Posted on 03/05/2005 5:41:41 AM PST by aculeus
HAVANA -- After Cuban authorities released seven political prisoners recently, some of us, wives of imprisoned Cuban dissidents, received calls from abroad rejoicing over these "liberations" and over the improved human rights situation in Cuba. But these were not liberations; the regime simply released a few sick men on parole. And in any event, all 75 dissidents detained in the spring crackdown of 2003 are prisoners of conscience, recognized by Amnesty International. All should be freed.
Foreigners tend to attribute these releases to pressures from outside (the United States or the European Union) or as a nice gesture by Fidel Castro toward the Spanish prime minister. Here in Cuba we think that it simply would not look good if political inmates died in prison, so seven sick prisoners (and seven others before) were allowed to serve the rest of their sentences at home.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Given the source, I wonder why the title isn't "Standing Up for a Dictator?"
5.56mm
Your insight requested.
Who is "Rauol"?
5.56mm
Jailed for "possessing texts about the declaration (as well as a portable radio and a battery charger)."
Are you reading this, DUmmies?
pong
Future generations of prosperous Cubans will revile Castro just like Europe despises Hitler.
It is unimaginable how rich and successful that island nation might have been with a free and open society.
Castro was truly a snake in a garden of Eden!
The left is so oblivious. Hello, there's a reason why Cubans are swimming to the U.S., and it's not because of their great health care system.
Too bad GW wasn't President during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Cuba would probably be a prospering republic right now.
We'll really know the Bush Doctrine is in full swing when the Cuban people take to the streets of Havana demanding democracy!
Now THAT'S standing up to a dictator!
A large tropical island close to the world's greatest economy, possessing a highly motivated population with enough entreprenuial talent to build the economy ... the sky was the limit for a Free Cuba.
One unknowable: how many Cuban-based MLB teams?
Why don't we invade Cuba and set it free?
They've been our friend for over 200 years, and who's to stop us anyway?
Get in, kill the bastard, distribute guns freely, and get out.
One month operation.
Didn't we try this before? Ppay of Pigs
No. It was a half-assed attempt, where Kennedy pulled back air support, while US pilots watched people being slaughtered. Then the maroon signed some agreement with a communist state that collapsed.
There is a new Sheriff in town.
Think Grenada.
"When the Revolutionary Army ran out of food and supplies, General George Washington sent aides to several countries to ask for assistance. Most if not all the aides came home empty handed except for the aide he sent to 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."
11 posted on 03/04/2005 2:58:46 AM EST by rotundusmaximus
I was married to a fine Cuban woman, who's parents escaped around 1961. They have similar stories to tell.
The left has done a decent job of covering up the truth, but the truth comes out.
I do vol. work with Cuban political refugees...help them resettle and all that goes with it. The prison stories are enough to make the hardest of us wobble at the knees. Cubans not in the commie mold have it rough....food is rationed to many..no milk for children over 7, and sanitary napkins are extremely rare. Beef cannot be consumed by the average Cuban. Malnutrition is rampant even tho they have a ton of doctors. Castro leases the docs to other countries and this is a source of income. The families are then carefully watch to make sure there is any defection.
The refugees Ive known are extremely grateful and want to become Americans....and for those coming to the rally in Fayetteville will get a chance to meet some!
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