On or Off Cuba Ping.
Posted on 03/03/2005 8:47:04 PM PST by FairOpinion
Three Cuban dissidents in a telephone hookup from Havana told a congressional panel on Thursday that allowing American tourists to visit the island would bring corruption, not democracy.
As members of a House of Representatives International Relations subcommittee praised them for defying Cuban President Fidel Castro, the dissidents endorsed U.S. policies to isolate his government.
"We are supporting what you are doing there because we have a lot of people suffering in jail. We need democracy," said Martha Beatriz Roque, leader of the Cuban Dissident Working Group.
Castro "could present it as a great political victory" for himself if the United States opened contacts, said Felix Bonne, another leading dissident who was imprisoned along with Roque and Rene Gomez, who also testified.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Cuba PING
On or Off Cuba Ping.
These dissidents called FROM Cuba. I just hope they will live to see tomorrow, after this.
If it had been easy, Cuba would be free. You have no concept, how subjugated people are, if they started anything, they would be massacred wholesale.
These are brave individuals.
"allowing American tourists to visit the island would bring corruption, not democracy."
"the dissidents endorsed U.S. policies to isolate his government."
Are the fools who think otherwise listening?
NO I am talking from day ONE we should of never let them come here;that way there would be no choice for them but to bury the bearded one.
What is wrong with liberals that they cant even see the harm that comes from coddling dictators? How long do you think liberals would last on earth as a living species if they were the only people? Do you think they could sustain their existence without becoming extinct.
You will have to ask the PEANUT FARMER about that he's been busy visiting down there.
The Spanish Governor did not give Washington any funds, after all Spain although an enemy of England was a Colonial Empire but he allowed a meeting to be held in order for General Washington's aide to express to prominent and wealthy Cubans the plight of the Revolutionary Army.
At that gathering, General Washington's aide received funds for re supplying the troops and even the Cuban women contributed taking off their jewels to add to the funds for the American cause.
This very little-known historical fact is in a book by an author whose name escapes me this minute but I can look it up. This historical book is listed in the Congresional record.
Many years later, the US helped Cuba gain its independence.
During WWII, Cuba lowered its sugar price to aid the US war effort. Cuba in a show of solidarity with the US, was the first Latin American country to declare war on the Axis powers, exactly one day after the US. Also although Cuba had a very small Air Force it sent pilots to help the US war effort.
All this to say, that before Castro, there was a great bond between Cuba and the US.
America, the big brother always had a great influence in Cuban political decisions. When Batista was advised that the US would no longer back him, he fled opening the door for Castro.
Some Cubans including one of my uncles tried to warn all that Castro was a megalomaniac and had Communist tendencies but Americans and Cubans alike were blinded by Castro's deceit. Hubert Mathews of Time Magazine was a great pro Castro propagandist here in the US.
Am I blaming the US for what happened in Cuba? Absolutely not, but Cubans were not alone in the mistakes that were made and that have affected and are still affecting this hemisphere.
Castro, through the use of his militia and the banning of weapons brought a system of terror to Cuba very, very quickly. Before the people even realized what was truly going on they found themselves powerless and weaponless.
I left Cuba at age 13 in 1961 through the Peter Pan program, my parents followed as soon as they could in 1962. I clearly remember the terror we lived under, I witnessed the Government's militia forcing their way into my home to check for weapons and subversive materials since they knew was family was not pro Castro. If any type of weapon had been found my father and perhaps other members of the family would have been taken away and imprisoned for 20 or 30 years or shot depending upon the mood of the Milita in charge.
Castro upon assuming power, dissolved the courts immediately along with the constitution and the laws and established his own "court system" with no recourse for those not pro Castro.
In a terrorist society the terrorist are the law and the courts.
I was in Cuba during the Bay of Pigs invasion. By the time the Brigade landed, every jail, every prison, every ball field, every warehouse, every available building in Cuba was full of young and old men who had been rounded up at work, at school, atg home or while walking in the streets. This was Castro's way of pre emptying a popular uprising, as soon as he found out that the invasion was coming he sent out his militia in trucks armed with machine guns to round up anyone who could have possibly wanted to join the fight against Castro....remember at this time guns had already been outlawed.
At home, there were only scared children and women left, although even some women and children were also imprisoned. For instance if a family was at the beach, or on an outing, they were rounded up and taken to a field together. Machine gun posts were set up to keep the people quiet and under control. Some of these people never made it back home, they died in the prisons, the jails and the fields where they were held.
I have read accounts of American sailors and fliers who cried as they watched the Bay of Pigs fighters run out of ammmution and fight using their weapons as clubs because the Kennedy Administration decided not to re supply them or give them air support as promised. Fortunately for the men of the second wave, they were never allowed to land or they would have died at the beach also. One of my cousin's was in the second wave.
After the October crisis, an agreement came about between President Kennedy and Nikita Kruschov prohibiting any involvement by the US Government in a future invasion of Cuba. This included prohibiting Cubans living in the US to purchase boats and weapons to invade Cuba, this applied even to individuals who purchased small boats and got some weapons together to go fight against Castro, when these were caught by the US Coast Guard they went to Federal prison here in the US.
Cuban jails have been full since Castro took over. The infamous Paredones are soaked in blood. (Paredones are the walls against which politicals prisoners are executed.) Castro doesn't know the meaning of Human Rights. Yes, perhaps we should have stayed in Cuba.
The Spanish Governor did not give Washington any funds, after all Spain although an enemy of England was a Colonial Empire but he allowed a meeting to be held in order for General Washington's aide to express to prominent and wealthy Cubans the plight of the Revolutionary Army.
At that gathering, General Washington's aide received funds for re supplying the troops and even the Cuban women contributed taking off their jewels to add to the funds for the American cause.
This very little-known historical fact is in a book by an author whose name escapes me this minute but I can look it up. This historical book is listed in the Congresional record.
Many years later, the US helped Cuba gain its independence.
During WWII, Cuba lowered its sugar price to aid the US war effort. Cuba in a show of solidarity with the US, was the first Latin American country to declare war on the Axis powers, exactly one day after the US. Also although Cuba had a very small Air Force it sent pilots to help the US war effort.
All this to say, that before Castro, there was a great bond between Cuba and the US.
America, the big brother always had a great influence in Cuban political decisions. When Batista was advised that the US would no longer back him, he fled opening the door for Castro.
Some Cubans including one of my uncles tried to warn all that Castro was a megalomaniac and had Communist tendencies but Americans and Cubans alike were blinded by Castro's deceit. Hubert Mathews of Time Magazine was a great pro Castro propagandist here in the US.
Am I blaming the US for what happened in Cuba? Absolutely not, but Cubans were not alone in the mistakes that were made and that have affected and are still affecting this hemisphere.
Castro, through the use of his militia and the banning of weapons brought a system of terror to Cuba very, very quickly. Before the people even realized what was truly going on they found themselves powerless and weaponless.
I left Cuba at age 13 in 1961 through the Peter Pan program, my parents followed as soon as they could in 1962. I clearly remember the terror we lived under, I witnessed the Government's militia forcing their way into my home to check for weapons and subversive materials since they knew was family was not pro Castro. If any type of weapon had been found my father and perhaps other members of the family would have been taken away and imprisoned for 20 or 30 years or shot depending upon the mood of the Milita in charge.
Castro upon assuming power, dissolved the courts immediately along with the constitution and the laws and established his own "court system" with no recourse for those not pro Castro.
In a terrorist society the terrorist are the law and the courts.
I was in Cuba during the Bay of Pigs invasion. By the time the Brigade landed, every jail, every prison, every ball field, every warehouse, every available building in Cuba was full of young and old men who had been rounded up at work, at school, atg home or while walking in the streets. This was Castro's way of pre emptying a popular uprising, as soon as he found out that the invasion was coming he sent out his militia in trucks armed with machine guns to round up anyone who could have possibly wanted to join the fight against Castro....remember at this time guns had already been outlawed.
At home, there were only scared children and women left, although even some women and children were also imprisoned. For instance if a family was at the beach, or on an outing, they were rounded up and taken to a field together. Machine gun posts were set up to keep the people quiet and under control. Some of these people never made it back home, they died in the prisons, the jails and the fields where they were held.
I have read accounts of American sailors and fliers who cried as they watched the Bay of Pigs fighters run out of ammmution and fight using their weapons as clubs because the Kennedy Administration decided not to re supply them or give them air support as promised. Fortunately for the men of the second wave, they were never allowed to land or they would have died at the beach also. One of my cousin's was in the second wave.
After the October crisis, an agreement came about between President Kennedy and Nikita Kruschov prohibiting any involvement by the US Government in a future invasion of Cuba. This included prohibiting Cubans living in the US to purchase boats and weapons to invade Cuba, this applied even to individuals who purchased small boats and got some weapons together to go fight against Castro, when these were caught by the US Coast Guard they went to Federal prison here in the US.
Cuban jails have been full since Castro took over. The infamous Paredones are soaked in blood. (Paredones are the walls against which politicals prisoners are executed.) Castro doesn't know the meaning of Human Rights. Yes, perhaps we should have stayed in Cuba.
CUBA LIBRE!!!
on
***...Today, America speaks anew to the peoples of the world:
All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.
Democratic reformers facing repression, prison, or exile can know: America sees you for who you are: the future leaders of your free country. ...*** President George W. Bush, Inaugural Address 2005
Well written piece. Thanks you.
Whoo-boy! Do you need some 'LEARNIN, podnuh! Cubans tried and tried and tried, desperately to overthrow Castro. A higher percentage of the Cuban people fought Castro than American colonials fought the Brits. It was a U.S. Democratic administration who pulled the rug out from under them. The American colonials had the French as allies (more French troops fought and died at Yorktown than Colonial troops) Alas, the hapless Cuban freedom-fighters had Democrats (JFK)as "allies." Thus their doom. Please see.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/4/14/102618.shtml
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/2/14/174602.shtml
Pretty tall order, amigo. You see, before Castro's glorious revolution (facilitated by the U.S. State Dept. by the way) more AMERICANS lived in Cuba than CUBANS in the U.S.
We were invaded ourselves!--by Americans seeking the "good life" in pre-Castro Cuba! Of course you woudn't have learned this by reading People Magazine and News On Wheels.
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