DATE=3/31/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-229027
TITLE=CUBA THREAT? (L)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOME NEW ASSESSMENTS OF CUBA'S ARMED FORCES SAY THEY NO
LONGER POSE A THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES. ONE EVALUATION COMES
FROM THE MILITARY OFFICER WHO UNTIL RECENTLY LED ALL U-S FORCES
IN LATIN AMERICA. THE OTHER IS A SECRET, NOT-YET-RELEASED REPORT
FROM THE PENTAGON. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS, THE NEW VIEW OF
CUBA IS SPARKING ANGRY DISAGREEMENT FROM CUBAN-AMERICAN MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS.
TEXT: RECENTLY RETIRED MARINE GENERAL JOHN SHEEHAN SPOKE
(TUESDAY) AT A CAPITOL HILL PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING A TRIP TO
CUBA. UNTIL LAST SEPTEMBER, GENERAL SHEEHAN WAS THE COMMANDER IN
CHIEF OF SOUTHCOM, THE MILITARY ORGANIZATION THAT OVERSEES ALL
U-S OPERATIONS IN LATIN AMERICA.
HE SAYS THE THREAT FROM CUBA HAS BEEN DIMINISHING FOR SEVERAL
YEARS FOR ECONOMIC REASONS. EXPERTS ON CUBA SAY SCARCE FUEL AND
PARTS MEAN THAT VERY FEW OF CUBA'S AGING FIGHTER PLANES ARE ABLE
TO FLY AND CUBAN SOLDIERS SPEND MUCH OF THEIR TIME GROWING FOOD
AND REPAIRING OLD VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.
GENERAL SHEEHAN SAYS HIS IMPRESSIONS WERE REINFORCED BY LONG
CONVERSATIONS WITH CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO AND CUBAN ARMED
FORCES CHIEF RAUL CASTRO. HE SAYS HE ALSO LOOKED CAREFULLY AT A
LOT OF CUBA'S SOLDIERS.
/// SHEEHAN ACT ///
NOT ONLY FROM THE INTELLIGENCE DATA THAT I LOOKED AT FOR 30
YEARS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WALKING THE GROUND AND VISITING THE
BASE CAMPS OF THE CUBAN MILITARY, THEY CLEARLY ARE NOT A
THREAT TO THE U-S MILITARY.
/// END ACT ///
GENERAL SHEEHAN SAYS THERE IS NO CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT CUBA IS
WORKING ON BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS. HE SAYS CUBA DOES HAVE SKILLED
SCIENTISTS AND LABORATORIES, BUT THEY ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING
MEDICINES THAT ARE HARD TO OBTAIN SINCE THE U-S BLOCKED TRADE
WITH THE ISLAND.
/// SHEEHAN ACT ///
ALL OF THE EVIDENCE I LOOKED AT SIX MONTHS AGO WHEN I WAS ACTIVE
DUTY, (INCLUDING) THE LABS THAT I PERSONALLY VISITED IN CUBA,
CLEARLY INDICATE TO ME THAT THERE IS NOT A MILITARIZED BIOTECH
CAPABILITY WITHIN THE CUBAN MILITARY.
/// END ACT ///
(OPT) A PENTAGON OFFICIAL SAYS RETIRED GENERAL SHEEHAN MET WITH
U-S OFFICIALS BEFORE AND AFTER HIS TRIP TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION
AND TO PRESS HIS CASE FOR NORMALIZING RELATIONS WITH CUBA. (END
OPT)
GENERAL SHEEHAN'S COMMENTS CAME ON THE DAY THE PENTAGON WAS
SUPPOSED TO DELIVER TO CONGRESS A NEW ASSESSMENT OF THE CUBAN
THREAT. THE REPORT IS SECRET, BUT A PENTAGON SOURCE SAYS THE
ASSESSMENT IS EXPECTED TO ECHO GENERAL SHEEHAN'S VIEW THAT CUBA
POSES NO DANGER TO THE UNITED STATES.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM COHEN SAYS HE WON'T SEND THE REPORT
TO CAPITOL HILL UNTIL HE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT. AN ACCOUNT
IN THE WASHINGTON POST SAYS THE REPORT WAS DELAYED SO IT COULD BE
REWRITTEN TO BLUNT EXPECTED ANGRY CRITICISM FROM SOME MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS. BUT THAT ACCOUNT WAS LABELED "INACCURATE" BY PENTAGON
SPOKESMAN KEN BACON.
MEANTIME, SEVERAL CUBAN-AMERICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, INCLUDING
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THE NEW ASSESSMENT.
SHE TOLD REPORTERS CUBA WILL BE A THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES AS
LONG AS PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO -- WHOM SHE BRANDED A TYRANT -- IS
IN CHARGE. (SIGNED)
NEB/JR/KL
31-Mar-98 5:40 PM EST (2240 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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