Bush: Blind eye as terrorists entered US

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Registered: 07-20-2003
Bush: Blind eye as terrorists entered US
18
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 1:27am
Amid Cheers, Terrorists Have Landed in the U.S.

* To curry favor with Cuban Americans, Bush turns a blind eye.



By Julia E. Sweig and Peter Kornbluh, Julia E. Sweig is senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of "Inside the Cuban Revolution." Peter Kornbluh is the author of "Bay of Pigs Declassified."

WASHINGTON — A little-noticed but chilling scene at Opa-locka Airport outside Miami last month demonstrates that the Bush administration's commitment to fighting international terrorism can be overtaken by presidential politics — even if that means admitting known terrorists onto U.S. soil.

That's what happened when outgoing Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso inexplicably pardoned four Cuban exiles convicted of "endangering public safety" for their role in an assassination plot against Fidel Castro during a 2000 international summit in Panama.

After their release, three of the four immediately flew via private jet to Miami, where they were greeted with a cheering fiesta organized by the hard-line anti-Castro community. Federal officials briefly interviewed the pardoned men — all holders of U.S. passports — and then let them go their way.

The fourth man, Luis Posada Carriles, was the most notorious member of this anti-Castro cell. He is an escapee from a prison in Venezuela, where he was incarcerated for blowing up an Air Cubana passenger plane in 1976, killing 73. He also admitted plotting six hotel bombings in Havana that killed one tourist and injured 11 others in 1997. Posada has gone into hiding in Honduras while seeking a Central American country that will harbor him, prompting Honduran President Ricardo Maduro to demand an explanation from the Bush administration on how a renowned terrorist could enter his country using a false U.S. passport.

The terrorist backgrounds of Posada's three comrades-in-arms are as well documented as their leader's. Guillermo Novo once fired a bazooka at the U.N. building; in February 1979, he was convicted and sentenced to 40 years for conspiracy in the 1976 assassination of former Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier and his American colleague, Ronni Moffitt, in Washington. (His conviction was subsequently vacated on a legal technicality.) Gaspar Jimenez was convicted and imprisoned in Mexico in 1977 for murdering a Cuban consulate official; he was released by authorities in 1983. Pedro Remon received a 10-year sentence in 1986 for conspiring to kill Cuba's ambassador to the United Nations in 1980. These are violent men. Panamanian prosecutors said they had planned to detonate 33 pounds of explosives while Castro was speaking at a university in Panama. Had they not been intercepted by the authorities, the blast not only would have killed the Cuban president but quite possibly hundreds of others gathered to hear him speak during the inter-American summit.

For a small but powerful minority in the Cuban American community, the Posada gang are freedom fighters. But Sept. 11 taught the rest of us about the danger of political fanatics who seek to rationalize their violence. To uphold his oft-stated principle that no nation can be neutral in the war on terrorism, shouldn't President Bush have condemned Moscoso's decision to release these terrorists? To protect the sanctity of U.S. borders and the security of Americans, shouldn't the administration have taken all available steps to keep known terrorists out of the United States?

But Florida is crucial to Bush's reelection strategy. Currying favor with anti-Castro constituents in Miami appears to trump the president's anti-terrorism principles. So far, not a single White House, State Department or Homeland Security official has expressed outrage at Panama's decision to put terrorists back on the world's streets. The FBI appears to have no plans to lead a search for Posada so he can be returned to Venezuela, where he is a wanted fugitive. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which has rounded up and expelled hundreds of foreigners on the mere suspicion of a terrorist link, has indicated no intention to detain and deport Novo, Jimenez and Remon.

In June, the White House seemed to have maxed out on pandering to hard-line Cuban exiles when it virtually eliminated family visits and remittances to Cuba as part of a new initiative to undermine Castro's rule. But that policy has upset anti-Castro moderates in both parties because it criminalizes efforts to build family ties across the Straits of Florida, something a family-values president should support. In response, Bush's decision to accept the repatriation of the Cuban exile terrorists seems calculated to shore up support in the Cuban American community.

"I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world," Bush recently said in an interview.

But the decision to allow members of the Posada gang into this country, and the televised spectacle of Miamians applauding their return, sends a different and dangerous message: In a swing state, some terrorists are not only acceptable but welcome

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-op-sweig12sep12,1,2644811.story?coll=la-sunday-commentary

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2003
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 1:38am
This is the president who is making his fight against terrorists the centerpiece of his campaign.

Perhaps he meant only the terrorists that cost him politically.

Those that help him achieve political goals seem to be held to a different standard.


Edited 9/13/2004 1:53 am ET ET by blueishxx
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 11:20am
Hey, I wanted to ask this question to those who are favoring Kerry... Do you think Kerry has a chance if Bush springs out OBL before Nov 2? We hear in the media that we are getting closer to catching OBL, and also most people in India/Pakistan beleive that OBL is already caught and kept hidden somewhere. If you recall the latest tape that came out on Al zazeera, it was OBL second aide rather than he himself who conveyed the message. I have this strong feeling that OBL will be caught if Bush doesnot do well at the debates. It is so slimy to do such a thing but I think Bush campaign is going to use OBL for political gain. WHat do you think? will kerry have a chance?
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2001
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 11:29am
Oh, come on! You're kidding, right? I can't believe there are really folks out there who believe this sort of conspiracy-theory nonsense. If Bush had OBL already, what possible advantage would he get from holding him until just before the election? Don't you think if he trotted him out even six months beforehand, the impact would still be pretty strong come election day? He would be known as "the president who caught Bin Laden." Not that I believe that's ever really going to happen anyway.

Bev


Edited 9/13/2004 11:32 am ET ET by bgs3

girl in chair
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-18-2004
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 11:46am
Agreed!

Miffy - Co-CL For The Politics Today Board

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2001
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 11:52am
"I really hope he gets caught soon - not because of the election, but for the security of the whole word."

And I find it rather sickening that some people on this board would actually be upset if Bush did catch him because it would mean a political advantage for him. I am astounded that some people actually consider their allegiance to a political party more important than the greater good.

Bev

girl in chair
Avatar for tmcgoughy
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 11:53am
Speaking for myself, the capture of Osama Bin Laden will not have any effect on my vote.
The first key to wisdom is constant and frequent questioning, for by doubting we are led to question and by questioning we arrive at the truth.  -
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2003
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 12:20pm
>> And I find it rather sickening that some people on this board would actually be upset if Bush did catch him because it would mean a political advantage for him. <<

This is speculative to a large degree at this point.

However, what appears to upset these people who sicken you is not the fact that the Bush Administration would find bin Laden, but that Bush would attempt to manipulate public opinion by hiding the fact bin Laden was captured until the time when it would maximize political benefit for his campaign.

>> I am astounded that some people actually consider their allegiance to a political party more important than the greater good. <<

What do you have to say about Bush turning a blind eye to terrorists entering Florida last month?

Did political interests trump Bush's rhetoric in the fight against terrorists?

"I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world”.

Apparently Florida is an exception for Pres. Bush. It's an important swing state in this election after all.

Does that type of crass partisan hypocrisy from the President sicken you as well?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 12:41pm
I knew some of the republicans will make an assumption that dems will be unhappy if Bin laden is caught. The point is Bush using the capture of bin ladin for political gain. Am I clear enough? Also it hs been 3 years and Bin laden has not been caught. If he turns out before Nov 2nd. I would seriously consider it as political move and that is really rotten for a President to do. My question was for Kerry supporters. I ignored your first post but you keep on and on twisting my post out of context and hence this post to you. I am not trying to debate this topic with you. I want to know what Kerry supoorters think if Bush uses OBL.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 12:45pm
Bill Graham also said to the effect that this administration turned bling eye even to 9/11 terrorists. One of the FBI informant was living with the terrorists but htey refused to let him testify to the 9/11 commission. Bush has also asked CIA to back of Saudi's before 9/11 and not allowed proper interrogation of Bin Laden family. I am not surprised by this news at all.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2001
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 1:06pm
"However, what appears to upset these people who sicken you is not the fact that the Bush Administration would find bin Laden, but that Bush would attempt to manipulate public opinion by hiding the fact bin Laden was captured until the time when it would maximize political benefit for his campaign."

And there is NOTHING at all to indicate there is even the remotest possibility that this will happen. It is nothing but PURE speculation on the part of the conspiracy theorists.

Bev

girl in chair

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