U.S. Says Cuba Fabricating Invasion Threat

[Osolomia]

Fri February 20, 2004
By Anthony Boadle

HAVANA (Reuters) - The top U.S. diplomat in Havana said on Friday Cuba's government was fabricating a threat of invasion by the United States to instill fear in Cubans and retain political control.

... "The U.S. government reiterates once again that there is no reason for the U.S. to attack Cuba and that the U.S. government has no intention of doing so," the head of the U.S. mission in Havana, James Cason, said in a statement.

"The Cuban government is fabricating the threat of a U.S. military attack to engender fear in the Cuban population, to spend scare resources to maintain large military, security and intelligence structures, and to justify extreme measures in a vain attempt to crush Cuba's nascent independent civil society," Cason said.

While President Bush has ratcheted up hostile rhetoric against Castro and toughened enforcement of trade sanctions and a ban on travel to Cuba, his administration insists it seeks a rapid, but peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba.

More...
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4405455

[Judi Lynn]

1. What a perfect ass Cason is.

One would suppose the constant stream of belligerance from _Bush and his State Department, as well as the small multitude of Cuban "exiles" he has placed in his administration, his twenty some trips to Miami in the last three years, his saber-rattling, his pronouncements yearly of his "Cuba policy" and his plans to move Cuba through a transition to his style of democracy, on top of 40+ years of physical terrorism from the "exile" community here, starting even before the "Bay of Pigs" invasion don't actually add up to anything.

What a total ass.

[sadiesworld]

2. Hmmmmmm...

Fabricating threats of attack in order to engender fear, maintain a large military...

[Osolomia]

3. Fabricating threats? Perhaps you haven't heard a word Bush is saying

Here's just a quick sample:

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=20...

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=20...

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=20...

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

[hedgetrimmer]

11. Puh, what fabrication...?

holy shit... that is some scary sh*t... is it time for "norwoods"?

[Osolomia]

15. Tom DeLay seems to think so

DeLay: Evil Will Not Stand in Baghdad, or Havana; Honors Victims of Communism in Memorial Cubano Address
Fri Feb 20 2004

MIAMI, Feb. 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) today delivered an impassioned speech denouncing Fidel Castro (news - web sites)'s terrorist regime and honoring thousands of victims of communist violence and oppression at el Memorial Cubano in Miami, Fla.

... "The war on terror is a war against evil, and it is therefore a war against Fidel Castro," DeLay said. "Freedom and terrorism cannot coexist, and evil will not stand. And if it will not stand in Baghdad, Kabul, Tehran, or Ramallah, then it will not stand in Havana."

DeLay joined Florida congressmen Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Mario Diaz-Balart, along with members of the Cuban Memorial Project, an assembly of various organizations, groups, and individuals from the Cuban exile community, to denounce Fidel Castro's regime.

"If the war on terror is going to be won, it must be won in this hemisphere first, and if it is going to be won in this hemisphere, then Castro must go," DeLay said. "As long as George W. Bush is in the White House and I am the Majority Leader in the House, the United States will never lift the embargo while Castro remains in power."

More...
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=669&ncid=669&e=3&u=/usnw/20040221/pl_usnw/delay__evil_will_not_stand_in_baghdad__or_havana__honors_victims_of_communism_in_memorial_cubano_address149_xml

[GRClarkesq]

4. USA would have to invade with Boy Scouts

b/c the rest of the Army is in Iraq.

[cosmicdot]

5. how ironic to hear our government tell of "fabricating" things

[Judi Lynn]

6. Takes one's breath away. They are brazen. n/t

[Bonobo]

7. Inventing an external threat to prop up an anti-democratic regime!?

Would anyone do such a vile, despicable thing just for political gain? Just as a means of justifying domestic repression!?

I'll never, ever believe it!

Um.... I, uh..forget I said anthing...

[Mika]

8. Inventing threats from the USA?

Hello?

See post #3 and..


Biowar against Cuba
http://www.newsmakingnews.com/biowarfarecrops4,2,00.htm
--------
-Germ War: The US Record-
http://www.counterpunch.org/germwar.html
-------
Clinton pardoned an accused tax cheat, but Poppy Bush set a serial terrorist free
http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/Smith030101/smith030101.html
---------
The Burden of a Violent History
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2000-04-20/mullin.html
---------
Little Havana's Reign of Terror - 1976
http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~delacova/belligerence/reign.htm
-------
Cuban Espionage
http://www.wsvn.com/news/local/view_story.html?storyid=20010410-171802
------
Salvadoran admits guilt in Cuban hotel bombings: CANF involved
http://www5.cnn.com/WORLD/americas/9903/08/cuba.bombing/index.html
-------
Their Terrorists or Ours
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Terrorism/TheirTerroristsorOurs.html
----------
The Dirty War on Cuba
http://www.ibiblio.org/prism/jan98/cuba.html
------------
Authorities Knew of Bombing Campaign, Says Cuban Exile
http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/americas/071298cuba-bombs.html
-------------
Luis Posada Carriles and the Cuban American National Foundation: Coca Contra lives on
http://www.afrocubaweb.com/posada.htm
--------
Uncle Sam's Favorite Terrorists
http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/lost23.html
----------
Alpha Males
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/1998-08-27/feature.html/page1.html
--------
Anti-Castro plots seldom lead to jail in U.S.
http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/anticastronojail72398.html
-------
A Startling Tale of U.S. Complicity
http://www.robertscheer.com/1_natcolumn/98_columns/071498.htm
------
Terrorists, but Our Terrorists
Where can terrorists find safe harbor? If you're of the Cuban exile variety, right here.
http://ciponline.org/cuba/newsarticles/mnt122001nielsen.htm
------

[GreenNADER]

9. the chimps secret plan to get Hispanic votes

i have no doubt the chimp is thirsty for more blood, but he will attack Cuba and kill 1000s to get the Hispanic Voters.

First it is blood for oil, now it is blood for votes.

[Mika]

10. Believe me, a majority of Miamicubans do not support an invasion

Most want more open relations between Cuba and America, so their families back in Cuba can enjoy a better economy.

[Voltaire99]

12. Invading Cuba would give the GOP Florida in November

The White House could set up a "provisional government" to dole out shopping mall building permits and McDonald's franchises to half of Miami, which would be delighted to have the chance to bring low-income servitude, er, democracy to Cuba.

Additionally, this would provide ample real estate for the Guantanamo Bay expansion plans.

[Dirk39]

13. Cuba says U.S. fabricating Invasion and terror threat

Fri February 20, 2004
By Dirk39

Hamburg (no Reuters needed) - Dirk39 said on Friday the US government was fabricating a threat of invasion and terror to instill fear in Americans and retain political control.


"The Bush-Administration is fabricating the threat of a terror attack to engender fear in the U.S. population, to spend scare resources to maintain large military, security and intelligence structures, and to justify extreme measures in a vain attempt to crush the independent civil society in the USA," Dirk39 said.

While Dirk39 has ratcheted up hostile rhetoric against Bush and toughened enforcement of sanctions and a ban, recommending his friends to simply ignore the Bush-Administration, his comrades and friends insists it seeks a rapid, but peaceful transition to democracy in the USA.

Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[loudnclear]

14. Let's see, that would be because "no one could imagine such a thing."

It would never have crossed anyone's mind that Cuba's shores might be invaded by US military and a floatilla of expats.

[teryang]

16. Sounds like the Rove strategy for America

<"The Cuban government is fabricating the threat of a U.S. military attack to engender fear in the Cuban population, to spend scare resources to maintain large military, security and intelligence structures, and to justify extreme measures in a vain attempt to crush Cuba's nascent independent civil society," Cason said. >

Isn't this exactly what Chimp and the neocons have been doing?

[Mika]

17. Then why does Cuba have universal health care and 100% literacy?

"Isn't this exactly what Chimp and the neocons have been doing?"

Nope. Cuba and America run on entirely different principles.


If Cuba's government is wasting so many resources, and spending so much on its military.. just how is it that the people of Cuba have world class leading universal health care and education while the US of A does not?


Cuba vs USA
http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=2553


Learn from Cuba
http://www.twnside.org.sg/title/learn.htm

[PATRICK]

18. Let's imagine

Easier to get traitors within the Havana community, though harder in the actual military. Then again, unlike Hussein how many independent officers has Castro shot lately? Lot's better info. Castro has the same old Soviet style crap and even in a march from the sea it is a short hop.

Air drop of quick strike force like they wanted to do in Baghdad. Take out Castro who is more visible than Hussein.

I'll bet there are plenty of Miami Cubans who have been imagining it, enough for even fictions of amateurs to worry our little neighbor to the south.

Needs a quick pretext however, and not just for the UN. ANY casualties or anything less than happy Cubans spreading flowers in the streets would create an eventual backlash.

October surprise? Secrecy? Small force? They still haven't got Iraq right yet and they had decades to plan for that too.

Some say the real reason Castro is still there is because they never were sure they got rid of all those Russian missiles. That seems very bizarre after using the remote WMDs of Iraq as an empty pretext FOR invasion.

[Mika]

19. bizarre indeed

As if Cubans in Cuba would welcome American troops and Miamiexcuban exiles with flowers. :crazy:

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

20. Of course they would.

Didn't you see Ira...? Oh, wait never mind.