U.S., Cuba quietly hold joint exercise at Guantanamo

[Judi Lynn]

U.S., Cuba quietly hold joint exercise at Guantanamo
Steven Edwards, Canwest News Service
Published: Monday, July 20, 2009

U.S. NAVAL BASE GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba -- The U.S. military quietly conducted a joint exercise last week with the Cuban army on either side of the perimeter of the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay in southeastern Cuba.

About 150 U.S. and Cuban uniformed and civilian personnel took part in the drill, which saw Cuban military helicopters cross to the American side of the fence, and American and Cuban medics establish a triage centre on Cuban territory.

U.S. military officials said nothing about the exercise ahead of -- or during -- the event last Thursday, despite the presence elsewhere on the 116-square-kilometre base of 28 journalists from global media outlets to cover the scheduled appearances of terror suspects in the military tribunals.

News the exercise took place is likely to enrage Cuban exiles and their supporters, some of whom include prominent Republican members of Congress.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1808415