarian thought of the imperial administration.

The Cuban radio and television networks will transmit live this patriotic and combative popular rally.

I bet it was a rousing Open Tribunal.





Mr Kerry, Tear down the wall!

---

Kerry's stated policy on Cuba:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8848574.htm

Under Kerry Cuba will remain under US sanctions

Under Kerry we will still be travel banned unless our travel is deemed politically worthy by US gov jackboots

[struggle4progress]

31. Fidel Reads Bush The Riot Act

<snip>
Reading a 33-minute open letter to President Bush in front of a cheering crowd of 200,000 supporters on Monday, Castro declared a U.S. military victory over Cuba is not possible.
<snip>

Castro charged Monday that the Bush Administration has plans to invade if he dies in office.
<snip>

Both times Castro accused the White House of taking stronger measures against Cuba as an election ploy in south Florida. He cautioned that pandering to hard-line Cuban exiles could cost Mr. Bush votes next November, and not just in Florida, home to the largest Cuban-America community in the United States,
<snip>

“There’s room for American products and tourists in Cuba right now,” said Victor Hernandez, a hotel worker attending the protest rally.
<snip>

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/21/world/main625148.shtml