Castro Accuses Bush of Assassination Plot

VOA News ^ | 30 Jan 2004, 18:14 UTC | VOA News

[LibFreeUSA]

Cuban leader Fidel Castro has accused President Bush of plotting with organized crime to kill him. At the end of a five-hour address to anti-free trade activists in Havana, Mr. Castro said Friday that President Bush had made a commitment "with the Cuban-American mafia" to assassinate him.

There was no immediate comment from the White House.

The Cuban leader also vowed that if the United States were to invade the island, he would, "go down fighting." He said Cuba is prepared for a conflict, and will not budge from its principles.

Last month, the White House said a special commission of senior Bush administration officials is expected to put forth recommendations by May first for a peaceful removal of Mr. Castro.

In the early years of Mr. Castro's rule, there were several documented cases of U.S. attempts to assassinate him. In 1976, a U.S. executive order banned the assassination of foreign leaders.

The Reuters news agency quotes Mr. Castro today as asking the Bush administration to clarify its position on the assassination issue.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters

[LibFreeUSA]

-"Cuban leader Fidel Castro has accused President Bush of plotting with organized crime to kill him."

If only this were true.

[BIGZ]

On sick puppy!

[demnomo]

This guy has been spending way too much time talking on the phone with N. Korea's "Beloved Leader."

[marlon]

Yeah I'd say it's more like wishful thinking on Ole Fifi's part. Look at me I'm important too. I can be a terroist. Bush wants to get me too. I mean it look I wear army uniforms you know just like that funny look'en little guy in Korea, and you'll never see me wearin no stinkin dress like that guy over there in the tent what's he's name Moo Moo or something?

[WayneM]

Just trying to stir up the Dean crowd!

[LasVegasMac]

Oh no!

Those wascally wepubwecans are up to no good again!

Wassup, Doc - I mean Fido?

LVM

[eskimo]

-"Cuban leader Fidel Castro has accused President Bush of plotting with organized crime to kill him."

Somehow I doubt it is the Bush kid's fault if "organized crime" has a problem with old Fidel.

[Hillary's Folly]

Yeah, this just might make up for Prescription Drugs, Campaign Finance, Illegal Aliens, NEA funding, No Child Left Behind...

[Zipporah]

Who knows? After I read this I suppose anything is possible.

Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Justification for US Military Intervention in Cuba [includes cover memoranda], March 13, 1962, TOP SECRET, 15

[Shermy]

[cake_crumb]

Castro comes up with some tinfoil hat fantasy like this every time he feels the need to renew the peon's support for Revolution.

[ex-Texan]

*BUMP*!

[toddst]

If only this were true.

If George W. really wanted Mr. Castro taken out, it would happen. Good old Fidel isn't worth the effort, especially since he's likely to go anytime due to just plain old age and his excesses over the years. Bye bye, Fidel!

[camas]

does anyone know if executive orders carry over from one admin to the next??

[nobody_knows]

He ALWAYS acts all tough when he gives a speech in front of Canadian postal workers!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3446069.stm

[nobody_knows]

"With a gun in my hand, I don't care how I die, but I'm confident that if they invade us, I will go down fighting," Mr Castro said to tumultuous applause from the audience, which included Andean Indians, landless Brazilians, and Canadian postal workers. "

[RedMonqey]

From the BBC story:

"President Castro was addressing a gathering of about 1,000 international activists AGAIN FREE TRADE - and in particular the US-backed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)"

Doesn't it seem odd from a man who wants the US embrago lifted so his country can have " FREE TRADE" with the Great Imperilist Oppresser of the Working Class to OPPOSE free trade agreements with other Latin American countries?

But then again Casro was never much for consistency or principles.

Maybe he 's resentfull and full of spite. Just like a jealous rejected lover.