Obama removes Cuba from list of state sponsors of terrorism....never thought I would see this...

WASHINGTON – The White House says President Barack Obama is removing Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism, a key step in his bid to normalize relations between the two countries.

The White House says on Twitter that Obama has submitted to Congress required reports and certifications indicating his intent to take Cuba off the list.

Obama made the final decision following a State Department review of Cuba’s presence on the list.

The U.S. has long since stopped actively accusing Cuba of supporting terrorism.

Source

Wow....never thought I would see this...will add more to this as I get the links.

Pretty crazy considering just last month they found a shipment of weapons on the way to Cuba. And that after one from last year as well...

Source

Colombian authorities impounded the ship at Mamonal Port in Cartagena on March 4, discovering within eight shipping containers some 100 tons of gunpowder, 2.64 million rounds of centerfire ammunition, 99 missile heads, and almost 3,000 cannon shells.

Source

Thus, here are some notable excerpts from the U.N Panel of Expert's report:

- The Panel concluded in its incident report submitted to the Committee that both the shipment itself and the transaction between Cuba and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea were sanctions violations.

- The Panel found that the hidden cargo amounted to six trailers associated with surface-to-air missile systems and 25 shipping containers loaded with two disassembled MiG-21 aircraft, 15 engines for MiG-21 aircraft, components for surface-to-air missile systems, ammunition and miscellaneous arms-related materiel.This constituted the largest amount of arms and related materiel interdicted to or from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea since the adoption of resolution 1718 (2006).

- On 20 June, the ship docked in the port of Mariel, where it took onboard the arms and related materiel.

- Cuba argued that “maintenance”, as set out in paragraph 8 (c) of resolution 1718, was distinct from “repair”, which Cuba claimed was the basis of its contract with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea... The Panel is unconvinced by Cuba’s rationale to distinguish “maintenance” and “repair.”

- The transportation of undeclared weapons and explosives in this manner posed a significant danger to all persons and facilities in proximity to the ship and should be a cause of concern among shippers, port authorities, the international maritime community and insurers.

- Evidence found on the ship (see annexes XX and XXI) pointed to involvement of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea embassy staff in Cuba. Contact phone numbers and records found in the captain’s notes led the Panel to conclude that embassy officials in Havana were engaged in making arrangements for the shipment of the consignment of arms and related materiel, including the payment methods.

- The incident involving the Chong Chon Gang revealed a comprehensive, planned strategy to conceal the existence and nature of the cargo.

- All identification markings and insignia of the Cuban Revolutionary Air Force had been removed from both MiG-21 aircraft; the Panel observed signs of overspray and scratch marks in places dedicated to original insignia.

- [The Panel] notes that the voyage of another Democratic People’s Republic of Korea-flagged and -owned vessel to Cuba presents a very similar pattern to the recent voyage of the Chong Chon Gang.


- On April 2012, the general cargo vessel O Un Chong Nyon Ho (IMO 8330815) operated by OMM,11 sailed directly from Nampo to Cuba and back without any further calls in the region. After having stopped in Havana and Puerto Padre, the O Un Chong Nyon Ho drifted for several weeks off northern Cuba before returning for three weeks to Havana. Its Automatic Identification System was switched off (in violation of IMO requirements) during these three weeks, however, effectively preventing determination of further ports’ calls,as in the case of the Chong Chon Gang.

So it would seem that the US administration does not care that active shipments are coming and going from other terrorist nations....nice!

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Awesome. I'm glad that America is finally getting over its stupid grudge against Cuba.

I didn't see any Cubans on the list of 9/11 terrorists.

I did see a lot of guys from Saudi Arabia though...

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
I didn't see any Cubans on the list of 9/11 terrorists.

I did see a lot of guys from Saudi Arabia though...

I believe it is more about the supply of arms to and from other countries by way of Cuba that had them on the list. It would seem that now they are considered more of an ally in that regard. The US was likely seeing enough happening that they wanted in on it and are now going to essentially buy Cuba off.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Vasa Croe

Awesome. I'm glad that America is finally getting over its stupid grudge against Cuba.

I don't see working with Russia to place nuclear arms very close to the US coast being a stupid grudge.....that would be a lifetime write-off in my book.

That coupled with the fact that numerous illegal arms transports have been caught to and from Cuba....who knows how many got through and what their cargo was.

It's about time. If we ever want to make peace, we have to know when to say enough is enough. Any kind of freedom in a tyrannical government, won't take hold if it's secluded.

originally posted by: Vasa Croe

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Vasa Croe

Awesome. I'm glad that America is finally getting over its stupid grudge against Cuba.

I don't see working with Russia to place nuclear arms very close to the US coast being a stupid grudge.....that would be a lifetime write-off in my book.

That was the USSR though. Russia is a different government.

That coupled with the fact that numerous illegal arms transports have been caught to and from Cuba....who knows how many got through and what their cargo was.

Many illegal arms transports cross the Mexican border too along with countless amounts of drugs. I don't see America holding Mexico responsible for these transgressions.

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
That coupled with the fact that numerous illegal arms transports have been caught to and from Cuba....who knows how many got through and what their cargo was.

Caught by whom? CIA?

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Vasa Croe

Awesome. I'm glad that America is finally getting over its stupid grudge against Cuba.

I know right?

USA have been a laughing stock over its obsession with Cuba.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
I didn't see any Cubans on the list of 9/11 terrorists.

I did see a lot of guys from Saudi Arabia though...

hmmm

By that logic........we need to invade Canada!


Thats how it works right? Saudi Arabia attacks and you pick a random country to attack back?

originally posted by: Vasa Croe


I don't see working with Russia to place nuclear arms very close to the US coast being a stupid grudge.....that would be a lifetime write-off in my book.

With the invention of ICBM and Ballistic submarine who gives a # now.

Nukes in Cuba would be obsolete now.

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
That coupled with the fact that numerous illegal arms transports have been caught to and from Cuba....who knows how many got through and what their cargo was.

Caught by whom? CIA?

The UN and Colombia according to the articles I referenced.....no idea if the CIA was involved in any of them. I can't imagine the CIA has boats or people patrolling the waters or docks where they were caught, but I guess they could. They just weren't referenced in the links and quotes I provided.

originally posted by: crazyewok

originally posted by: Vasa Croe


I don't see working with Russia to place nuclear arms very close to the US coast being a stupid grudge.....that would be a lifetime write-off in my book.

With the invention of ICBM and Ballistic submarine who gives a # now.

Nukes in Cuba would be obsolete now.

Sure they would be....I don't argue that. But if someone threatened to kill my family, or actively aided another to do so, and showed me the weapons they were going to do it with, I would likely not forgive them....ever.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

eh we tried to whack F Castro for decades repeatedly and often its been fifty years time to let the past be the past ,he out lasted many a president who wanted him gone,and i doubt they will want to try pointing nukes at Florida again so lets let bygones be bygones.

if trying to kill their leader for so long and failing miserably inculding the failed bay of pigs invasion dont get them a pass i dont know what will these days but cuba is not a threat to the usa at this time and i dont see that changing any time soon.

en.wikipedia.org...

en.wikipedia.org...

im sure jeb will have fun with this issue if he runs what with all the cuban immigrants/exiles living in florida are probally quite mad over this (edit to add) as well as Mr ted cruz

www.nationalreview.com...

Like all Cuban-Americans, Ted Cruz belongs to a family of exiles. In the 1950s, my grandfather owned a pharmacy in the Cuban seaside town of Manzanillo. After Castro’s band of guerrillas landed in a mangrove swamp a few dozen miles away, my grandfather let his clerk, Alberto “Beto” Pesán, join the rebels in the Sierra Maestra mountains. He continued to support Beto’s family, and was soon secretly donating medicines to the rebels. Like most Cubans, he was happy when, in January 1959, Castro arrived to a hero’s welcome in Havana to take over the country. Read more at: www.nationalreview.com...

cubanexilequarter.blogspot.com... they dont seem to be pleased

www.cubaverdad.net...

After historic Cuba meeting, Obama faces challenge of delivering By Angela Greiling Keane, Raymond Colitt and Toluse Olorunnipa Bloomberg News Published: April 13, 2015 PANAMA CITY (Tribune News Service) — President Barack Obama, back in Washington after a historic meeting Saturday with Cuban President Raul Castro, now faces the difficult work of tearing down bureaucratic barriers built up over five decades. First on the agenda will be determining whether to remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism, after the State Department sent its recommendation to the White House last week. Obama also promised to work toward reopening embassies and convincing Congress to peel back sanctions against the Communist island first put in place during President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration. “We’ll continue to work toward re-establishing diplomatic relations, reopening embassies in Havana and Washington, and encouraging greater contacts and commerce and exchanges between our citizens,” Obama said Saturday during a news conference at the Summit of the Americas in Panama.

eh ill have to give points where points are due obama seemed to do good with this one

originally posted by: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: Vasa Croe

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Vasa Croe

Awesome. I'm glad that America is finally getting over its stupid grudge against Cuba.

I don't see working with Russia to place nuclear arms very close to the US coast being a stupid grudge.....that would be a lifetime write-off in my book.

That was the USSR though. Russia is a different government.

That coupled with the fact that numerous illegal arms transports have been caught to and from Cuba....who knows how many got through and what their cargo was.

Many illegal arms transports cross the Mexican border too along with countless amounts of drugs. I don't see America holding Mexico responsible for these transgressions.

I can't remember Mexico conspiring with any countries to house nuclear arms close enough to destroy a portion of the US, though I could be wrong.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Following that logic we should be hostile to no less than these countries:
UK
Spain
Mexico
Germany
Russia
Japan
Italy
Iraq
Vietnam
North Korea
all of South America
Cuba
oh and the southern half of the United States

a reply to: Vasa Croe

We've been to war with Mexico in the past. So I'm sure they've conspired to do SOMETHING to America at some point.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Vasa Croe

We've been to war with Mexico in the past. So I'm sure they've conspired to do SOMETHING to America at some point.

You being sure and the US government having evidence are very different. War is war, annihilation of a country is something else entirely.

Like I said, if someone threatened my family in that manner, I would be likely not to forgive them.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Fidel Castro is dead, so why are you blaming Cuba's current government leadership for the leadership mistakes of the past? You have this arbitrary claim on why we should all continue to hate Cuba because the country threatened us with nukes in the past. Well so what? Russia did the same thing when they were the USSR. While Russia and the US' relations are strained currently, that is only because of the current political climate and has little to do with Russia's actions as the USSR.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Vasa Croe

Fidel Castro is dead, so why are you blaming Cuba's current government leadership for the leadership mistakes of the past?

He is? How did I miss that?