Castro Response To US Diplomats' Head Injuries In Cuba Surprises Washington

[DonViejo]

Source: Associated Press




By JOSH LEDERMAN, MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN and ROB GILLIES Published SEPTEMBER

HAVANA (AP) — Raul Castro seemed rattled.

The Cuban president sent for the top American envoy in the country to address grave concerns about a spate of U.S. diplomats harmed in Havana. There was talk of futuristic “sonic attacks” and the subtle threat of repercussions by the United States, until recently Cuba’s sworn enemy.

The way Castro responded surprised Washington, several U.S. officials familiar with the exchange told The Associated Press.

In a rare face-to-face conversation, Castro told U.S. diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis that he was equally befuddled, and concerned. Predictably, Castro denied any responsibility. But U.S. officials were caught off guard by the way he addressed the matter, devoid of the indignant, how-dare-you-accuse-us attitude the U.S. had come to expect from Cuba’s leaders.

The Cubans even offered to let the FBI come down to Havana to investigate. While U.S.-Cuban cooperation on law enforcement had improved, this level of access was extraordinary.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/castro-response-injured-us-diplomats-cuba

[Wounded Bear]

1. Interesting, to say the least...

would be nice to see some cooperation, based on mutual respect and open-ness.

[LudwigPastorius]

2. Cuba could start by...

letting the U.S. know which, if any, Russian nationals were living in the vicinity of the victims.

[Qutzupalotl]

5. Agreed. Russia has a vested interest in keeping US/Cuba relations frosty.

A false-flag stealth attack on US diplomats sounds like something Russia would do just to stir the shit.

[TomCADem]

6. Cuba Has No Reason To Sabotage Relations...

...given that they invested so much trying to rebuild them with the Obama administration. If anything, a failure in U.S./Cuba relations would reflect poorly on Cuba's leadership.

[procon]

3. Cuba doesn't have the funds to buy such sophisticated high tech weapons,

let alone have the ability to suss them out if a foreign State is involved. Russia and China are the more likely culprits. Castro might have similar suspicions, but he has no means to prove that foreign agents are using Cuba to run a covert psy-ops or military attack against the US. If the FBI can ferret out who is behind the sonic attacks Castro might boot all the Russians and Chinese out of Cuba and be open to better relations with the US.

[JI7]

4. I think most suspect China or Russia

Even before this