WASHINGTON TODAY: Critics Left and Right See Bush Errors on Cuba Policy

[Snazzy]

WASHINGTON TODAY: Critics Left and Right See Bush Errors on Cuba Policy

By George Gedda Associated Press Writer
Published: May 5, 2004

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush is positioning himself to curry favor with conservative constituents who believe his Cuba policy, for all of the anti-Castro rhetoric, hasn't added up to much.
No one doubts that Bush has tried to make life more difficult for the Cuban leader. If not for Bush's veto threats, Congress probably would have ended a ban on recreational travel to Cuba by Americans.

Indeed, Bush has moved the policy in the opposite direction, closing a loophole four months ago that many Americans were using in violation of the travel prohibition.

Bush has decried the "chokehold" that Castro maintains on the island, but some of Bush's strongest supporters among Cuban-Americans say his actions have not gone far enough.

....

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA2NVN0VTD.html

[ant]

1. radio free america

That's interesting. I just got an email from a friend telling me she heard that the admin plans to fly planes over cuba in order to broadcast, and prevent the Cuban government from jamming, radio free america (or whatever they call it down there).

I can't find any info online, but she was curious about the cost of such an operation (if it's actually planned). Anyone know where I might be able to find more info on such a thing?

[maddezmom]

3. here's a link

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) hopes to end Cuba's jamming of U.S. government broadcasts to the island as part of a broader effort to toughen U.S policies toward the island, a senior official said.



The official said Bush, acting on a recommendation by a government commission, has decided to order deployment of military aircraft to transmit signals of the Miami-based Radio Marti and TV Marti.


A formal announcement was expected on Thursday, three days after a government commission headed by Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) sent the president a 500-page report with Cuba policy recommendations, including one to circumvent jamming.


The commission's mandate was to propose steps to hasten an end to communist rule in Cuba and to provide ideas on ways to assist a post-Castro government.

~snip~

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=589&ncid=734&e=1&u=/ap/20040506/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/us_cuba

[leQ]

2. did he give an official announcement?

i had the tv on cnn, and thought i heard him talk about cuba's regime and a free cuba line about 5 times. but i couldn't interrupt what i was doing to pay closer attention. someone somewhere mentioned that cuba is on the chessboard now... i think it was stranger from tbtm on bart's board.

but this could turn into something of a diversion i'm afraid. instead of dealing with another terrorist attack, why not just have another war. yuk.

[maddezmom]

4. powell's going to give it today

A formal announcement was expected on Thursday, three days after a government commission headed by Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) sent the president a 500-page report with Cuba policy recommendations, including one to circumvent jamming.


The commission's mandate was to propose steps to hasten an end to communist rule in Cuba and to provide ideas on ways to assist a post-Castro government.

~snip~
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=589&ncid=734&e=1&u=/ap/20040506/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/us_cuba