"THE QUESTIONS KERRY SHOULD DEMAND
CUBA ANSWER" - Frank Calzon / @FrankCalzon2014 / August 13, 2015 / http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/13/the-questions-john-kerry-should-demand-cuba-answer/ [AS I SEE IT: Don't hold your breath that when any of the major mainstream media sources report on today's flag raising ceremony, ypu'll hear a word about what is reported in this article nor anything else critical of our new "neighbor" to the south? You have to ask, as with Iran, why is the Obama administration so set on making "friends' with 2 countries - Iran and Cuba - that former President Bush famously described as terrorist states? Has either one been proved to be anything but?- Stan]
There is a strong likelihood that when Secretary John Kerry raises the
CUBA ANSWER" - Frank Calzon / @FrankCalzon2014 / August 13, 2015 / http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/13/the-questions-john-kerry-should-demand-cuba-answer/ [AS I SEE IT: Don't hold your breath that when any of the major mainstream media sources report on today's flag raising ceremony, ypu'll hear a word about what is reported in this article nor anything else critical of our new "neighbor" to the south? You have to ask, as with Iran, why is the Obama administration so set on making "friends' with 2 countries - Iran and Cuba - that former President Bush famously described as terrorist states? Has either one been proved to be anything but?- Stan]
There is a strong likelihood that when Secretary John Kerry raises the
American flag in Havana this Friday [today], he will meet with General
Raul Castro or other Cuban government officials who continue to support
the FARC, a Colombian terrorist group. Neither Kerry nor President Obama
want to ask embarrassing questions.
Raul Castro or other Cuban government officials who continue to support
the FARC, a Colombian terrorist group. Neither Kerry nor President Obama
want to ask embarrassing questions.
The Washington Post recently called attention to Obama’s efforts not to raise
significant issues that could derail the legacy he seeks by his approach to Raul
Castro’s regime: “Tricky negotiations in the wake of the Cuba thaw”. The Post
said “As the Obama administration has pursued normalization with Cuba, it
has been drawn into lower-profile but thorny dialogues with two of
Havana’s long-standing clients: the Venezuelan government of Nicolás
Maduro and Colombia’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).”
significant issues that could derail the legacy he seeks by his approach to Raul
Castro’s regime: “Tricky negotiations in the wake of the Cuba thaw”. The Post
said “As the Obama administration has pursued normalization with Cuba, it
has been drawn into lower-profile but thorny dialogues with two of
Havana’s long-standing clients: the Venezuelan government of Nicolás
Maduro and Colombia’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).”
The infamous relationship between the FARC and Raul Castro’s regime is
nothing new and we’re not talking about ancient history. At a Congressional
hearing on June 24th, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., asked
Special Envoy Bernard Aronson who had just returned from Cuba about a Cuba
-bound Chinese ship loaded with weapons that was intercepted by the
Colombian navy. The ship was scheduled to dock in two Colombian ports:
Cartagena and Baranquilla, and the weapons manufactured in China were of
the same type used by the Colombian terrorists.The weapons were purchased
by Raul Castro, but in a telling detail they were shipped under tons of cereal.
nothing new and we’re not talking about ancient history. At a Congressional
hearing on June 24th, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., asked
Special Envoy Bernard Aronson who had just returned from Cuba about a Cuba
-bound Chinese ship loaded with weapons that was intercepted by the
Colombian navy. The ship was scheduled to dock in two Colombian ports:
Cartagena and Baranquilla, and the weapons manufactured in China were of
the same type used by the Colombian terrorists.The weapons were purchased
by Raul Castro, but in a telling detail they were shipped under tons of cereal.
The issue of the smuggling operation is a matter of no interest to Obama,
because if, as it is likely, the weapons were meant to increase terrorist violence
in Colombia, the administration’s decision to remove Cuba from the list of
countries supporters of terrorism would have been impossible to defend.
Thus the unwillingness of the administration to ask questions can only be
explained as an effort to maintain deniability. The president, the administration,
Kerry, and the Central Intelligence Agency simply did not know and do not
wish to know. We are not talking about a few pistols and hand grenades. The
amount of deadly cargo included the following: “100 tons of gunpowder,
2.6 million detonators for bullets, 99 “projectiles” (rocket-propelled grenades,
to venture a guess) and 3,000 artillery shells.”
because if, as it is likely, the weapons were meant to increase terrorist violence
in Colombia, the administration’s decision to remove Cuba from the list of
countries supporters of terrorism would have been impossible to defend.
Thus the unwillingness of the administration to ask questions can only be
explained as an effort to maintain deniability. The president, the administration,
Kerry, and the Central Intelligence Agency simply did not know and do not
wish to know. We are not talking about a few pistols and hand grenades. The
amount of deadly cargo included the following: “100 tons of gunpowder,
2.6 million detonators for bullets, 99 “projectiles” (rocket-propelled grenades,
to venture a guess) and 3,000 artillery shells.”
At the hearing, Ros-Lehtinen addressed Special Envoy Aronson as follows:
“In your trips to Cuba, did you ask the Cuban authorities if the large weapons
shipment bought by Havana was intended for the FARC? Did you ask the
Cuban authorities the reason for hiding the shipment under tons of grain?”
“In your trips to Cuba, did you ask the Cuban authorities if the large weapons
shipment bought by Havana was intended for the FARC? Did you ask the
Cuban authorities the reason for hiding the shipment under tons of grain?”
Aronson could not have been more disingenuous. He said: “I don’t engage
with the Cuban authorities on a bilateral issue.I only talked to them once while
I was down there on the progress of the peace talks.” To this day, the
administration has shown a vexing disinterest and the Chinese ship and
Havana’s smuggling of weapons.
with the Cuban authorities on a bilateral issue.I only talked to them once while
I was down there on the progress of the peace talks.” To this day, the
administration has shown a vexing disinterest and the Chinese ship and
Havana’s smuggling of weapons.
Isn’t it troublesome for Castro to be bringing into Cuba or Colombia such
huge amount of war materiel, at a time when the president was and remains
very much accommodating to the Castro dynasty? If the Obama administration
asked the Colombian government to permit American officials to interview the
crew of the Da Dan Xia, the American people nor the Congress has been told.
huge amount of war materiel, at a time when the president was and remains
very much accommodating to the Castro dynasty? If the Obama administration
asked the Colombian government to permit American officials to interview the
crew of the Da Dan Xia, the American people nor the Congress has been told.
The episode is not the first time that the Cuban regime is caught red-handed
smuggling weapons. In July 2013, again while the administration was extending
a hand of friendship to Havana, Panama intercepted a North Korean ship
coming from Cuba attempting to cross the Panama Canal loaded with war
planes, missiles, and other weapons in violation of United Nations sanctions.
The administration, when asked, said that the shipment “did not rise to a
sufficient level” to be of significant concern.
smuggling weapons. In July 2013, again while the administration was extending
a hand of friendship to Havana, Panama intercepted a North Korean ship
coming from Cuba attempting to cross the Panama Canal loaded with war
planes, missiles, and other weapons in violation of United Nations sanctions.
The administration, when asked, said that the shipment “did not rise to a
sufficient level” to be of significant concern.
Kerry will be in Havana on Friday to raise the American flag. There are rumors
that the Secretary is considering visiting Fidel Castro to congratulate the Cuban
leader on his birthday. But the Secretary of State does deal with bilateral issues,
if he wants to.
that the Secretary is considering visiting Fidel Castro to congratulate the Cuban
leader on his birthday. But the Secretary of State does deal with bilateral issues,
if he wants to.
Will Kerry ask General Raul Castro one or two simple questions: Were those
weapons intended for the FARC in Colombia? And if not, since Cuba has a l
egitimate right to purchase weapons, why were they being smuggled?
weapons intended for the FARC in Colombia? And if not, since Cuba has a l
egitimate right to purchase weapons, why were they being smuggled?
The American people and the U.S. Congress deserve an answer.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Frank Calzon is Executive Director at the Center for a Free Cuba in
Washington, D.C.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Frank Calzon is Executive Director at the Center for a Free Cuba in
Washington, D.C.
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