Castro Slams Bush 'Lies and Slanders' on Sex Tours

[struggle4progress]

Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:11 AM ET
By Nelson Acosta

<snip>
"Let's hope, in Cuba's case, God does not instruct Mr. Bush to attack our country," Castro said. "He had better check on any divine belligerent order by consulting the Pope."
<snip>

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=5779442

[liberalmuse]

1. Why is Bush so obsessed with...

'sex slavery' and 'sex tours'? Hell, if he was really concerned about sex tourism overseas, he'd make his brother Neil stay in the states.

[AP]

2. For the answer to that, head for the history books. At the turn of the...

...century right wingers used the idea of sex slavery for all sorts of conservative ends -- they used it to make Americans suspicious of immigrants, and they used it to keep women in the homes.

[dArKeR]

3. Castro or the American Media Whores should visit Bush's "Model for

all countries" the Philippines and pick up a child prostitute within 2 miles of Arroyo's palace then report this fact back to Bush and the American people.

I swear this is true. Same for some other coalition of the willing countries.

PS. Tell me the Pope and Bishops in the PI don't know this when every man, woman, and child in the PI does?

[Judi Lynn]

5. As one who has heard tons of references made to "Shore Leave"

for the U.S. Navy in Subic Bay, I'd say I totally believe you could find a child prostitute within 2 miles of Arroyo's palace almost anytime.

[dArKeR]

10. 1000% yes then but I'm talking today too! All people who have visited

these countries knows this. Unfortunately I believe 5% of Americans have a passport. So calculate most probably go to Europe which leaves about 1% to Asia. But then isn't it the Media Whores' responsibility to report facts like child prostitution in the Countries of the Willing?

[Judi Lynn]

12. It's amazing how little interest a some people have in the larger world

isn't it? It would really help them get a little perspective on the subjects they discuss so heatedly if they only had any idea what it is they're talking about!

Propaganda is no substitute for reality.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Ha, ha. He's a very clever man. He seems to keep up on his reading, too.

From the Reuters article:

Castro quoted extensively from a recent book "Bush on the Couch: Inside the Mind of the President," by Dr. Justin Frank, a Washington psychoanalyst and a Democrat.

The book labels Bush as a "dry-drunk" whose abstinence and strict Christian beliefs make him a rigid leader with paranoid tendencies and a simplistic worldview.

Bush, who gave up drinking in 1986, has acknowledged that he "used to drink too much" but said he did not believe he was addicted.

Castro also quoted from other recent books critical of Bush, including Michael Moore's "Stupid White Men" and "Against All Enemies," by former counterterrorism official Richard Clarke.

The references "help to explain the strange behavior and bellicosity of the U.S. president," Castro said.
(snip)

For anyone who hasn't heard _Bush making these charges, be assured he's tried this stupid trick at LEAST two times, and I believe three since he stole the White House.

Here's a snippet from an earlier article:

Another ploy for votes by Bush
July 22, 2004

THE ARTICLE "Bush assails Cuba over sex trade" (Page A5, July 17) exposes yet another distortion within the foreign policy of the Bush administration.

While human trafficking, forced labor, and sexual exploitation are serious international issues, Bush's address in Florida was nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to sway a few more hard-liners among Cuban-American voters in a key swing state.

The charge that Fidel Castro welcomes sex tourism is either patently false or grossly exaggerated. Bush's own State Department has failed to substantiate such charges.
(snip/...)

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/letters/articles/2004/07/22/another_ploy_for_votes_by_bush/

_Bush and his State Department helpers rotate charges against Cuba, and they ALWAYS get answered fully, every time, and they bring them up over and over. The next charge from _Bush should be that Cuba harbors Basque terrorists, and has communicated with Colombian guerrillas. They recently drug out their charge that Cuba has been making drugs which have dual use capabilities. They think people will forget the answers, and bring them up again!

Here are two threads with additional information on the charge against Cuba, claiming Cuba traffics in sex tourism:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=705958

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=701957

Here's a photo from the personal website of Cuban "exile," Lincoln Diaz-Balart, whom people have said believes he just might be the next President of Cuba. It could happen, keeping nutjob looneytoon friends in the White House:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~click to view los dos on Air Force One~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://diaz-balart.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=DataPipes.ViewImage&Image_id=16&ImageStoreType_id=1



Remember that _Bush's daddy was also involved with selected Cuban "exiles" during the Bay of Pigs and later activities. Remember some of that CIA-trained group also broke and entered the Watergate and Daniel Elsburg's psychiatrist's office to steal his medical records.

[MaineDem]

6. CNN covered this

I was surprised. The reporter repeated that Castro kept referring to Bush as brain damaged from years of alcoholism.

Carol the ditzy talking head asked if people in Cuba "are buying it". Sheesh!

[Judi Lynn]

7. That's outstanding!

Now where would he get an idea like that?

Goes to show you the Cubans are just clueless, doesn't it?

[Judi Lynn]

8. Bush policies court Cuban-Americans

Tuesday, July 27, 2004


KOSLOW: Bush policies court Cuban-Americans

LAWRENCE KOSLOW
Tucson Citizen

In the past year, the Bush administration has tightened Cuban travel restrictions on Cuban-Americans and "educational" tour groups.

In 2003, U.S. trade with Cuba was $259 million and is expected to double for 2004 ($210 million through May). Additionally, the U.S. government has just approved a joint venture between a California company and a Cuban company to further develop cancer drugs, something that has not happened since the imposition of the embargo in the early 1960s.
(snip)

The restrictions side is all about Florida and its 1 million Cuban-Americans. In 1996, President Clinton was able to carry the state after working to pass the very tough Helms Burton Act that made it much more difficult for U.S. companies to trade with Cuba through their foreign subsidiaries.

In 2000, President George W. Bush narrowly took Florida in the disputed election, but he won an overwhelming majority of the Cuban-American vote for his constant and severe criticism of the handling of the Elian Gonzalez matter.
(snip/...)

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=business&story_id=072704d3_koslowcolumn

[leesa]

9. We're going to invade them for their sex trade...and not

their oil, so quit saying that!

[Judi Lynn]

11. Kick!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[Hobarticus]

13. Gotta love Fidel...

He just says whatever the hell he wants!

[Mika]

16. Yep. The Cuban people (in Cuba) do too.

Except that Castro doesn't 'just say whatever the hell he wants' - that is Bush's trait.

President Castro is a world class diplomat, loved globally (except the USA).

[IA_Seth]

14. Castro

He may not be the best leader in the world, but he sure doesn't hesitate to tell it like it is when it comes to Bush, does he?

I think people that underestimate Castro are silly. He seems to have a very sharp mind for his age.

[nolabels]

15. Kick

:kick:

[struggle4progress]

17. US Stands Behind Cuban Sex Tourism Allegations

VOA News
27 Jul 2004, 21:26 UTC

U.S. officials have refused to back down from President Bush's charge that Cuba promotes sex tourism - something Cuban President Fidel Castro denies.
State Department spokesman Adam Ereli says the issue of prostitution in Cuba is well documented. He referred to a 2002 human rights report that said Cuba had replaced Southeast Asia as one of the world's top sex tourism destinations.

He spoke Tuesday - one day after Mr. Castro lashed out at Mr. Bush and called his accusations "lies." Mr. Bush has said Mr. Castro promotes sex tourism because it is a vital source of cash for the Cuban government.

The Associated Press reports that while prostitution exists in Cuba it is unorganized and far less visible since 1999 when the government launched a massive crackdown on street crime.
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=1E3DD4F0-C8A6-42A4-A4E354BC8AFCC320


Angry Cubans refute sex-tourism talk
Posted on Sat, Jul. 17, 2004
BY TRACEY EATON
The Dallas Morning News
<snip>
To back up his claim, Bush cited the Protection Project, a human rights research institute at Johns Hopkins University. In a three-page report posted on its Internet site, the group said that while "little information is available," Cuba is "increasingly reported to be a major destination for sex tourists." That finding was based mostly on newspaper clippings, most from the 1990s, one going back to 1994.
<snip>
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/world/9180305.htm


Nature and Purpose of Trafficking in Persons
http://www.protectionproject.org/human_rights/traf79c.htm


<edit: add related thread>
Castro's sex-trade point lost on Bush, student says
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=701957

[Mika]

18. Sorry

Edit: Wrong thread. Sorry