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Cuba's verbal attack on top US diplomat
Cuba launched a blistering verbal attack on the top U.S. diplomat in Havana on Tuesday and on dissidents it accused him of organizing to overthrow the government. A daily state-run television talk show dedicated its 90- minute broadcast to accusing U.S. mission chief Michael Parmly, who arrived in the country in September, of being the new point man for the Bush administration's declared goal of ousting President Fidel Castro from power.
Thank gawd it was only 90 minutes. Otherwise you'd need double Dr. Scholl's inserts to take the whole thing in.
On Tuesday, four journalists took turns detailing Parmly's and other U.S. diplomats' meetings with dissidents and in some cases the computers, televisions, copy machines, cameras and other items given to specific individuals. The Cuban government labels all opponents as charlatans in the employ of the United States and on Tuesday various official journalists accused them of receiving support from a foreign power, a crime under Cuban law.

Parmly succeeded James Cason, now U.S. ambassador to Paraguay, whose confrontational style and open support for dissidents was given as the reason for the imprisonment of 75 dissidents two year ago on charges of working with Washington to overthrow the government.

The journalists also criticized Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's decision this week to form an inter-agency group to recommend measures to tighten the four-decades-old trade embargo and increase aid to dissidents in order to speed a transition to democracy in Cuba.

Lazaro Barrero, editor of the Communist Party daily, Granma, charged talk of transition was a cover for "using mercenaries to provoke a situation justifying invasion and occupation of the country."

The United States and Cuba, bitter foes since President Fidel Castro led a revolution to power in 1959, do not have diplomatic relations but maintain lower-level Interests Sections in each others capitals.
Posted by: Pappy 2005-12-21
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=137999