Alleged terrorist (Posada) expects chaos when Castro dies

[Mika]

Alleged terrorist expects chaos when Castro dies
10/31/2006 12:00:00 AM MST
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_4577546

Luis Posada Carriles, the alleged terrorist in immigration detention in El Paso and a man who once allegedly tried to assassinate Cuban leader Fidel Castro, said Monday that recently released film of Castro aimed at dispelling rumors that Castro is on his deathbed misses its goal.

-

Posada, who devoted his life to combating Castro, said Castro's death is around the corner and predicted it would trigger the prompt end of communism in Cuba.

"They will not be able to keep control. Raul will not be able to keep control. There will be confusion, military in the streets," he said.

-

Posada, a former CIA operative, is wanted in Venezuela on charges of plotting the Oct. 6, 1976, bombing of a Cuban airplane that killed 73 people. He denies any involvement. He has reportedly admitted involvement in a string of hotel bombings in Cuba in 1997 and in a plot to kill Fidel Castro in Panama in 2000.

Part of the US's "transition plan"?

[bluestateguy]

1. It;s their choice

Or at least it should be. I'm not a Castro sympathizer at all, although some people on this board apparently are. He is an asshole and a dictator. I don't trust a leader who wears a military uniform and has never stood for election in 45 years. The fact that he gives people free medical care is nice, but it does not make up for being a ruthless dictator who has no tolerance for dissent.

[Mika]

5. Correct. It is the Cuban people's choice.

As it has been since 1959.

--

BTW-1, it isn't Mr Castro who "gives" the Cuban people free health care and higher ed. It is the Cuban people who, together, do this in concert WITH their government - not at odds with it.

BTW-2 Mr Castro is elected to his seat in the National Assembly representing District #7, Santiago de Cuba, and has been since Cuba created its representational parliamentary system in 1976 (by popular vote).


http://www.poptel.org.uk/cuba-solidarity/democracy.htm

This system in Cuba is based upon universal adult suffrage for all those aged 16 and over. Nobody is excluded from voting, except convicted criminals or those who have left the country. Voter turnouts have usually been in the region of 95% of those eligible .

There are direct elections to municipal, provincial and national assemblies, the latter represent Cuba's parliament.

Electoral candidates are not chosen by small committees of political parties. No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates.

--

FYI, Mr Castro wasn't the President of Cuba until 1976.


http://www.bartleby.com/65/do/Dorticos.html
Dorticós Torrado, Osvaldo

1919–83, president of Cuba (1959–76). A prosperous lawyer, he participated in Fidel Castro’s revolutionary movement and was imprisoned (1958). He escaped and fled to Mexico, returning to Cuba after Castro’s triumph (1959). As minister of laws (1959) he helped to formulate Cuban policies. He was appointed president in 1959. Intelligent and competent, he wielded considerable influence. In 1976 the Cuban government was reorganized, and Castro assumed the title of president; Dorticós was named a member of the council of state.

--



You can read a short version of the Cuban system here,
http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQDemocracy.html

Or a long and detailed version here,

Democracy in Cuba and the 1997-98 Elections
Arnold August
1999
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0968508405/qid=1053879619/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-8821757-1670550?v=glance&s=books

[John Gauger]

6. It's not just their healthcare

They have a government that is much more interested in the welfare of its people than ours. Their hurricane response methods put us to shame (especially in light of Katrina.) Plus their education system is pretty good. There are a number of other minor things that are good in Cuba that slip my mind right now. One of Castro's often (intentionally) overlooked accomplishments is the liberation of Angola in (I believe) 1969. The United States, Britain, and South Africa were attempting to impose an apartheid regime at the barrel of a gun, and Castro sent 300,000 black Cubans to the rescue.

That said, you are absolutely right about his being a dictator and an asshole. He should be out the door. His positive contributions to Cuba do not in any way mitigate his crimes against democracy and human rights. He should have held elections shortly after the revolution in '59.

[Mika]

9. Castro this and Castro that.

Jeez.. Castro is a one man army, a one man health care provider, a one man educator, a one man government, a one man tourism promoter, a one man (place uninformed atribution here)......

Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that
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[John Gauger]

17. He is a dictator.

That means that he is in control of everything important in the country. He is the one who calls the shots. Everything that happens in Cuba either happens because of him or because he let it.

[Mika]

19. If you really think that..

.. over 12,000,000 Cubans just sat back and let that happen, well.. where can I get some of what you're smokin'. :smoke:

Most everything that happens in Cuba happens because the Cuban people either allow it, or they make it happen through hard work & sacrifice.

Been there. Seen it.

[Judi Lynn]

20. I just noticed your avatar, Noam Chomsky.You might want to review what he had to say

about Cuba in this interview done while he was there during a conference:

November 3, 2003

Cuba's 50 Years of Defiance
An Interview with Noam Chomsky
By BERNIE DWYER

Havana, Cuba.

Noam Chomsky was in Cuba to participate in the 3rd Latin American and Caribbean Social Sciences Conference (CLACSO) 27-31 October 2003, where he was interviewed there by Bernie Dwyer. --AC/JSC

Well, Cuba has become a symbol of courageous resistance to attack. Since 1959 Cuba has been under attack from the hemispheric superpower. It has been invaded, subjected to more terror than maybe the rest of the world combined--certainly any other country that I can think of--and it's under an economic stranglehold that has been ruled completely illegal by every relevant international body, It has been at the receiving end of terrorism, repression and denunciation, but it survives.

If you look back at the declassified record and the problems that Cuba was posing and therefore had to be overthrown, one intelligence analyst said that "the very existence of the Castro regime is successful defiance of US policies that go back a hundred and fifty years". He's not talking about the Russians. He is talking about the Monroe Doctrine, which says we are the masters of the hemisphere. It goes on to say that this really dangerous as it offers a model that others might want to follow. That's what is called "communist aggression". You have a model that somebody wants to follow. So you have to destroy the virus.

Kissinger, for example, during the other 9/11--the one that happened in 1973--was concerned that Allende, with his democratic victory and social programs would spread contagion not only in Latin America, but even in Italy where the United States at the very same time was carrying out large scale subversive operations to try to undermine Italian democracy and even supported fascist parties in Italy.

Yes, Cuba is the symbol of successful defiance that accounts for the venomous hostility. The very existence of the regime, independent of what it does, by not subordinating itself to power is just an unacceptable defiance for the rest of the world. It's a symbol of what can be done without using harsh conditions. It's once again a case of those under the most severe conditions are doing things that others can't do.

So, for example, let's take Cuba's role in the liberation of Africa. It's an astonishing achievement that has almost been totally suppressed. Now you can read about it in scholarship, but the contribution that Cuba made to the self-liberation of Africa is fantastic. And that was against the entire concentrated power of the world. All the imperialist powers were trying to block it. It finally worked and Cuba's contribution was unique. That's another reason why Cuba is hated. Just the plain fact that black soldiers from Cuba were able to beat back a South African invasion of Angola sent shock waves throughout the continent. The black movements were inspired by it. The white South Africans were psychologically crushed by the fact that South African forces could be defeated by a black army. The United States were infuriated. If you look at the next couple of years, the terrorist attacks on Cuba got much worse.
(snip/...)

http://www.counterpunch.org/dwyer11032003.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Here's Noam Chomsky, sitting with Ricardo Alarcón, the President of the Cuban National Assembly, during his first visit to Cuba.
You're most welcome.

[wholetruth00]

18. Chaos only if CIA involved in Cuba after Castro dies.

[TomInTib]

2. Since he has been so spot-on about everything in the past...

who gives a damn about what Posada thinks?

Those screwy bastards have been hanging around in the cheap seats and crying about every pitch for almost 50 years, now.

[EFerrari]

4. No kidding. "Posada, who kills innocent people in the off season" --

I guess he's still on the payroll, just on the bench for now.

[phoebe]

3. Bushco. has waited a long time to make an example of Cuba

and its "communist" ideals. The country will be stripped of its wealth, land and anything that they and their Florida cronies can get their filthy little hands on. No doubt it is destined to become another Mariana Islands where slave labor and 5 star hotels are the norm while becoming a tax haven and drugs/arms running point for the mega wealthy who will ensure that their "man" will be "voted" in..on second thoughts, another Haiti in the making...

[Mika]

11. I seriously doubt your predictions

The Cuban people do have the ability to take action for themselves. They have proven this time and again throughout their history. Cuba has well established relations and joint ventures with most every country in the world (except the US). Cuba is not isolated. Cubans are not uninformed about world events and geopolitics.

[grayokc]

21. Then why all the Cuban boat people?

If it's so great in Cuba why have hundreds of thousands of them risked their lives on over loaded boats, many times home-built rafts?

[Mika]

22. The US Cuban Adjustment Act, Wet Foot/Dry Foot, plus perks.

Cubans are granted special immigration perks that are offered to no other immigrant group seeking entry into the US.

Immigrants come to the US from all over the world - from democratic countries. They come here for opportunities to earn more money than they could back at home. They come to work so that they can send a little of their earnings back to their relatives. It has little to do with "despotic' regimes, it has more to do with earning power.

Cuba is a special case though, in that it is the US's Helms-Burton law (and a myriad of other sanctions) that are intended to cripple the Cuban economy. This is the stated goal of the US government, as evidenced by the Bush* admin's latest 'crackdown' on family remittances to Cuba and increased sanctions on the island and US & foreign corporations that seek to do business with Cuba.

The USA currently offers over 20,000 LEGAL immigration visas per year to Cubans (and Bush has announced that the number would increase despite the fact that not all 20,000 were applied for in the last few years). This number is more than any other single country in the world. The US interests section in Cuba does the required criminal background check on the applicants.

The US's 'wet foot/ dry foot' policy (that applies to Cubans only) permits all Cubans, including Cuban criminals and felons, who arrive on US shores by illegal means to remain in the US even those having failed to qualify (or even apply) for a legal US immigration application.

Cubans who leave for the US without a US visa are returned to Cuba (if caught at sea - mainly in smuggler's go-fast boats @ $5,000 per head) by a US/Cuban repatriation agreement. But IF they make it to US soil, no matter who they are or what their criminal backround might be, they get to stay in the US and enjoy perks offered ONLY TO CUBAN IMMIGRANTS (via the US's Cuban Adjustment Act and a variety of other 'Cubans only' perks)

For Cuban migrants ONLY - including the aforementioned illegal immigrants who are smuggled in as well as those who have failed a US background check for a legal visa who make it here by whatever means - the US's Cuban Adjustment Act instantly allows any and all Cuban migrants who touch US shore (no matter how) instant entry, instant work visa, instant green card status, instant social security, instant access to welfare, instant access to section 8 assisted housing (with a $41,000 income exemption for Cuban expats only), instant food stamps, plus more. IOW, extra special enhanced social programs designed to entice Cuban expatriation to Miami/USA.

Despite these programs designed to offer a 'carrot on a stick' to Cubans only, the Cubaphobe rhetoric loop repeats the question "why do Cubans come to the US then?".

First the US forces economic deprivation on Cubans, then open our doors to any and all Cubans illegal or not, and then offer them a plethora of immigration perks and housing perks not even available to native born Americans.

But yet, more immigrants come from Mexico and the Latin Americas than do Cubans, and they have no such "Adjustment Act" like Cubans do. But they still pour in.

Plus, Cuban immigrants can hop on a plane from Miami to Havana and travel right back to the Cuba that they "escaped" from for family trips and vacations - by the hundred of thousands annually (until Bush's recent one visit every 3 yrs restrictions on Cuban expats living in the US).

Recognizing the immorality of forced starvation and forced economic deprivation is a good reason to drop the US embargo on Cuba, the US Cuban Adjustment Act, and the US travel sanctions placed on US citizens and residents. Then the Cuban tourism economy (its #1 sector) would be able to expand even faster, thereby increasing the average wage and quality of life in Cuba. It would make products, goods, and services even more accessible to both Cubans and Americans. It would reduce the economic based immigration flow from Cuba. And it would restore our own constitutional right to travel unfettered to see Cuba for ourselves.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Why the El Paso Times would EVER assign a reporter to interview

a bomber/terrorist/ CIA Iran-Contra thug/mass murderer to be able to share his thoughts with the American public on how he thinks things will go after the Cuban President dies is simply a breach of decent standards.

This left-over from the mass murdering U.S.-supported butcher Batista regime, who has devoted his entire life not to freedom-fighting, but to vicious terrorism should be sitting in prison, alone with his own degraded thoughts, waiting for the next visit from an idiot right-wing fool from Miami, and surely not living with the impression there's a hungry American public waiting for his next pronouncements.

He's a filthy, blood-thirsty monster, who served the bidding of an enormous filthy, corrupt, blood-thirsty monster certain filthy elements of the U.S. population were more than deliriously happy to hug to their bosoms, as he was THEIR dictator/monster, then he worked steadily the rest of his life, creating ways to bomb innocent, unsuspecting, utterly helpless citizens to death, including children.

[Mika]

8. At least they called him a terrorist (and not a militant).

;)

:hi:

[Judi Lynn]

10. You're right. The reporter hasn't picked up the proper treatment of a

US-right-wing-supported (for his entire life in the States, sparing him the indignity of actually working for a living) professional murderer. In the right circles, among their lackeys in certain "journalistic" news agencies, this lunatic IS described as a "militant."

I nearly fell out of my chair the first time I saw that!



"Militant" Luis Posada Carriles

[EFerrari]

13. Why? Because a few dollars crossed someone's palm.

And that's the state of our press today. The descent was dizzyingly fast, wasn't it?

[Judi Lynn]

15. It sure as hell WAS. It's heartbreaking to realize we may have already seen

our press working as it should, covering the Watergate story, for THE LAST TIME!

Since then, it has almost tied itself in knots making sure we were completely in the dark about almost everything serious going on in our government.

The El Paso Times call fawning over a right-wing political murderer, hanging on his insignificant words "journalism." You are undoubtedly right: molding perception on Posada Carriles may just smooth the way to easing him back out into the community after the heat dies down, just the way they all expect it to go among his cronies in the Cuban American National Foundation group, his old employers (along with the U.S. government).

[Judi Lynn]

12. When is a terrorist ‘mastermind’ not a terrorist?

When is a terrorist ‘mastermind’ not a terrorist?
By Jim Lobe
Updated Oct 25, 2006, 01:58 am

WASHINGTON (IPS/GIN) - On the 30th anniversary of the first midair bombing of a civilian airliner in the Americas, the plot’s suspected mastermind is hoping that a federal judge will soon release him from a Texas jail where he has been held on immigration-related charges for the last year-and-a-half.

In a brief submitted to the judge Oct. 5, the administration of President George Bush said it opposed the release of Luis Posada Carriles and argued that granting him freedom on bail may have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.”

But, while referring to Mr. Posada as “the admitted mastermind of terrorist plots and attacks,” the administration declined to officially declare him a terrorist under the USA Patriot Act, which, unlike the immigration law, gives the government authority to detain him indefinitely.

“If Luis Posada Carriles does not meet the definition of a terrorist, it is hard to think of who would,” observed Peter Kornbluh, director of the Cuba Documentation Project at the independent National Security Archive (NSA).

On Oct. 5, the NSA released a number of recently declassified government documents that, like others released in recent years by the archive, strongly implicate Mr. Posada in the bombing of Cubana Flight 455 shortly after it left Barbados en route to Havana, killing all 73 people aboard.

In its brief, the government indicated that it was still trying to find a country that would accept him, other than Venezuela and Cuba, which have both sought his extradition. In the last 16 months, Canada, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, Mexico and Guatemala have all rejected approaches by U.S. officials, according to court records cited by Mr. Kornbluh.
(snip/...)

http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_3000.shtml

[donsu]

14. who in the hell would believe anything the criminal Posada had to say?

he WANTS chaos so the neo cons can slip into Cuba

[saigon68]

16. He's Negroponte's Man looking for Nuns to Rape