Posted on 08/02/2006 4:19:54 PM PDT by SmithL
The White House and Congress, caught unaware by Fidel Castro's illness, prepared Wednesday for a possible showdown in Cuba as lawmakers drafted legislation that would pay millions of dollars to dissidents who fight for democratic change.
"The message will be: The United States stands with you," Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., one of the authors, said in an interview. "Be ready to assert your independence."
There was no sign of upheaval in Cuba Wednesday, two days after Castro stunned U.S. officials and many of his own countrymen with the news that he had temporarily ceded power to his brother, Raul, in order to undergo surgery.
The handover was a surprise to the White House and Congress, one senator said.
"The president's comment was that everybody was caught by surprise, and we'll have to wait and see" what U.S. action is necessary, said Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, who discussed the developments with President Bush on Tuesday. "I think all of us can say we had no idea this was coming."
The remarks underscored the scanty reliable intelligence the U.S. has on an old Cold War foe that lies just 90 miles off the Florida shore.
"It's difficult for us to assess what the situation is," said White House spokesman Tony Snow. He cautioned Cubans against any mass exodus — and Cuban-American exiles against returning to claim property they lost in Cuba.
"Stay where you are. This is not a time for people to try to be getting in the water and going either way," Snow added. "We have talked about the importance, eventually, of finding an orderly and safe way for people to make transit between two places."
At the State Department, spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States had no independent information about Castro's health. "This is a pretty closed decision-making
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I know some of these guys personally. They are serious and capable. Felix Rodriguez was there to put a bullet in Che. They would not be our puppets but Chavez would be number one on their hit list.
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