Fidel Castro: 'Oswald Could Not Have Been the One Who Killed Kennedy'

[flamingdem]

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/11/fidel-castro-oswald-could-not-have-been-the-one-who-killed-kennedy/281674/




Fidel Castro shares at least one belief with the majority of Americans: He is convinced that the assassination of President John F. Kennedy was not the work of a lone gunman, but was the culmination of a broad conspiracy. According to a recent Gallup poll, 61 percent of Americans believe Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in Dallas 50 years ago. But Castro suspects that Oswald might not have been involved in the assassination at all. Here is what he told me–to my great surprise–over lunch one day in Havana: “I have reached the conclusion that Oswald could not have been the one who killed Kennedy.” Castro is of course a confident man, but he said this with a degree of surety that was noteworthy.

I was visiting Havana three years ago at Castro’s invitation. I had just written a cover story for The Atlantic about Israel’s threat to strike militarily at Iran’s nuclear facilities. Castro read the article, and sent me a message through the Cuban Interest Section in Washington: He would like me to come to Cuba as soon as possible in order to discuss my findings with him. I obliged.

Kennedy was only a peripheral subject of our discussions. Castro, I found, was preoccupied with the threat of nuclear war and proliferation, as one would expect him to be: He was one of the three key players in an episode, the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, that nearly brought about the destruction of the planet. John F. Kennedy was his adversary; Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet premier, was his patron. At one point, I mentioned to him the letter he wrote to Khrushchev, at the height of the crisis, in which he asked the Soviets to consider launching a nuclear strike against the U.S. if the Americans attacked Cuba. "That would be the time to think about liquidating such a danger forever through a legal right of self-defense," he wrote. In Havana, I asked him, “At a certain point it seemed logical for you to recommend that the Soviets bomb the U.S. Does what you recommended still seem logical now?" He answered: "After I've seen what I've seen, and knowing what I know now, it wasn't worth it at all.” I expressed relief that Khrushchev ignored his request.

Castro was also deeply concerned about the level of anti-Semitic rhetoric emanating from Tehran, and wanted to communicate his displeasure to then-president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, through an intermediary. (I wrote about Fidel’s views of Iran and Israel here).

[former9thward]

1. I think Castro would be the person that knows.

Given what he ordered Cuba listening posts to do in the early morning of November 22, 1963.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304243904579200281204381194

[flamingdem]

2. Hmm. The conclusions here fit with the tone expressed by Castro in his comment about

Kennedy's youth. He knows that he had tangential culpability but others were in the mix.

What do you make of this? What / who were they protecting here?

Mr. Latell also presents strong evidence that the Johnson administration and higher-ups in the FBI and the CIA ensured those details were kept from the Warren Commission.

[former9thward]

6. A lot of things were kept from the WC

Even if you assume the WC did a honest investigation (and I don't given the WC was staffed by members who despised Kennedy such as Dulles) they were kept in the dark. I don't think Johnson wanted to let the WC go anywhere that looked at foreign involvement. Johnson knew that would mean war. The old establishment types on WC knew that too.

[flamingdem]

7. Why war? My beginners guess is that Cuban exiles played a role

In that case it wouldn't be about war, more about what skeletons they could reveal? Though I've never seen that angle fleshed out much.

[former9thward]

8. Maybe.

And if the Mafia had a major role which I believe they did there would not be a war. But I think the mood of Johnson and the establishment was a 'let's not turn over too many rocks here, we may not like what we find.' It was much easier to have a 'lone crazed nut' theory and hope everyone would move on.

[The Midway Rebel]

3. Snuggle up CTers.

Its going to be a long night when you find yourselves in bed with Fidel Castro over the shared ignorance of the Kennedy assassination.

Don't feel too bad. I found myself in bed with Sid Dithers over this exact same issue. Eww. Just eww.

Politics makes strange bedfellows indeed.

[rhett o rick]

11. I think it very strange that those calling themselves "politically liberal" would try

so hard to disparage those that dont toe the government line. I guess if you cant win an argument, then you resort to disparaging those that dont agree with you. Maybe you deserve to be in bed with Sid.

[The Midway Rebel]

12. First you'd have to prove that I toe anyone's line other than my own.

And if you don't like being in bed with Castro maybe you should figure out how you got there. Its not my problem.

[rhett o rick]

16. Why do you think it appropriate to disparage others by calling them CT'ers? nm

[The Midway Rebel]

17. Nothing personal.

Internet short hand. Sorry if it offends you. What is neutral...and shorthand too?

[rhett o rick]

18. Oh please. I dont take it personally. I just think it more of a conservative thing to name call.

So if I get what you are saying, then CT'ers are those that dont believe. The unfaithful.

[The Midway Rebel]

19. No, they are the ones that DO believe.

They believe in a conspiracy and they have a theory. Thus "CTer." They are the ones exhibiting faith in the unknown. My "faith" is on the known science, in documents, in forensic evidence, in testimony, witnesses and so on.


Oh, and I am far from being conservative and name calling is not restricted to political ideology. Your attempt to smear me, however, has been noted.

[rhett o rick]

20. Your faith is in the theory that was fed to you by your government and the Corp-Media.

Very few events like the assassination happen without some conspiracy. Doesnt mean it cant happen, but it's highly unlikely. And please dont try the sad argument that ALL the evidence shows what ever you believe. That is closed minded and not at all liberal thinking.

[The Midway Rebel]

22. You should read this and take heed.

http://harpers.org/archive/1964/11/the-paranoid-style-in-american-politics/

Seriously. Because you do not have a fucking clue.

[rhett o rick]

26. "Because you do not have a fucking clue." I guess that means you have nothing left

but derision. And I bet you call yourself a "politically liberal" poster.

[The Midway Rebel]

27. That was the first insult you hurled at me.

Did you bother to read the article? Care to engage in something other that innuendo about my politics?

[LanternWaste]

31. I used to use the exact same rationalization to invalidate people who disagreed with me too...

"Because you do not have a fucking clue."

I used to use the exact same rationalization to invalidate people who disagreed with me too... but third grade soon ended, I realized the petulance said more about me than anyone else, and I grew up.

However, I suppose that since the ACLU defended Oliver North in the Iran-Contra hearings, we're of course, "snuggled" with Colonel North too.

[snooper2]

33. Have you had a chance to watch this yet!

The PTB assaulted Alex Jones and his Truth Finders!

&feature=c4-overview&list=UUvsye7V9psc-APX6wV1twLg

[Logical]

28. It is garbage! Like climate change deniers! Want us to accept them?

[rhett o rick]

32. Life isnt black vs. white. I am only asking those that believe that Oswald acted alone not disparag

disparage those that might not believe. It's usually reserved for the conservatives to have the attitude my way or nothing.

[DanTex]

36. Can we disparage people who don't believe the Government's claim that Obama was born in Hawaii?

Is there any limit to the kind of idiotic conspiracies we are supposed to act respectful of?

[rhett o rick]

37. Again, I dont object to people believing that Oswald acted alone. All I ask is that those

that do believe, recognize that there are others that may not agree. They may not understand why the government is keeping thousands of documents secret.

If you are convinced, good for you. But why would you think you can disparage others that disagree with you? That is usually a conservative trait.

[DanTex]

38. So you won't answer my question. Why might that be?

[rhett o rick]

39. Because sometimes people use questions to make implications without ever actually

making a statement, instead hiding behind questions. I think it's called JAQing off. (Just Asking Questions)

[DanTex]

40. That's a clever dodge. Whatever allows you to avoid defending your position, I guess.

[rhett o rick]

41. And I thought your question was a clever dodge. What's the problem with making statements

instead of using the Faux News technique of "Just Asking Questions"? "Is Obama a socialist?" "Do Democrats want to cut Social Security?"

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/JAQing_off

[WinkyDink]

4. To anyone who thinks FC had a hand in the JFK assassination: No. Just no.

It was, like another, more recent major tragedy, in-house.

[flamingdem]

5. The implication is that Oswald wanted approval by the Cubans and they

rejected him, wouldn't give him a Visa.

So while it's not exactly Fidel, the Cuban state may have a role to play.

My sense is that it's the usual suspects, the crowd in Miami, those with an ax to grind.

[WinkyDink]

13. IMO, it's the usual CIA/M-I C. VietNam escalated in earnest with LBJ. And JFK swore to scatter the

CIA to the four winds.

Strange Details

• CIA director Allen Dulles, whom Kennedy had fired in 1961, later served on the Warren Commission.

• CIA deputy director Charles Cabell, whom Kennedy had also fired, was the brother of Earle Cabell, Dallas’ mayor in 1963.

• One of Kennedy’s alleged mistresses, Mary Pinchot Meyer, was married to a CIA official and was murdered in 1964.

• Richard Nixon—who oversaw the CIA’s original plan to take back Cuba from Castro when he was Eisenhower’s vice president—was in Dallas on the day of the assassination.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/plausible-deniability

[polichick]

21. Very interesting details.

[flamingdem]

44. Thanks for this, very interesting connections

I didn't know about Nixon's connection to Cuba, wow.

My area of interest is Cuba and specifically the right wing exiles in Miami. I will have to dig into this more since now I know who they are after some study. I wonder who the person was between their group and Oswald, if such a connection exists.

[Nye Bevan]

9. Why doesn't he want to accept that JFK was shot by a deranged Castro-loving Communist? (nt)

[flamingdem]

10. Fidel knows too much about the anti-democratic forces in the USA

such as the Miami exiles, a few who are his relatives.

When I think of motive, I think of them.

[WinkyDink]

14. LHO wasn't "deranged." FGS. He spoke, e.g., quite lucidly in public after his arrest. Moreover, his

"Fair Play for Cuba" was a front FOR a front.

[flamingdem]

15. What's known about Fair Play for Cuba?

Sounds like Oswald could have been used by anti-communists after he was disillusioned

[The Midway Rebel]

23. We have met the enemy.

And he is us.

http://harpers.org/archive/1964/11/the-paranoid-style-in-american-politics/

[BootinUp]

24. no shit

All the work done on that case and people just don't want to look.

[The Midway Rebel]

25. Yeah man. An it's making the Democratic Party suck. eom

[redgreenandblue]

29. Is Castro credible? This is a serious question.

I know that he opressed the Cuban people and that he was always an enemy of the United States, but that aside, is he the kind of person who is known to often talk out of his ass (like, say, the Corean dude) or does he have a track record that suggests he is someone that can be taken serious?

[flamingdem]

30. He's known to be very intelligent

and with age he has less reasons to hammer on about ideology. However, he's had some health problems and goes off the beam from time to time.

[Octafish]

34. Fidel should know. CIA hired MAFIA to kill him.

Seems like the guy who signed off on the idea failed to tell the Warren Commission because he was on it.

[flamingdem]

35. Check it out, $150,000 to kill Fidel via Bobby Kennedy's papers and..

.. a connection to right wing Cuban exiles as suspected.


A CIA document outlining a Mafia-connected plan to assassinate Cuban leader Fidel Castro for $150,000 is among thousands of Robert F. Kennedy documents made public Thursday, just days before the 50th anniversary of the Cuban missile crisis.
In the 1964 plan, the mob and "patrotic Cuban exiles" eventually settled on a payment of $100,000 for assassinating Castro, $20,000 for his brother Raúl and $20,000 for revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, plus $2,500 for expenses.

The plan was among some 2,700 pages of Robert Kennedy's documents. The National Archives and Records Administration and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston released the documents, which Kennedy compiled as attorney general from 1961 to 1964, offering a glimpse into Cold War decision-making.

Though the documents don't rewrite Cold War history, they do provide insight into the personal thoughts of the era's key figures, historians say.

Kennedy advised John F. Kennedy during the Bay of Pigs invasion and the missile crisis, key moments during his brother's presidency.

The 1961 botched Bay of Pigs invasion sought to oust communists with the help of anti-Castro Cuban exiles and veiled U.S. support. More than 100 members of the CIA-sponsored invasion team were killed and many were captured by Cuban forces.

One CIA document offers a profile of Fidel Castro: It calls him intelligent but "not very stable" and "touchy, impatient and rash."





http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/10/12/robert-kennedy-documents-show-150000-mafia-plan-to-kill-fidel-castro/

[otohara]

42. Did Anyone Watch Frontline Last Week? Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?

It's 2 hours long - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/view/

[flamingdem]

43. Oh I have to watch that one

thanks!!

[otohara]

45. I'd Like To Know Your Thoughts

I walked away thinking he did it and he was alone.
Maybe he was trying to impress Castro.

[The Midway Rebel]

46. I watched.

I've seen the original production as well.

I thought he was a sad funny little man who managed to change the discourse of national politics with a cheaply bought rifle.

I have a friend who is psychologist and he hates labels on people, rightfully so, but I think they can help the laymen get an idea of some complicated theory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder