Posted on 05/17/2005 11:12:15 AM PDT by LouAvul
HAVANA, Cuba (AP) -- Hundreds of thousands of Cubans answered Fidel Castro's call to file past the American mission early Tuesday in a "March against Terrorism," demanding that the United States arrest a Cuban militant in the deadly bombing of an airliner.
Dressed in his traditional olive green military uniform and cap, the 78-year-old Castro showed up in the crowd outside the U.S. Interests Section minutes before the march was to start.
"Down with terrorism!" Castro shouted in brief comments before he stepped off to lead the march. "Down with Nazi doctrines and methods! Down with the lies!"
Marchers began gathering hours before dawn, recalling the scores of massive marches the communist government organized in 2000 during the battle for the return of young Cuban castaway Elian Gonzalez to his homeland.
Cuban state TV showed huge rivers of people crowded into side streets spilling into the Malecon coastal highway, which runs past the American mission. Most marchers wore T-shirts in red, blue or white, the colors of the Cuban flag.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
When Castro sends back Joanne Chesimard, maybe we'll talk...
How touching! The bearded wonder of Havana still hasn't learned any new songs after 46 years.
When is that old fart gonna die, anyhow?
I guess Castro has been feeling ignored lately, what with all the news in the Middle East and Europe.
What's the penalty for one of our men to fire a shot over the fence and nailing that 2-bit banana dictator?
Couldn't he have tripped and fell like before? I got such a hoot out of that one!
Wait...I don't understand this "moral relativism." If he stands reasonably accused of blowing up an airliner full of innocent people, he should be arrested and given a trial, like every other criminal. Just because Castro wants him arrested doesn't mean he didn't do anything wrong.
Someone please tell me where the problem is, here. I'm willing to accept a good argument, because it seems the U.S. gov't should have a good reason for not arresting him -- and I don't know much about this case.
First Option: Turn out for "spontaneous" Anti-American Rally"
Second Option: Set of steak knives....(in the back)
Third Option: YOU'RE DEAD.
But I'll answer you anyway:
(1) there is not a single shred of physical evidence linking Posada to any crime committed in Cuba. Real countries present hard evidence to other countries before demanding extradition.
(2) Cuba has no extradition treaty with the US and has routinely denied US requests for extradition despite overwhelming physical evidence against persons residing in Cuba.
Therefore, Cuba's demand that Posada be extradited is ridiculous.
Do a google search on: Luis Posada Carriles
Yeah, that's my question, as well. If this guy did blow up an aircraft, Cuban or otherwise, why isn't he being treated just like any other terrorist. Just because Fidelito doesn't like him doesn't mean he is a good guy. If we play the "he's not a terrorist, he's a freedom fighter" game then others will, as well!
Um...I'm not a leftist -- and I have received and understand your point, and will do some research. Why am I a leftist if I don't accept everything I hear as gospel -- or because I ask questions????
They're demanding that the US arrest a Cuban militant, wouldn't Castro qualify? We could arrest Fidel and the world would be a better place.
Ironic that a socialist dictator is complaining about socialism.
But you did uncritically accept the article's assumptions. You said that you didn't understand why the US would refuse to put Posada on trial if he was a terrorist.
I.e., you assumed Castro's claims were prima facie legit, instead of asking the first and most obvious question: "What is Castro up to?"
That would be the second part of the question, where I said, "I would assume the U.S. has good reason for doing this." You're sensationalizing.
That's not exactly what you said.
yup , Joanne Chesimard and Castro posing for their MORGUE photos
But that's EXACTLY what I meant -- that if the government is not arresting him, they probably have a good reason. That said, I don't put a lot of faith in government and all of its decisions -- another reason why I was skeptical. It's the same police state, no matter what party is in charge.
Fair enough. I'll take you at your word as to what you meant.
Satan is dreading listening to those pathetic 8-hour speeches...
Maybe she thought, "Finally, this bozo's checking out!"
Send this terrorist back to Venezuela. Luis Posada Carriles blew up a civilian airliner, and then violated US immigration laws. A real desirable immigrant he is not.
He confessed, in a New York Times interview, to setting bombs in Havanna hotels, one of which killed in Italian tourist. Is a public confession enough? What kind of extra proof do you need?
No he didn't.
He refused to answer the question.
That generally isn't enough evidence to trigger an extradition proceeding.
You are believing an article in the NEW YORK TIMES????
Being in the custody of immigration officials, whilst in the country illegally, however, generally is. He is not seeking asylum. He's an illegal immigrant who turned himself in to immigration.
Generally, but in the case of Cuba, there is no extradition treaty.
That's simply not true. I have the article in front of me. He refused to answer several technical questions about how he masterminded the bombings, but proudly took responsibility. From the July 12, 1998 New York Times:
Mr. Posada proudly admitted authorship of the hotel bomb attacks last year. He described them as acts of war intended to cripple a totalitarian regime by depriving it of foreign tourism and investment.
"We didn't want to hurt anybody," he said. "We just wanted to make a big scandal so that the tourists don't come anymore. We don't want any more foreign investment."
The bombs were also intended, Mr. Posada said, to sow doubts abroad about the stability of the regime, to make Cuba think he had operatives in the military and to encourage internal opposition. "People are not afraid anymore," he said. "They talk openly in the street. But they need something to start the fire, and that's my goal."
The Bombings A Mastermind Reveals Some Key Secrets
For several months the attacks did indeed discourage tourism. With a rueful chuckle, Mr. Posada described the Italian tourist's death as a freak accident, but he declared that he had a clear conscience, saying, "I sleep like a baby."
"It is sad that someone is dead, but we can't stop," he added. "That Italian was sitting in the wrong place at the wrong time."
If this terrorist had admitted blowing up a hotel anywhere else in the world, you would be clamoring for his head, and rightfully so. The fact that you tolerate this terrorist is shameful and hypocritical.
Ship him to a third country, Venezuela. He is a self-proclaimed terrorist and is in the United States illegaly, with no legal right to do so. The US has no extradition treaty with a number of countries and their citizens are not permitted to illegally enter either.
The New York Times taped the interviews. He's quoted word for word, and nobody has challenged his own admission of guilt. What do you want me to say? The fact taht you pretend he isn't a terrorist is striking. The difference between this man and Abu Nidal is that this scumbag can salsa better.
My opinion is that Posada should be tried, convicted and executed for his crimes.
However, I do not think that we should negotiate with a terrorist regime in order for Posada to receive justice.
Giving into one terrorist in order to bring another terrorist to justice is not the answer.
He should be given a legal, transparent trial and then be given a legal punishment.
This is about right. According to a Cuban I once worked with, the government sent notices out to employers in advance of these planned rallies. The employers had to give the workers the day off and encourage them to go to the rally. And of course there were secret police sprinkled throughout the rally.
Now the fact that you are putting words in my mouth is striking. I never, as you well know, hinted that the man was not a terrorist. However, the NYT is fast approaching that term in my book.
That's being just a little bit silly. I think the New York Times is biased as much as the next man, but (1) They have Posada on tape, and (2) They actually got one part of the story wrong, which Posada and other Cuban exiles got them to retract, so somebody was paying attention. If Posada had been grossly misquoted, presumably he would have said something about that as well.
Sorry but I grow weary of listening to someone defend the NYT.
Maybe yes, maybe no. But my point is that they challenged a relatively small part of the piece and it seems nonsensical to suppose that Posada had a big problem with a small part of the article, but was absolutely happy with the Times having him confess to a terrorist attack he did not actually commit.
Sorry but I grow weary of listening to someone defend the NYT.
Yawn, I'm not defending the Times. They're just not always wrong. Find a new canard.
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