Posted on 01/08/2002 2:10:57 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
Forty-three years ago today, Fidel Castro rode into Havana, triumphantly, atop a Sherman tank after having defeated the Batista regime, ready to establish his own dictatorship.
Moments ago, on TV, I saw the old bastard sporting a brand-new New York Fire Department baseball cap, a gift from a visiting US Congressman.
Does anyone know who this rat bastard was that gave Fidel the opportunity to desecrate the memories of American Heroes?
I want this bastards name.
First U.S. Wheat to Cuba in 40 Years
First U.S. Wheat Shipments to Cuba in 40 Years Prepared to Leave Today
By JUAN A. LOZANO
Associated Press Writer
GALVESTON, Texas (AP) -- Flowing from a snake-like spout, 30,000 metric tons of grain poured into the hull of a ship set to take it to a place American wheat hasn't gone in 40 years -- Cuba.
The ship, scheduled to leave the Port of Galveston on Wednesday, will not only deliver the first shipment of U.S. wheat to Cuba since the trade embargo was implemented against the island country in 1961, but also carry the economic hopes of farmers and lawmakers hoping to create a new market.
``The Cuban embargo is a highly charged and emotional issue for some,'' U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Beaumont, said Tuesday as he and other officials stood near the ship as wheat was loaded in it. ``But after visiting (the country) it's an ill-advised policy that hurts people. This is a historic first shipment. But we have a long way to go.''
The commercial shipment of wheat -- from Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma -- is a venture between Decatur, Ill.-based Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Kansas City, Mo.-based Farmland Industries Inc.
``This is a very exciting time for American agriculture,'' said Joe Royster, a member of the Archer Daniels/Farmland advisory board. ``American farmers can feed the world and end hunger in many developing countries.
The sale of the wheat was made possible by congressional action in 2000 that softened the embargo, allowing the sale of food to the Caribbean country but barring U.S. government financing of any such sales.
Cuban purchases of U.S. medical supplies have been legal since 1992.
The wheat aboard the 600-foot-long Turkish ship the M.V.H. Ismael Kaptanoglu was set to arrive in Havana by Saturday.
American agribusiness is hoping this first shipment will lead to many others and open up Cuba as a new market. The Caribbean country buys about 1.1 million tons of wheat each year, mostly from Europe, Canada and Argentina.
``Cuba represents a market of $700 million a year. Those are pretty big numbers for us,'' Lampson said.
Officials with Farmland would not disclose the sale price for the wheat but said it was worth $3.5 million on the open market.
Last month, the first direct commercial agricultural exports from the United States to Cuba since 1963 -- corn and chicken parts -- arrived on the island.
Trade between the countries was extremely heavy before the U.S. government imposed trade sanctions on Fidel Castro's government nearly 40 years ago.
Get with the program, my friend! BUMP!
"Democrats criticize Reich's staunch anti-Castro views and what they contend were his efforts within the Reagan administration to undermine Nicaragua's Sandinista government.
your vigilance is appreciated as is Luis's ...rto
We should keep in mind that in that trip Castro visited the main centers of terrorism in the Middle East. Was Castro giving the necessary intelligence information to the Al Qaeda terrorists that made possible the successful attacks of September 11th? The Russians have a spy base in Cuba that is their main source of intelligence. Why did the Russians decide to close their spy base there immediately after the attack? Were the Russians trying to disassociate themselves from Castro and the Al Qaeda partnership? Senator Specter recognized the extraordinary intelligence capabilities of the Cuban regimen. Are we going to put our security in the hands of our worst enemy?
Specter and company should be court martial for treason. Lenin affirmed that we would be the ones selling the rope to the communists in order for them to hang us. Specter and company go much further; they are providing the rope free of charge to Castro.
Castro says go ahead and hold the terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. Sens. Specter and Chafee took a trip to Havana -- which would be very big news on any other day -- and spent nearly seven hours with the old revolutionary. The Guantanamo Bay U.S. base on the eastern end of Cuba has been there for nearly a century. Castro has never been too happy about it, but he notably didn't raise a stink about the Pentagon plan to hold some terrorist buddies there.This guy Ken Layne is a commie, but at least he confirms my suspicions. That picture will never be released.Sadly, I can't find an online photo of what I saw on CNN: Fidel smiling and shaking hands, and wearing a FDNY baseball cap with obvious respect.
Hmm ... maybe that Florida plane crash today was a scheme to keep old Fidel from getting some good press today. You know how Florida is about Castro.
I don't actually believe that, but why not start a new conspiracy rumor?
My thoughts exactly, Luis. Please put me on your ping list if you find out who gave that to Castro, and I will also take action.
My only consolation is that Cuba is on the terrorist list and maybe Castro will get a daisy cutter dropped on his head.
I sure hope not. But at least Cuba is on the terrorist nation list.
"SUDAN SHARES its terrorist nation label with six other countries: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea and Syria. The U.S. Secretary of State has designated these seven governments as state sponsors of international terrorism and they have been on the list together since 1993." MSNBC story
This may not mean much, but at least these guilty congressmen will have no excuse as to who and what they have been supporting.
BUMP!!!!
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