Castro Says Bush Plotting to Kill Him

[He219]

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040130/thumb.hav10201301106.cuba__castro_hav102.jpg
Cuban President Fidel Castro gestures during his 5 1/2-hour-speech at the ending meeting of the the anti Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA) summit in Havana, Cuba, Jan. 29, 2004

Castro: 'I Will Die Fighting' if U.S. Invades Cuba (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040130/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cuba_us_2)

Friday, January 30, 2004 4:47 p.m. ET

By Anthony Boadle

HAVANA (*******) - Cuban President Fidel Castro vowed on Friday to die fighting "with a gun in my hand" if the United States invaded Cuba to overthrow his communist government.

"I don't care how I die, but for sure, if they invade us, I will die fighting," the 77-year-old leader said at a meeting of anti-free trade activists from across the hemisphere.

Castro, the target of countless CIA assassination attempts in the 1960s, called on the Bush administration to clarify to the world its policy was on assassinating foreign leaders.

In Miami, a senior U.S. government official dismissed Castro's comments as absurd.

"It's an absurd declaration, as usual. According to Fidel Castro, he's going to die fighting, probably he's going to die talking," said Roger Noriega, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs. Noriega was speaking to journalists while attending a conference on Latin America.

Earlier this month, Bush Administration officials accused Cuba of joining forces with Venezuela's leftist government to destabilize democratic governments in Latin America.

President Bush last year named a commission to speed up a post-Castro transition to democratic rule in Cuba, aggravating fears in Havana that Cuba could be the next on Bush's list for a regime change after Iraq.

"We don't want a conflict, but we will not give an inch on our principles," Castro said in a rambling five-and-a-half-hour speech.

Castro said Cuba was prepared to resist invasion, with "hundreds of thousands" of soldiers ready to defend the island with guerrilla tactics he had used in the Sierra Maestra mountains to defeat a dictator's army and seize power in 1959.

He said instructions have been given in the case he were to die in a surgical strike.

"This nation will never surrender. ... We have taken all the measures. Everyone knows what to do," Castro said.

Western diplomats said Cuban authorities were preparing the population for a possible invasion with training drills.

A U.S. presidential directive from the 1970s bans the assassination of foreign leaders, but the Bush Administration appeared to waive the ban when it made clear that Iraq's Saddam Hussein was to be considered a target before last year's invasion.

Castro spoke to more than 1,000 activists, from Andean Indians and landless Brazilians to Canadian postal workers, who met in Havana to plan protests against the U.S.-backed Free Trade Area of the Americas.

(Additional reporting by Maria Jose Gonzalez in Miami)

:lol:

[Dalleer]

"I don't care how I die, but for sure, if they invade us, I will die fighting,"

Oh no, not you too...

Honestly, Mr. Castro seems to have too much time on his hands and frankly him being an attention whore, it rather seems, isn't really helping the matter at all.

[Roger Rabbit]

Unless he's hiding Bin Laden i doubt he's got much to fear.


anti-free trade activists :cantbeli:

[Nizark]

been there, done that. The guy is like herpes....never goes away. A exploding cigar didnt work, neither did the bay of pigs. Whats next, a suicide refugee bomber that gets sent back?

[usa320]

Its my understanding that current doctrine is not to plan ways to kill him, but instead the council on a free cuba is instead planning what to do AFTER he dies, which frankly, isnt that far off. Hes 77, how much longer can the guy be around.

Same goes for arafat.

As for this "ill die fighting", all i have to say is Ghaddafi said that, and he surrendered his arms to inspectors. Saddam said that, and he hid in a hole while sending his stooges into battle. Osama said that, and he has yet to fight, instead he runs like the pussy he is.

In other words, ill believe it when i see it.

[memphiz]

i think Canada should invade Cuba-and call it Canuba(im so smart) then sell the cigars to all the rich celebs.

[Gringo]

We could try to shave his beard off and he'll loose all of his power!

[oldsoak]

I've just watched an advertisement on tv warning of the dangers of smoking etc. With all his cigars he's smoked, howcome he's still here ? Whats his secret ? ( oh, no, not a double...)

[Roger Rabbit]

I reckon he's dead. The Cubans are just send electrical charges down his nerves to make him move and speak. Its and old trick.

[Herrmannek]

I've just watched an advertisement on tv warning of the dangers of smoking etc. With all his cigars he's smoked, howcome he's still here ? Whats his secret ? ( oh, no, not a double...)

He don't inhale....

[Loco]

I've just watched an advertisement on tv warning of the dangers of smoking etc. With all his cigars he's smoked, howcome he's still here ? Whats his secret ? ( oh, no, not a double...)

He don't inhale....
Castro left tobacco 17 years ago, so it isn´t a problem for his lungs any more. There´s a big difference between smoking cigarettes american style(tabaco rubio, aromatic blond tobacco) and cigarros habanos(cigarros puros): The tobacco used is different, and Doctors say cigar´s tobacoo hasn´t so many toxic ingredients like cigarrets, but the main difference is that you don´t inhale the smoke of cigars, you only taste but you don´t swallow it. It´s surprising the great number of very old cubans grandpas and grandmas you can see holding a cigar.
All Castro family is longeval, so may be it´s possible the world "enjoy" 10 years more of Fidel Castro. Then, I wonder what about a peaceful american invassion of Cuba??? Castro need USA because he needs some one to blame of his failures, but I´m afraid USA need Castro too because need a bad guy for its own interest, a bad guy can be very useful when he isn´t dangerous at all, and Castro definitively isn´t a threat for USA, except when he suddenly opens the door and 100.000 cubans leave the island. Castro sold to the world the news that Cuba is still blockaded by Washington, what it has only a piece of true: USA don´t trade with Cuba, but the rest of the world of course can trade with the island, the only limit there is is what Castro wants, but still many ingenuous and silly people think as the USNavy is rounding the island keeping all foreing cargo ships off Cuba. I think what USA has with Cuba is a question of honor wrongly considered, and it´s bad for USA interest. If I were an american citizen, I would ask my government to allow people traveling freely to Cuba, and to allow the traffic of goods with Cuba, thus they would be the contradictions of Castro's regimen those that would stay in evidence. Today there are thousands of tourists who are walking down the streets of La Habana or in Varadero, but if USA let´s its tourists travel to Cuba, they would be millions. Cubans today aren´t fannatics in any way, and slowly they are looking at tourists and the way they live, the clothes, some magazines they enter through adouannes, and etc, now they have many sources of information that 15 years ago they hand´t, so if you want to help cubans to change, go to Cuba peacefully, in Spain it´s said that tourism in the 60´s was a good help for a pacific transition.

[MARINO]

This guy is really stupid, sirty reddish. He isn't Cuabn he was born here in Spain, in Galicia. Here the people of comunist party adrmired him, we have a lot of stupid people here in Spain.

[California Joe]

There'd be lots of tourists because of all the 15 year old whores trying to make a living so they don't starve to death. Why do you think there are European tourists? By the way, I agree that we should normalize relations with Cuba. No matter what the Miami special interest groups think. The Cubans need a dose of capitalism. We need their baseball players.

[Mudcat]

:lol:
We need their baseball players.


Got a point their C. Joe. :D

[DANJANOU]

As loco pointed up he gave up cigars some time back although the ministry in charge of exports was upset because he was a great salesman for them. The man is also a bit of a health nut so odds are he may stick around for awhile.

Re the beard believe it or not but that was actually a CIA op in the 1960's when the exploding cigar and the lining of his wet suit with poison didn't work, some guy came up with the idea of slipping him some chemical that would make the beard fall out. The idea being he'd lose face and resign. I think by then they were getting desperate for ideas.

The big question as noted is not when he goes but what happens next. It all depends on who takes over and how. It could be peaceful or not. One Cuban told that their concept of an election was to grab a rifle and go up into the hills for a bit. The winners came down and formed the Government. That's what Fidel did, and actually Batista before him the first time he came to power.

If Castro's younger brother Raoul takes over, he's next in line and commander of the Military, then things will get worse. He's an old school hardliner that is against many of the reforms of the last few years. Odds are Castro is grooming a couple of moderates as possible successors.

The worse thing that could happen is for the US to get directly involved. The Cubans may want change, but they're very proud. Unlike the Irauqi Army I'd say the Cuban FAR would fight and literally to the last. They're well trained and most commanders have a lot of combat experience from Angola, Ethiopia, El Salvador etc. Only when they lost would the guerilla war start. They're good at it, and the terrain (jungle, mountains, large cities) favours them.

Recogniton of the place and an end to the embargo after Castro goes is the best option. The embargo itself is a joke as there are so many loop holes in it and Latin America, Canada, Japan, and Europe all openly trade with and invest in Cuba as they are not subject to US law. It's estimated that up to 100,000 US citizens defy the Trading With the Enemies Act and sneak into Cuba for a vacation every year.

The only drawback for the Cuban's is a shortage of hard currency to buy consumer items, food, oil, cars etc. Only Canada offers credit. Anyone else it's cash on the barrelhead. You should see the ships waiting to unload in Habana, Santiago, and Cienfeugos harbours.

Oh Joe, the days of the 15 year old pros are long gone companero. Try that there now and you'll be in a 4 by 4 "all-inclusive" followed by a quick trial and then 3 years cutting sugar cane on the Isle of Youth. Try Bangkok.

[California Joe]

Gee thanks for the advice, I'll cancel the flight.

I just remember reading articles about the great influx of German tourists to Cuba in the last few years largely because of the beautiful beaches, hotels that Cubans weren't allowed in, and very young, very beautiful whores. Hell Maxim magazine even did an article on it. Economic conditions and lust for US dollars being the main culprit.

As an aside, as the father of an 11 year old daughter I find it repugnant in the extreme. Just sayin'.

[DANJANOU]

Joe I didn't for a minute mean to suggest that you were interested (sorry my sense of humour is an aquired taste).

The *** tourist boom of overaged Europeans that hit the island in the late 1980's early 1990's when the Cubans were literally starving after the Soviets pulled out, has died off.

Castro has cracked down on it, and hard. I was down there on business during one of the sweeps and it was not nice to watch. Mind as always he used it as an excuse to toss several thousand political opponents in the can too.

Since then they've put more money into their tourist infrastructure and are trying and succeding in attracting a better class of people, families etc. My last trip down in Sptember, the wife and I bumped into two guys like that who'd booked for a 'little fun" and at a guarded off shore resort about a 3 hour drive from the nearest town. I had to tell them they were about 200km and 10 years too late for what they wanted.

Tourist can get away with a lot down there, in regards to flaunting the laws, but the Cubans do draw the line at certain things.

So hopefully you won't cancel that flight now. When you're down there can you grab me a case of Cohiba Lanceros, I'm running short. I'll give you the name of my dealer.

[California Joe]

No worries. As is mine. ;)

That's interesting. My Father was there in the early 50's when it was basically a resort destination from Miami and he thought the beaches etc. were amazing. I may have half brothers there for all I know....

Good cigars... ;)

[DANJANOU]

Funny I quizzed my Dad about the same thing, a cruise he made to the Bahamas in the 1950's when he was in the Navy. He wouldn't give me a straight answer and gave me a dirty look. Sailors. :lol:

The casinos and most of the night life is gone but the beaches are still spectacular, as are the locals.

[usa320]

The Cubans need a dose of capitalism. We need their baseball players.



rofl

in regards to whores- there is a big problem in S. America and Central America with European "tourists" visiting to get services from young local prostitutes, who because of the complacency of their own government and poor economy, are willing to do anything for a few bucks. If you ask me, the UN or Interpol or something should moved to quell this. A good start would be to open up a McD's in Havana and export some American music down there...

MAybe some leaflets... Cuba could be a decent place (it was gorgeous beach paradise before castro) if it wasnt being run by an old fart stuck in the 50's. Its a different time. Cuba and many south American nations have failed to adapt from socialism or communism to Capitalism. Either in cuba's case they havent at all, or in most cases, they have just finished the change after bloody violence, and now the countries are ruled by corruption.

[EvanL]

The Cubans need a dose of capitalism. We need their baseball players.



rofl

in regards to whores- there is a big problem in S. America and Central America with European "tourists" visiting to get services from young local prostitutes, who because of the complacency of their own government and poor economy, are willing to do anything for a few bucks. If you ask me, the UN or Interpol or something should moved to quell this. A good start would be to open up a McD's in Havana and export some American music down there...

MAybe some leaflets... Cuba could be a decent place (it was gorgeous beach paradise before castro) if it wasnt being run by an old fart stuck in the 50's. Its a different time. Cuba and many south American nations have failed to adapt from socialism or communism to Capitalism. Either in cuba's case they havent at all, or in most cases, they have just finished the change after bloody violence, and now the countries are ruled by corruption.
Did you read the New York Times magazine last SUnday as well? It had a very interesting article relating to this subject.

[California Joe]

This is totally off topic but I imagine there are places in Cambodia and Thailand where lots of people need killing for the things they have young girls do. I picture that as an honorable profession. Traveling about whacking perverts that are pimping or actually soliciting those poor children.

[Gauntlet]

What is up with Bush and guys with facial hair?
http://www.pressefotograf.dk/billeder/reportage/OSAMA%20BIN%20LADEN.jpg
http://image.pathfinder.com/time/europe/magazine/2002/1007/germany/images/saddam.jpg
http://www.fcif.net/imagenes/gal/Alejandro%20Ernesto/Fidel%20Castro%20Ruz.1.2.jpg

[California Joe]

I almost played connect the dots on Fidel's face. What's up with that? I think it's a picture of Santa.....

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

Canadian postal workers
So thats why my mails always late n opened..... :cantbeli:

[DANJANOU]

usa320

They have a Mickey D's there. Problem is it's in Gitmo and I don't crave a Big Mac enough to try and infiltrate the minefields.

Actually one would be an improvement on the local Communist version called El Rapidos. Calling the menu Road Kill would be generous.

Joe sounds like a good job, sign me up.