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U.S. Envoy Says No Plan to Attack Cuba
2004-02-21
America's chief diplomat in Havana issued a statement Friday to emphasize that no U.S. military action is planned against Cuba. The statement by James Cason, chief of the U.S. Interests Section, was distributed to international journalists in Cuba one week after President Fidel Castro challenged President Bush to be clear about how Washington plans to realize a transition to democracy on the island. For nearly a year, Castro and other officials have publicly expressed concerns that the U.S. military could attack the communist nation. In a public speech, Castro wondered aloud if Washington was planning to kill him. Last month, Castro directly accused Bush of plotting with Cuban exiles in Miami to assassinate him.
Nah. We don't have to do that. All we have to do is wait a year or two until Fidel drops dead of old age. Then we can assassinate Raul, if he's still alive.
U.S. officials talk about a transition, "but how would they make this transition?" Castro asked in his Feb. 15 speech, suggesting that "the only way is to proceed with an illegal assassination using the scores of techniques they have available." In his statement, Cason said that President Bush has repeatedly emphasized that Washington seeks a peaceful transition to democracy to Cuba brought about by Cubans.
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#8  Thats why "you and him have a fight over succession" works well. Civil war = pissed off populace. End up supporting neither side.
Posted by: OldSpook   2004-2-21 11:09:33 PM  

#7  Think you are right, Cuban nationalism would eventually make an invasion more costly than it's worth. And yes, the Cuban army (infantry) would fight well and skillfully. Time for MTV.
Posted by: Shipman   2004-2-21 3:08:07 PM  

#6  Careful, OP. There's a little over 11 million people there (and a few million more in Florida :-) -- some of those folks are going to stay loyal for whatever reason. I actually think the Cuban military would put up a decent fight -- they're professionals and they have pride.

However, if you do develop an 8 hour plan, I'd like a copy. A pdf file will be fine :-)
Posted by: Steve White   2004-2-21 12:28:15 PM  

#5  Fidel's marathon speeches would put even a Predator drone to sleep.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2004-2-21 11:55:26 AM  

#4  And I would not say there is no plan, may need to be dusted off a bit but there is a plan.
If not, give me eight hours, access to necessary information, and one helper, and I'll build one for you. It'll even work, if the proper resources are available (I'm sure they are). Cuba is not a hard case to plan against. Centralized planning, centralized command and control, isolated units, obsolete equipment, and people just ITCHING to get rid of Fidel and his bad boyz.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2004-2-21 11:46:12 AM  

#3  Old castro needs the US to be his boogey man, he does not have much more.

And I would not say there is no plan, may need to be dusted off a bit but there is a plan.
Posted by: Dan   2004-2-21 9:45:06 AM  

#2  methinks Ol'Fidel might be a bit worried about a Predator drone "listening" to one of his 4 hour speeches...
Posted by: cpm   2004-2-21 8:58:37 AM  

#1  That there is no attack planned doesn't mean there are no attack plans.
Posted by: Shipman   2004-2-21 8:01:51 AM  

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