Ambassador James Cason, former head of mission at the U.S. interests section in Havana (USINT) stopped by the Babalu Blog pavilion tonight. Of all the men and women who have held that post, none has done more to advocate for Cuban liberty than Ambassador Cason.
In 2006 Cason installed an electronic news ticker in the windows of the USINT building (formerly the U.S. Embassy in Cuba). This infuriated fidel castro who ordered a garden of flagpoles to be installed in the vacant lot next door to obscure the view of the ticker.
Cason is now the President of The Center for a Free Cuba.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting him. He’s probably one of the best we’ve had down there.
Great!….I’m often amazed at the things ambassador Cason says for the record!…in plain view! No “tiene pelos en la lengua” that’s FOR SURE!
And that’s an astounding thing to see (and hear) from someone in his line of work…If we had twenty like him in Gov. posts we’d certainly get somewhere, Cubafreedon-wise
Hot damn!
Again, only Pink Floyd can accurately express my emotions:
“How I wish…How I wish I was there…”
The problem with James Cason’s anti-Castro strategy was that he lacked a follop-up plan every time he made a move. For example, in response to his enigmatic “75” sign in support of the political prisoners, the regime plastered the area surrounding the Interests Section with anti-U.S. billboards that are still there today. In contrast, the “75” sign disappeared years ago. The electronic news ticker was a good idea, but when Castro blocked it, again, there was no follow-up. The news ticker should have been moved to the opposite side of the building or on the roof after the black flags blocking it went up. Cason also had no response when the regime repeatedly ridiculed him in cartoons in the official press depicting him as a Fairy Godmother in a dress and holding a magic wand. Cason’s strategy was like that of an amateur chess player who does not think beyond each move when competing against a grand master. Such is the history of U.S. policy toward Cuba for more than half a century. Cason has never publicly explained his lack of a follow-up policy toward Castro.
Henry: While perusing the Research Council members of The Center for a Free Cuba that Cason presides, I noticed some dubious characters.
Enrico Mario Santí (University of Kentucky, Lexington) participated in the 1978 “dialogue” with Fidel Castro.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/Dialogo-firmantes.pdf
His name and signature appear on the same document with Fidel Castro and other leaders of the regime. Santi has never publicly denounced the so-called “dialogue” that he participated in.
Mark Falcoff (American Enterprise Institute) has called for the unilateral lifting of the U.S. embargo on Cuba since 2002
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/us-cuba/falcoff-embargo.htm
Sergio Diaz-Briquets (Casals and Associates) was a member of the Institute for Cuban Studies (IEC) of accused Castro agent Maria Cristina Herrera and convicted spy Carlos Alvarez.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/IEC.pdf
The IEC held various activities in Havana co-sponsored by the Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP), a DGI espionage front.
Henry: While perusing the Research Council members of The Center for a Free Cuba, I noticed some dubious characters.
Enrico Mario Santí (University of Kentucky, Lexington) participated in the 1978 “dialogue” with Fidel Castro.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/Dialogo-firmantes.pdf
His name and signature appear on the same document with Fidel Castro and other leaders of the regime. Santi has never publicly denounced the so-called “dialogue” that he participated in.
Mark Falcoff (American Enterprise Institute) has called for the unilateral lifting of the U.S. embargo on Cuba since 2002
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/us-cuba/falcoff-embargo.htm
Sergio Diaz-Briquets (Casals and Associates) was a member of the Institute for Cuban Studies (IEC) of accused Castro agent Maria Cristina Herrera and convicted spy Carlos Alvarez.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/IEC.pdf
The IEC held various activities in Havana co-sponsored by the Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP), a DGI espionage front.
Tony:
Tony you are correct and yet
remember Cason did what he could do, and it is a miracle that the leadership at Foggy bottom let him do that much.
Larry: While perusing the Research Council members of The Center for a Free Cuba that Cason presides, I spotted some dubious characters.
Enrico Mario Santí Pera (University of Kentucky, Lexington) participated in the 1978 “dialogue” with Fidel Castro.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/Dialogo-firmantes.pdf
His name and signature appear on the same document with Fidel Castro and other leaders of the regime. Santi has never publicly denounced the so-called “dialogue” that he participated in or explained why his views are purportedly different now.
Mark Falcoff (American Enterprise Institute) has called for the unilateral lifting of the U.S. embargo on Cuba since 2002
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/us-cuba/falcoff-embargo.htm
Sergio Diaz-Briquets (Casals and Associates) was a member of the Institute for Cuban Studies (IEC) of accused Castro agent Maria Cristina Herrera and convicted spy and FIU professor Carlos Alvarez.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/IEC.pdf
The IEC held various activities in Havana co-sponsored by the Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP), a DGI espionage front.
Lobby groups like the Center for a Free Cuba are so infiltrated by questionable people with a pro-Castro record that they are hardly effective. These organizations are basically golden parachutes for government retirees like Cason or a source of employment for long-time Washington insiders like Frank Calzon and Mark Falcoff.
Larry: While perusing the Research Council members of The Center for a Free Cuba, I spotted some dubious characters.
Enrico Mario Santí Pera (University of Kentucky, Lexington) participated in the 1978 “dialogue” with Fidel Castro.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/Dialogo-firmantes.pdf
His name and signature appear on the same document with Fidel Castro and other leaders of the regime. Santi has never publicly denounced the so-called “dialogue” that he participated in or explained why his views are purportedly different now.
Mark Falcoff (American Enterprise Institute) has called for the unilateral lifting of the U.S. embargo on Cuba since 2002
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/us-cuba/falcoff-embargo.htm
Sergio Diaz-Briquets (Casals and Associates) was a member of the Institute for Cuban Studies (IEC) of accused Castro agent Maria Cristina Herrera and convicted spy and FIU professor Carlos Alvarez.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/IEC.pdf
The IEC held various activities in Havana co-sponsored by the Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP), a DGI espionage front.
Lobby groups like the Center for a Free Cuba are so infiltrated by questionable people with a pro-Castro record that they are hardly effective. These organizations are basically golden parachutes for government retirees or a source of employment for long-time Washington insiders.
Larry: While perusing the Research Council members of The Center for a Free Cuba that Cason presides and is directed by Frank Calzon, I spotted some dubious characters.
Enrico Mario Santí Pera (University of Kentucky, Lexington) participated in the 1978 “dialogue” with Fidel Castro.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/Dialogo-firmantes.pdf
His name and signature appear on the same document with Fidel Castro and other leaders of the regime. Santi has never publicly denounced the so-called “dialogue” that he participated in or explained why his views are purportedly different now.
Mark Falcoff (American Enterprise Institute) has called for the unilateral lifting of the U.S. embargo on Cuba since 2002
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/us-cuba/falcoff-embargo.htm
Sergio Diaz-Briquets (Casals and Associates) was a member of the Institute for Cuban Studies (IEC) of accused Castro agent Maria Cristina Herrera and convicted spy and FIU professor Carlos Alvarez.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/dialogue/IEC.pdf
The IEC held various activities in Havana co-sponsored by the Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP), a DGI espionage front.
Lobby groups like the Center for a Free Cuba are so infiltrated by questionable people with a pro-Castro record that they are hardly effective. These organizations are basically golden parachutes for government retirees like Cason or a source of employment for long-time Washington insiders like Frank Calzon and Mark Falcoff.
delacova: Very interesting point there. I would like to see why he never did follow-ups on his strategy.