U.S. Prepares for Showdown in Cuba

[Judi Lynn]

U.S. Prepares for Showdown in Cuba
U.S. Prepares for Possible Showdown in Cuba, Congress Seeks to Encourage Cuban Dissidents

By LAURIE KELLMAN

WASHINGTON Aug 2, 2006 (AP)— The White House and Congress, caught unaware by Fidel Castro's illness, prepared Wednesday for a possible showdown in Cuba as lawmakers drafted legislation that would give millions of dollars to dissidents who fight for democratic change.

"The message will be, `The United States stands with you,'" Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., one of the bill's authors, said in an interview. "Be ready to assert your independence."

There was no sign of upheaval in Cuba on Wednesday, two days after Castro stunned U.S. officials and many of his own countrymen with the news that he had temporarily ceded power to his brother, Raul, in order to undergo surgery.
(snip)

For now, Bush administration officials and members of Congress were focused on offering dissidents cash for fighting for democratic change.
(snip)

Legislation sponsored by Nelson, fellow Floridian Mel Martinez, Majority Leader Bill Frist and others would authorize as much as $80 million over two years and pay half of that almost immediately to dissidents and nongovernmental organizations on the island.
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2266711&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

[cliss]

1. Amazing how much money we have.....

for other countries.

Meanwhile, back at the Ranch.....we have 45 million people WITHOUT health insurance. We have large groups of people who are just hanging...on the edge....

[anakie]

20. yet every Cuban has access to free medical attn

maybe the US could import/encourage Cuban doctors defect.

[Judi Lynn]

21. They do! Occassionally one comes over.

Of course he's bringing his FREE education with him, whereas American doctors have to pay out the wazoo to get their degrees.

Cuba offers free scholarships to qualified young American students from poverty-blighted areas who cannot afford to pay for their own educations. The only stipulation asked of them is to use their training among the underpriviledged at home for an agreed-upon period of time.

[Judi Lynn]

2. How do you really think it would go over here if another country

paid dissidents here to overthrow the country? It's actually against the law here, you know.

[Ghost Dog]

11. It's against the law in Cuba also

of course.

edit: Great foto, "Electoral Fraud in Florida - Banana Republic" btw. ;-)

[raccoon]

35. What a dream, what a dream.... nt

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. A US Senator is advocating

the violent overthrow of another country's government? The US is offering people money to participate? WTF?

[pinto]

4. This just amazes me, if accurate, that we'd take this tack,

no matter how long anticipated, at this time in our foreign relations morass. God, this agenda has a life of their own.

[Rex]

5. No idea folks...

Just amazing. I'm ashamed of my supposed 'elders'. Who supposedly know better. :(

[babylonsister]

6. Aren't they jumping the gun here a bit? nt

[jpak]

7. The CIA should sponsor an invasion using Cuban exiles

The Bay of Pigs would be an ideal place for it...

[flaminbats]

24. ohh god..not again!!

when will these idiots ever learn?

[RebelOne]

29. The first Bay of Pigs invasion didn't go so well.

[54anickel]

8. I read about that $80 million earlier today in another article. Seems

Bushco was looking for the money 3 weeks ago.

http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/bawnews/castro802

snip>

Three weeks ago, a U.S. presidential commission called for an $80 million program to bolster non-governmental groups in Cuba for the purpose of hastening an end to the country's communist system.

Experts on Cuban culture and policy said the images that Americans are seeing might not necessarily be an accurate picture of the situation in Havana.

more...



And it seems like some Cuban "dissidents" don't want the US involved.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2296803,00.html

snip>

Cubans would not rebel against their Government unless they had a clear alternative, one local analyst said. With most dissidents locked up or isolated, there is no effective opposition. And Cuba has no democratic tradition to fall back on. “Cubans are not simply going to rise up against a Government without anything to take its place,” he said. “Remember, the Government is paying everyone’s salaries.”

After refusing to delegate authority for most of his rule, Señor Castro has spent the past three years putting a succession plan in place. It gives his brother interim power while handing rule to younger leaders from the Cuban Communist Party.

There are many restrictions on life in Cuba. Cubans cannot speak freely about politics for fear of reprisals. People living in Havana say that food rations are insufficient, forcing people to hustle tourists or trade on the black market. Health and education are free but they “don’t put food in your mouth”, said one 49-year old. But Cubans would not necessarily support the US or the Miami exiles. Many Cubans remain fiercely nationalistic and resentful of what they see as US meddling in their country. Many fear that exiles would march back, reclaiming property expropriated half a century ago and take power with US backing.

A US plan to aid a post-Castro transition has not helped to dispel the notion. It offered a further $80 million (£43 million) to fund anti-Castro causes. Some Cuban dissidents have criticised it, saying it links them to the US Government in ways that are unhelpful. The opposition member, Manuel Cuesta Morúa, said: “Those are 80 million arguments for the Cuban Government to make it seem all Cuban dissidents are financed by the United States.”

more...

[Judi Lynn]

9. The group of dissidents who are in line to receive this $80,000,000

is quite small, according to what the CIA says, itself, in one of it's reports:

CIA: Most Cubans loyal to homeland
Agency believes various ties to island bind the majority
By Robert Windrem
NBC NEWS PRODUCER

NEW YORK, April 12 <2000> — Cuban-American exile leaders — and many Republicans in Congress — believe that no Cuban, including Juan Miguel Gonzalez, could withstand the blandishments of a suburban American lifestyle, that he and all other Cubans would gladly trade their “miserable” lives in Cuba for the prosperity of the United States — if only given the chance. Witness House Minority Leader Dick Armey’s invitation to Gonzalez, offering him a tour of a local supermarket. But U.S. intelligence suggests otherwise.
(snip)

~snip~
There is no indication, U.S. officials say, of any nascent rebellion about to spill into the streets, no great outpouring of support for human rights activists in prison. In fact, there are fewer than 100 activists on the island and a support group of perhaps 1,000 more, according to U.S. officials.
(snip)

http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQ019.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That would mean quite a haul for these guys!

[Ghost Dog]

12. $55M to counter-revolution in Iran; $80 to counter-revolution in Cuba.

Hmmm. :thinks:

[MrPrax]

14. Bingo...!!

Exactly what I thought...

How much of this 80 million does anyone think will ACTUALLY make it to Cuba.

Cuba has been a cash cow for these exile turds for decades. This seems more like the GOP funneling money to IT'S supporters to be re-directed back into US elections on behalf of the GOP in Florida...under the guise of supporting 'democracy' in Cuba.

[Judi Lynn]

15. Old dirty money shifting habits are hard to break!

It was amusing the year that Congress gave the Cuban American National Foundation's PAC a huge chunk of walking around money, and the C.A.N.F. gave back the exact amount split among various favorite Congresscreeps.

Hard to pretend you don't see it when it happens, but it seems to work out just fine for CANF and its greedy Congress slimes.

On edit:

It's horrid seeing Senator Nelson's name attached to this filth. He's been in their pocket for a long time. It's probably the only way you can get elected in that region. To reject their "patronage" is probably to get your car bombed.

That right-wing reactionary faction is very big on bombing.

[saigon68]

31. Not a good thing to "Reject patronage"

You are right there
The number of bombs going off over the years with Negroponte's blessing is stunning.

[Demeter]

10. More Candidates for Impeachment, War Crimes and Treason Trials

"As some day it may happen that a victim must be found,
I've got a little list--I've got a little list
Of society offenders who might well be underground,
And who never would be missed--who never would be missed!
There's the pestilential nuisances who write for autographs--
All persons who have flabby hands and irritating laughs--
All children who are up in dates, and floor you with 'em flat--
All persons who in shaking hands, shake hands with you like
that--
And all third persons who on spoiling tete-a-tetes insist--
They'd none of 'em be missed--they'd none of 'em be missed!


CHORUS. He's got 'em on the list--he's got 'em on the list;
And they'll none of 'em be missed--they'll none of
'em be missed.


There's the GUITAR serenader, and the others of his race,
And the piano-organist--I've got HER on the list!
And the people who eat peppermint and puff it in your face,
They never would be missed--they never would be missed!
Then the idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone,
All centuries but this, and every country but his own;
And the lady from the provinces, who dresses like a guy,
And who "doesn't think she waltzes, but would rather like to
try";
And that singular anomaly, the FUNDAMENTALISTS--
I don't think THEY'd be missed--I'm sure THEY'd not he missed!


CHORUS. He's got THEM on the list--he's got THEM on the list;
And I don't think she'll be missed--I'm sure
she'll not be missed!


And that Nisi Prius nuisance, who just now is rather rife,
The Judicial FEDERALIST--I've got him on the list!
All funny fellows, comic men, and clowns of private life--
They'd none of 'em be missed--they'd none of 'em be missed.
And apologetic statesmen of a compromising kind,
Such as--What d'ye call him--Thing'em-bob, and
likewise--Never-mind,
And 'St--'st--'st--and What's-his-name, and also You-know-who--
The task of filling up the blanks I'd rather leave to you.
But it really doesn't matter whom you put upon the list,
For they'd none of 'em be missed--they'd none of 'em be
missed!

CHORUS. You may put 'em on the list--you may put 'em on the
list;
And they'll none of 'em be missed--they'll none of
'em be missed!"


Original libretto at: http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/mikado/libretto.txt

Updated lyRics by yours truly, in Caps.

[Anakin Skywalker]

13. America Likes

to bite off more than it can chew, doesn't it?

[Ghost in the Machine]

16. No, *America* doesn't like to bite off more than it can chew...

it's the warmongering, chickenhawk neocons in power that like to bite of more than they can chew... don't blame this on America, blame it on the fascist pigs.

[EFerrari]

25. Well, okay, but some kind of fascist pig has been doing this for a

long time in Latin America. With no regard for the chewed.

[Lindacooks]

17. Who, exactly, are we going to use to invade Cuba?

Girls Scouts? That's about what we're down to.

[wakeme2008]

18. By the lastest rules.... 50yo Girl Scouts

But Rummy says the Army is in GREAT SHAPE.

[brer cat]

19. Are we offering an Iraq-type "democracy"?

Guess that Cubans will jump all over that.:sarcasm: And I guess Nelson, Frist, et al don't realize how much we need that money at home. Too many without health care, Katrina victims without homes or jobs, students denied money for higher education, seniors choosing between meds and food, etc. sigh, sigh, sigh. Billions to give away abroad, pittance here at home.

[IndianaGreen]

22. The message is: Congress is squandering our money again!

American taxpayers' money that will be used to line the pockets of wealthy Cuban-Americans.

Cubans in Cuba, not in Miami, will be the ones to determine their nation's course.

[Mika]

23. But yet DUers crawl ouuta the woodwork to defend this activity.

They mewl and mewl about how "Castro" locks up dissidents on the US payroll for "simply speaking their minds". Yeah, right.

They're aiding and abetting the declared enemy state of the government and people of Cuba.

I guess those same DUers would defend some Al Queda like group, being funded by an enemy state, seeking the overthrow of our system of government as "dissidents" "simply speaking their minds". Yeah, right.


Pathetic that our Florida Democratic state sen would co-author such a bill with cretins like Mel Martinez and Bill (HCA) Frist.

:puke:

[krkaufman]

26. And what happens to those people when we're not there to back them up ...

... with add'l force? Another slaughter like in the Shiite south of Iraq after the (first) Gulf War?

[Judi Lynn]

27. Dissidents were slaughtered by BATISTA.

You are only 47 years off.

[krkaufman]

28. Ummm.... if we're encouraging people to take up arms against Cuba ...

... don't you think the Cuban government might do a bit more than ask them to "purty please not"?

(i.e. I was not intimating that Castro or his stand-in would summarily execute "dissidents"; rather, that people will die in the fighting -- fighting that stands little chance of overthrowing Castro's government without direct US support/involvement. Many people will die for nothing. S.O.P.)

[Judi Lynn]

30. The people themselves do not want the same monsters they threw

out in the Revolution, and fought at the Bay of Pigs to finally come back and seize the very power which they wildly abused and brought on the Revolution in the first place.

They had forever to clean up their acts, and refused. Have you ever noticed what they did to Miami? Have you read the news about South Florida over the last decades regarding filthy politics, violence, bombings of political enemies, repression of dissidence, grotesque levels of corruption, and election fraud well before the 2000 election? Not to mention the more than 40 years of continual terrorism against Cuba's citizens starting as soon as they left Cuba, continuing to the present.

It's all well known, here, and in Cuba.

From what people have said who have Cuban friends in Cuba, they are firm about that.

[krkaufman]

32. Oh, I hear ya.

But that doesn't mean that the former regime's "loyalists" won't try again. Especially if our dear little dictator is encouraging them with words and cash.

[plasticsundance]

33. Yeah ... right Billy-Bob

Just like the independence you brought to Lebanon and the Ukraine. :sarcasm:

Was it Billy-Bob Nelson that told Bolton at his hearing to promise to get tough with the Chinese and Russians? What part of fuck you don't you understand Billy-Bob? The only thing Bolton will suceed in doing is giving himself high blood pressure.

[bleedingheart]

34. The Corporate Pigs can't wait to sink their teeth into sweet Cuba again

Democracy my behind...this is about getting some suckers to fight for the right for Hilton, Marriot and some Sugar conglomerate to jump back into Cuba....also forgot...the tobacco groups who want to market their own Cuban cigars...

[gulfcoastliberal]

36. Bill Nelson needs to change parties. He's with the repukes & Martinez

ALL the time!

What an embarrassing piece of shit. He has no competition for reelection yet stillpanders to the right every chance he gets.

[David__77]

37. The right-wingers left already.

The ones who would mass to protest this government have already abandoned their homeland. This isn't East Germany.

[Cybergata]

38. Is there anything we can do to combat Bush on this issue?

George is just dying to leave his mark on the world. He may have the same foolish ideas Reagan had about communism, especially in the Americas. The price to people in Central America during the Reagan years was death and destruction. I doubt that few people in the U.S know just how many people were killed during this time, or how many mass graves there are of Central American people as a direct result of the U.S.'s policy in the area.

When there is any reason to be reminded of Reagan, all I can think about is the havoc he caused to do anything to make the people so miserable that they would finally give in to "democracy." Democracy would be wonderful, but we are hardly a shining example of a Democratic Nation. Democracy in Central America always meant the U.S. chose the leader that best met the interests of the corporations that were already there exploiting the resources and people of the area.

I knew people who went to Nicaragua to help make up for what was being done to them by the Reagan government's sponsorship of the Contras. They built schools, clinics, hospitals and other community support structures. These were the targets the Contras would hit the hardest. Anything positive the Sandinista did was a target.

A friend of mine who was a teacher, unfortunately she is no longer on this earth, taught retarded teen-agers in Nicaragua for a year. She would pick them up in the morning in a bus and take them home in the evening. The drive to and from school was the most dangerous time of day for them. Everyday they risked their lives by just going to school, and every day they were shot at by the Contras. This is the kind of target that our trained and paid dissidents in Nicaragua plagued with our U.S. sponsorship. I would expect more of the same in Cuba. How else do you get a people overall support their government to stop supporting it...TERRORISM!

So few people in this country truly understand the underlying causes that lead to the Cuba revolution. Too few have taken the time to learn much about what Cuba is like today. Bringing Democracy to any area of the world generally means just another way to exploit and push around those we say we are Democratizing. That's what the rich of the U.S. did before the revolution, and that is what they'll try to do again. People who were rich, many from the U.S., lived in the lap of luxury while the Cubans lived in poverty. It will be more of the same. Latin America has been exploited over and over again by foreign countries. Cuba was the one that said NO MORE! It is past time to take a stance against any more U.S. intervention and destruction of other nations of the world!!!!

[sutz12]

39. WTF?

How many times in the past 6 years have these incompetent assholes been


CAUGHT UNAWARES?


Once again, asleep at the wheel, playing diplomatic catchup.

[Ilsa]

40. Are there good oil/gas reserves in the Gulf by Cuba?

I suppose if there were, we would have hammered them into submission by now.

[Norquist Nemesis]

41. "cash for fighting for democratic change"

Are guns, bullets, and bombs included? *sigh*

[redqueen]

42. I'm ashamed he has a D after his name.

Does he not think we have enough on our plate with the mess his buddies started in Iraq?

Also, did he not get the memo about the debt?

What a dumbass. Pandering to those he serves. Why serve the public's interests when he can suck up to grudgey voters with idiotic ideas like this?