Miami Herald: Cuba believed to have intercepted details of U.S. aid to dissidents

[Judi Lynn]

Cuba believed to have intercepted details of U.S. aid to dissidents
Posted on Sunday, 11.17.13
By Juan O. Tamayo
[e-mail]

The documents were definitely not classified as secret. But they contained detailed information about U.S. government programs to help Cuban dissidents that Havana has outlawed as a semi-clandestine campaign to topple the communist system.

So when the U.S. Agency for International Development mistakenly used an unencrypted line to send the documents to U.S. diplomats in Havana, USAID officials were chagrined and some of the authors of the document were incredulous.

“An amazingly stupid thing to do,” said an official of one of the groups that generated the documents — minutely detailed applications for a $6 million USAID program to train emerging leaders of Cuba’s non-government sectors.

His application of more than 200 pages contained a complete history of his past work with USAID’s pro-democracy programs in Cuba, the official said, some names of possible trainees and venues where they might be trained.

More: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/17/3760633/cuba-believed-to-have-intercepted.html#storylink=cpy

[Xipe Totec]

1. It's hard to tell what's a mistake and what's a deliberate plant anymore. nt

[Socialistlemur]

2. Indeed

It's possible the us government is using a carrot and stick approach. Or there may be individuals within the Obama administration trying to undermine the ongoing talks between the Castro dictatorship and the USA government. If the Havana regime takes offense and starts whining, or suspends the talks, then the pro status quo faction wins.

I did notice the USA was incredibly cool about the Cuban weapons shipment to North Korea. I heard this was a move by regime factions working in Havana to undermine the talks. They loaded the old Migs on that ship to make Raul Castro look like a desperate nut so the USA would be forced to suspend the talks and thus the "communist" oligarchs could retain their privileges.

I'm observing these events with interest because it may be the Obama administration is about to pull a giant coup by having Havana adopt a modicum of democracy and stop abusing human rights in exchange for an end to us sanctions and the ability for USA tourists to visit Cuba. That's a lot of cash and the Cubans may be willing to change their ways and even let go of Venezuela if they do get a flood of gringo tourists.

[Peace Patriot]

4. I wish you would tell us who's whispering in your ear...

"I heard this was a move by regime factions working in Havana to undermine the talks." --you (my emphasis)

You write like a John Bircher.

"...the Castro dictatorship..."

(You don't think the USA is a "military-industrial complex" dictatorship? Where you been?)


"If the Havana regime starts whining..."

(Exploding cigars, exploding airplanes--you don't think they have reason to "whine"?)


"...and thus the 'communist' oligarchs could retain their privileges."

(Yeah, I noticed those Armani suits Castro wears!)


"...having Havana adopt a modicum of democracy..."

(Cuba has far more than a modicum of democracy and far, FAR more transparent elections than we do here. They also have free universal health care, free education through college and graduate school, one of the best medical systems in the world, one of the highest literacy rates in the world, and everybody has food and shelter, with near full employment. Here, we can't even get a "public option" against the insurance corporate monsters, and everything from education to infrastructure is falling apart under the onslaught of the MIC's fascist front people. Trillions for corporate resource wars; nothing for the people except more corporate looting, more prisons, and, now, massive government-corporate spying. Who has a better country? Which people--Cubans or North Americans--have a government "of, by and for"?


...stop abusing human rights..."

(Ahem. It is the USA government that is running the torture dungeon on the other end of the island of Cuba! It is the USA that has the highest incarceration rate--mostly the poor, for minor offenses and long, long sentences--in the civilized world--not to mention the death penalty and prison conditions. It is the USA where guns are more sacred than kindergartners! It is the USA where citizens are routinely shot multiple times and murdered by the poiice. Tell me about the "human rights abuses" in Cuba! Make me laugh!)


"...the Cubans may be willing to change their ways and even let go of Venezuela..."

Like John Bircher Society foam, it's sometimes difficult to even know what you're saying. Or did you just want to get "Venezuela" in their somewhere, in your foaming text?

I've been hearing this crap about Cuba for sixty years--ever since I was a little tyke in a place where the John Birch Society held tent revivals against the "godless communists." It was crap then; it's crap now. Cuba has a decent government. We don't. And that is the truth of the matter.

Cuba's government is recognized throughout Latin America and by nearly every other country in the world, except this MIC-run, dying, 'TRADE SECRET' voting machine democracy, that kills its people, that incarcerates its people, that impoverishes its people, that royally ignores its people in favor of billionaires, and kills thousands and thousands of people in other lands, to steal their resources. We got here--to the Corporate Forever War--via democracy. Cuba got here--to decent government--via communism. We could use some that decency here.

We need to OPEN OUR EYES and consider alternatives--and Cuba's notions of sharing and everyone contributing to the common good are one of the alternatives that we need to consider, with eyes open. You would shut peoples' eyes with red-baiting and corpo-fascist propaganda. You are not telling the truth about Cuba--one of the least violent and most pleasant countries on earth. You are spreading "Big Lie" crapola, just like Josef Stalin. What an irony!

[Mika]

5. Yeeeeeehhhaaaaaaaaaa!!

The ONLY talking point you missed was your usual "Stalinist Cuba" sputum.

[flamingdem]

3. In the interest of transparency

this is a very good thing!

Now Havana has some leverage over covert activities. Negotiations should follow and
then normalization.. right..