This is a good historical analysis by Bernard. The US is seriously trying to
provoke Cuba at the moment. Bernard's reference to Cuban repression is
probably with regard to the recent arrest of so called independent
journalists and librarians. They are nothing of the sort. They are being
paid by the US Interests Section in Havana. As for Guantanamo Bay, the US
have no intention of leaving.


>From: Bernard Naylor <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Chartered Library and Information Professionals
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Impending US invasion of Cuba
>Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 20:01:31 +0200
>
>My guess is that the US has had a plan to invade Cuba and impose a regime
>change, ever since the fiasco of the Bay of Pigs in the early sixties under
>Kennedy.  For a long time, they didn't do it partly because they were
>uncertain (or perhaps all too certain) how the Soviet Union would react.
>But that consideration is now largely past and gone.  They have also had
>some concern about the reaction of the Organization of American States -
>which has depended to some extent on how the other states in America are
>doing "democracy-wise".  At present things are going a bit better for
>democracy of a relatively centre/left persuasion (e.g.Venezuela, Brazil,
>Argentina, Chile) so on that ground they might get a roasting if they
>acted.  However, the present US government is clearly significantly more
>interventionist than many recent predecessors and we need to remember that
>George W Bush in the end attained the Presidency through what happened in
>Florida where the large Cuban exile commu!
>nity is an extremely powerful political factor.
>
>The Cuban government is clearly very nervous right now and is going through
>one of its more repressive phases, and this tends to make some Americans,
>egged on by the Cuban exile community, to feel there is a stronger case for
>intervention.  Which in turn is likely to promote more Cuban reaction.A
>vicious downward spiral if you like.  The chances of an invasion are
>certainly higher now than they have been for some time, but the reaction of
>some of the other really big countries in America - Brazil, Venezuela and I
>suspect Argentina in particular - would, I think, be pretty hostile.  As
>for whether the US President gives a two penny damn about that, you can
>decide for yourself.
>
>Incidentally, there is a significant body of feeling among US librarians
>which deplores the US embargo on Cuba, and strongly wishes to normalize
>relations with its Caribbean island neighbour.  The problem is one of
>governments, rather than peoples.
>
>Incidentally, I wonder how many readers of this site realise that
>Guantanamo Bay, the major US base where the supposedly Taliban people
>captured in Afghanistan are being held, is a US enclave on the Cuban
>mainland which the US holds by treaty until 2034, and which presumably they
>would find it easy to reinforce in order to mount an attack.  However, this
>was not what Kennedy did in the case of the Bay of Pigs, and it may be that
>previous US administrations have felt constrained against using using a
>site held under a treaty as the base for an attack.  Does the present
>administration feel any such restraint?  I would not be too surprised if it
>didn't.
>
>Apologies for the lesson - especially to those who do know all this already
>- but at least it reasserts my seriousness after my frivolous intervention
>in the bellydancer discussion.
>
>Bernard Naylor
> >
> > From: JACKIE FISHLEIGH <[log in to unmask]>
> > Date: Thu 05/Jun/2003 18:01 CEST
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Impending US invasion of Cuba
> >
> > Do you mean a military invasion? If so I had no idea and am horrified. I
> > have been to Cuba and loved the place.
> >
> > Jackie Fishleigh
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: john pateman [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: 05 June 2003 16:56
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Librarian as belly dancer?
> >
> >
> > The impending US invasion of Cuba and its effects on Cuba's cultural
> > heritage and libraries (as in Iraq) should be motivating UK librarians
>to
> > speak out now rather than after the event.
> >
> >
> > >From: Edward Dudley <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Reply-To: Chartered Library and Information Professionals
> > ><[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Re: Librarian as belly dancer?
> > >Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 11:41:44 +0100
> > >
> > >Of course we have Hidden Depths, but could we stop this e-navel gazing
>and
> > >discuss some matter of moment. Otherwise I shall tell the true story of
>a
> > >librarian who built and sailed a concrete boat to the Med. Suggestions
>for
> > >matters of moment, please.
> > >Edward Dudley
> > >
> > >[log in to unmask]
> > >
> > >   -----Original Message-----
> > >   From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals
> > >[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Smith, Nicky
> > >   Sent: 05 June 2003 09:32
> > >   To: [log in to unmask]
> > >   Subject: Re: Librarian as belly dancer?
> > >
> > >
> > >
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> > >   Surely people are familiar with the Bellydancing Librarian site at
> > >http://www.sonic.net/~erisw/bdlib.html with its useful links to the
> > >Modified
> > >Librarian and the Leather Librarian ?
> > >
> > >   Nicky Smith
> > >   Reference Librarian,
> > >   Marylebone Information Service,
> > >   Westminster Libraries
> > >   Tel: 020 7641 1039
> > >   Fax: 020 7641 1028
> > >   E-mail [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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