Chile as well as several other central and south american nations were named in Operation camelot in a study to determine how to destabilize the current governments:Project CAMELOT is a study whose objective is to determine the feasibility of developing a general social systems model which would make it possible to predict and influence politically significant aspects of social change in the developing nations of the world. Somewhat more specifically, its objectives are:
First, to devise procedures for assessing the potential for internal war within national societies;
Second, to identify with increased degrees of confidence those actions which a government might take to relieve conditions which are assessed as giving rise to a potential for internal war; and
Finally, to assess the feasibility of prescribing the characteristics of a system for obtaining and using the essential information needed for doing the above two things.
fbaezer has hit the proverbial nail on the head re why we continue our policy against Cuba. It's politics. The controversy surrounding that Cuban boy in Miami a few years ago shows how volatile the issue still is. Does anyone think Bush would have won the Florida vote (or been close enough to have been given it) if that event hadn't just happened under a Democratic administration? With Janet Reno sending in federal authorities to get the kid back to his father in Cuba?
Never was the power of the anti-Castro expatriate population in Florida so obvious. And, while I've read that younger Cuban Americans may not take the same view, I'd imagine it must take tremendous courage for any of them to stake out a new political stance on the issue.
I wonder if we haven't just bumbled into an issue we can all agree on.
Goodness!
Yes, D'artagnan - I know about some of that dark history - especially Chile, because we had many Chilean refugees in Australia after Allende was murdered and the butchery and tortures began. Many have now gone home - many have stayed.
So - you are saying 'tis a more overt version of the game? I was just wondering, really, how the US justified it - I mean I knew 'twa sto try to de-stabilize the Castro regime.
I found no reference on Copernic - guess I should just use Google, Dys!!!
Roger - gasp!!!!! Say it isn't so!
what operation camelot basically came down to was the CIA studying methods to insitigate uprisings/civil wars in specified nations in the hope of establishing more "USA-friendly" govts. Chile was a target as well as Cuba and several others. Camelot was started under the admin of Eisenhower after Nixon received a hostile reception on his latin-american visit.
Good grief! Nixon again!!!
well yeah, the guy nobody would buy a used car from but elected him to be president. we are indeed a strange creature.
He is kind of like the drummer in Spinal Tap - only evil stuff happens FROM him!
He fooled me twice and I have never forgiven him.
Not the drummer! Nixon.
as an aside; when i was in grad school Operation Camelot was used as the example of ethics in scholastics. most of the staff for Camelot were university faculty/grad students who were duped by Fed grants (read CIA) and thought they were ONLY doing sociological analysis.
Hmmm - wonder how much of that is still happening?
Interesting how different the perspective on Cuba is from the U.S. I have friends who have gone on vacation there and then returned to work there.
Others are planning to take advantage of the changes in our health care regs to go for 3 month stays.
The main thing canajun tourists complain about in regard to Cuba is how much they don't like the German tourists. The canajun tourists definitely don't want to see American tourists there. It's a strange world.
My friends who have been to Cuba loved it - whether they went there to work, or as tourists - their work meant they had lots of contacts over there, so they were taken into people's homes and hearts - several have been back many times now.
A friend of mine was there recently, and she griped about the food. But, then again, she gripes about the food here, too, and there are many fine restaurants in town. I suspect it's more a reflection on her than on Cuban cuisine...
Great topic Deb and I enjoyed reading all the response. I certainly will never understand the problem between Cuba and the US.
Now, I'm more interested in why Canadians don't like German tourists and don't want to see American tourists...
My 2 cents:
Our policy in regard to Cuba has been sub par for a long time.
The expats in Florida are a very powerful lobby. The president was elected in Florida (by chance), theuir support gets them their wish. This is just another example, they ahve always been powerful.
--
The only excuse I've heard for the embargo is that Castro's a tyrant etc and to lift the embargo would be to support him.
I disagree with this argument on many levels.
On Cuban food.
Cuban food is great. It's a pity you can hardly find it in Cuba.
There are a few -you can count them with the fingers of one hand- good restaurants in Cuba. The most famous and traditional is La Bodeguita del Medio.
You can also go to the paladares: family restaurants in a house, with home food, and no more that four tables. They've beeen on and off legality.
In the hotels you get what´s available. Tipically, there are no eggs, few vegetables, the fruit is green... and the Cubans think all tourists like hamburgers or anything that resembles meat: be it breakfast, lunch or dinner.
BTW, the three main preoccupations of the average Cuban are breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The family restaurants seem to be the way to go. My high school principal (long-retired) has been going to Cuba for a month each year with his wife for about 20 years. They've come to know some people very well, and have a marvellous experience.
Interesting what you say about the hotel food. Friends of mine that 'do' Mexico, Florida and Cuba almost universally vouch for Cuban food. I've never 'done' any of them, so can only comment on the Cuban restaurants here - where the food is absolutely superb.
