Havana says Bush seeking regime change in Cuba

[Judi Lynn]

03 Feb 2004 18:35:05 GMT
Havana says Bush seeking regime change in Cuba



By Anthony Boadle

HAVANA, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Cuba accused the U.S. government on Tuesday of preparing the ground for an invasion of the island and the assassination of President Fidel Castro.

Recent attacks by Bush administration officials on Castro for forging an axis with oil-producing Venezuela to destabilize Latin American countries are building a pretext for an invasion, the ruling Communist Party newspaper Granma said.

They aim to "create a climate of artificial hysteria that would justify before American public opinion a military adventure against our homeland, including the physical elimination of companero Fidel," Granma charged in a front-page editorial.

The editorial responded to a Wall Street Journal article on Tuesday that said Castro had found in Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez an "heir apparent" to his revolutionary mantle and the cause of derailing U.S. policies in Latin America.
(snip/...)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N03399786.htm

[jean]

1. making enough noise before the fact might just save his buttocks

[CO Liberal]

2. CO Liberal Seeking Regime Change in USA

The sooner the better!!!

:kick:

[yellowcanine]

3. Shut up Fidel - Don't give Shrub any ideas.

And we sure don't need to stir up the Miami Mafia.

[chookie]

4. Gee, if Kerry keeps up his current popularity....

If it looks like Kerry *might* win -- and so strongly that they can't pull the same tricks as they did in 2000 -- I think invasion of Cuba is likely this year. George has gotten away with everything so far, but might not be able to pull off the election -- so instead of pretending to be a moderate during the election year, as has been his pattern, he may turn out to undertaking all the crazy shit these creeps have been drooling over for decades.

They been scrounging around for an excuse to take out Castro all along. Remember Bolton suggesting that Cuba bioterrorism was behind the West Nile epidemic in the US? And they accuse *us* of being conspiracy theorists -- yeah, right.

Bush has also been trying to provoke an incident in Cuba, by stirring up the shit down there. Bush sending US representatives whose mission is to openly persuade Cubans to expel Castro, and then acts outraged that Castro punishes people who act against him!

"The Bay of Pigs thing". You better believe it. It is STILL on ongoing operation....

[pinniped]

5. According to AHOLE Powell logic...

Castro has the right to invade the US because AHOLE pres. has the "intent" to invade Cuba and do away with him.

[robcon]

6. Castro's at it again - taking a cue from Iran

The only way Castro can maintain his fascist state is to make up imagined threats from the The Great Satan, uniting the people in defense. The only major difference between Iran and Cuba is that Iran has a much freer press than Cuba, so the mullahs are limited in what they can claim.

[Mika]

7. Imagined threats?

Robcon, I guess that you haven't been reading the links posted on the Cuba threads that indicate that Otto Reich & amb Noriega have been sabre rattling at Cuba for the Cuban exile vote from S Fla. It takes imagination to say that Cuba hasn't been threatened by the w* admin.


BTW, robcon, too bad for Otto Reich's former employer -Bacardi- on the Sec.211 ruling regarding the TM name Havana Club.

[Osolomia]

8. Who on Earth do you think you're fooling with your ignorant fanatasies?

Here's a sample of the undeniable facts straight from the horse's mouth:

January 16, 2004
U.S. Official Urges Careful Planning for Democratic Transition in Cuba
Ambassador Roger F. Noriega, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Remarks at a USAID/Cuba Transition Project Seminar
http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rls/rm/28281.htm

16 January 2004
U.S. Official Examines Relief Strategies at Cuba Transition Conference
http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=January&x=20040116155739nesnom0.3684809&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html

16 December 2003
State Department on Repression in Cuba
"The Dream Deferred: Fear and Freedom in Fidel's Cuba"
http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=December&x=20031216161921relliMS0.5044062&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html

December 8, 2003
Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/12/20031208-8.html

October 15, 2003
Enforcement of U.S. Travel Restrictions to Cuba to be Enhanced
http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/Archive/2003/Oct/15-270865.html

October 10, 2003
President Bush Discusses Cuba Policy in Rose Garden Speech
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/10/20031010-2.html

26 September 2003
President Bush Fully Committed to Democratic Transition in Cuba
http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=September&x=20030926124736relliMS0.2089655&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html

08 May 2003
U.S. Pledges Increased Support for "Voices of Freedom" in Cuba
http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/ar/us-cuba/03050806.htm

16 April 2003
U.S. to Continue Working Toward Peaceful Change in Cuba, Says Official
http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/ar/us-cuba/03041604.htm

17 September 2002
State Department Official Explains U.S. Position on Cuba
Says Cuba is attempting to impede U.S. war on terrorism
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/02091808.htm

24 July 2002
Bush Administration Reiterates that U.S. Policy on Cuba Remains Unchanged
Voices opposition to House vote to lift restrictions on trade, travel
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/02072500.htm

11 July 2002
Bush Administration Opposes Legislative Efforts to Amend Cuba Policy
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/02071606.htm

05 June 2002
State Dept. Reaffirms Cuba Has Biological Warfare Research Effort
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/arms/02060502.htm

21 May 2002
Cuba Continues to Sponsor Terrorism, Says State Department Report
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/02052118.htm

21 May 2002
Reich Testifies on New Initiative for Cuba Says initiative is designed to generate peaceful change in Cuba
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/02052114.htm

May 20, 2002
President Bush Announces Initiative for a New Cuba
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/05/20020520-2.html

13 May 2002
Powell Says Cuba Has Bio Weapons Research Capacity
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/arms/02051405.htm

06 May 2002
Bolton: Libya, Syria, Cuba Need Scrutiny for Weapons Programs
Under Secretary addresses WMD threats at Heritage Foundation

07 April 2002
"The United States and Cuba," by Secretary of State Colin Powell .
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/02040809.htm

Profile of the USAID Cuba Program
http://www.usaid.gov/regions/lac/cu/program_report/profile.html

Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996
To seek international sanctions against the Castro government in Cuba, to plan for support of a transition government leading to a democratically elected government in Cuba, and for other purposes.
http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/ar/us-cuba/libertad.htm

15. Bush looking for WMD's in Cuba!

This one really got on my nerves, particularly considering the advanced state of health care in Cuba.




05 June 2002
State Dept. Reaffirms Cuba Has Biological Warfare Research Effort
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/arms/02060502.htm

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

9. Fascist?

As I recall fascism as defined by Mussolini. Probably the first person to apply the term to this specific 20th century political movement,(I could be wrong here, defined fascism as corporatism. So if we take his definition our form of government is closer to fascism than the socialist system they have in Cuba. There are many different definitions in the dictionary but corporate control seems to be a common characteristic of fascism. It seems to me they have the opposite. You may not like Castro's administration or the man himself but it seems to me people shouldn't be throwing around terms they don't seem to understand for dramatic effect.

[Mika]

10. Hey Smirky

The mere mention of Cuba or Castro causes short circuits of logic or reason. Check out the Cuba threads and you'll see that, to the most ardent anti Castroists, fascism and communism are interchangeable. Facts don't mean much when yer gittin tough on Castro - drama does.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

11. I know.

I've been around for a while. I usually don't post in these because it always seems to lead to pointless arguments. To me it's about logic. I praise things that the Cuban government does that I consider good. I also criticize things that I don't consider good. I do that with every government. Everyone from JFK to MLK to Fidel Castro can be criticized for something. But the reaction to Pres. Castro always seems to border in insanity. I went to school with a lot of Miami/Puerto Rico Cubans many years ago. These were the most shallow, elitist and racist people I've met in my life. So that made me start to question if this man was truly Satan's spawn. It turned out he wasn't.

[Vogon_Glory]

13. The Threat of Invasion As Pretext For Repression

Fidel's government is using the threat of a US invasion (whether real or entirely imaginary) as a pretext for continuing suppression of the right to openly express dissent, petition, or hold protest marches or rallies. I can't help but think of the Boosh regime and the Banana Republicans as equating any dissent from its glorious leader as being unpatriotic and "un-American."

I remember that one of the freedoms guaranteed in the Mexican constitution is the right for its citizens to travel. I remember that in the 1950's, during the height of the Red Scares, the US government withheld issuing passports to those it considered "subversives." I marvel at the pretzel logic of those who would defend a regime that, among other things, limits the right of its own citizens to freely travel to and from its borders, and calls that "freedom."

Someone really ought to know better.

[guajira]

16. You Mean Like the US arresting retirees for going to Cuba for bicycle tour

It's disgusting that Americans who want to visit Cuba have to pay to travel through 3rd countries and risk the wrath of the US State Dept? - especially after the House and Senate have both voted to end the travel ban.

People all over the world are free to travel to Cuba! And Cubans travel from the island to Miami, New York, and other countries, then return to their homes in Cuba. I know some who regularly visit relatives in Miami, Spain, Orlando, etc.

[Judi Lynn]

18. Thanks for your comment on Cubans who travel

I was hoping someone who has lived in Miami and knows first hand would see that post and inform the poster on what is commonly known in South Florida.

In the book written about Cuba by the New York Times reporter, Ann Louise Bardach, Cuba Confidential, on page 18 of the preface, she describes two groups of Cubans who are never particularly known of by Americans outside South Florida:

(snip) Anomalies such as the phenomenon of reverse balseros, Cubans who, unable to adapt to the pressures and bustle of entrepreneurial Miami, return to the island, or gusañeros, expatriates who send a portion of their earnings home in exchange for unfettered travel back and forth to Cuba (the term is a curious Cuban hybrid of gusano and compañero, or comrade), are unacknowledged by both sides, as are those who live in semi-exilio, returning home to Cuba for long holidays. (snip)

I just love it when a boldly misleading remark can be addressed by someone who knows the truth. Great to see it. :bounce:

[starroute]

12. Xymphora suggests Venezuela is more likely to be first

"VHeadline.com is reporting that Bush Administration officials are preparing to create a 'regime change' in Venezuela. Venezuelan nationals have been trained at the School of Americas at Fort Benning and have been stationed at training camps in northern Peru. Otto 'Third' Reich has been meeting with the Venezuelan opposition leaders including the corrupt trade union leaders, and CIA operatives are already in place in Venezuela."

http://xymphora.blogspot.com/2004_02_01_xymphora_archive.html#107588107660975408


(VHeadline, which is a Venezuelan news services, requires free registration to see the story, and I didn't go that far. But if anyone else is interested, the link is:
http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=14775 )


On edit: Found another thread with quotes from the VHeadline story:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=345451

[reprobate]

14. There is only one real question remaining. The ricin.

The only question remaining is who are they going to blame the ricin in the capital building on, Venezuela or Cuba. Nothing this regime says is true, it's all designed to further their political agenda.

Anyone remember Project Northwoods? My money is on venezuela, they've got oil. I think the cuba sabre rattling is a diversion.

KKKarl's at it again.

[guajira]

17. Cuba has oil, too!