NewsMax.com Wires
Friday, July 13, 2001

Congressional sources tell United Press International the White House will unveil a slew of Cuban policy initiatives Friday meant to show the administration's willingness to get tough on the Communist-run Caribbean island.

Among these moves, an administration official confirmed Thursday, will be allowing stronger transmissions of Radio and TV Marti - anti-Castro Spanish language broadcasts put out by Cuban exiles in Florida - funding new programs to aid Cuban dissidents still living on the island, and strengthening what some critics have called a porous trade embargo against Havana.

In addition, the White House Thursday nominated conservative Cuban-American cold warrior Otto Reich for Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Reich has compared Castro's regime to the Nazis and the Soviet Union, he once compared the popularity of baseball in Cuba to "playing soccer in Auschwitz."

He has also been an outspoken proponent of the Helms Burton sanctions. His nomination has been opposed by a host of foreign policy liberals, most notably, former Costa Rican President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias.

But these moves are seen by Cuban-Americans as an effort to soften a coming blow.

The Bush Administration must decide by July 18 whether or not to implement section III of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act, legislation that would allow foreign companies doing business in Cuba to be sued in U.S. courts by Cuban Americans and others who say they had property confiscated by the Castro regime.

The provisions were never implemented by the Clinton administration, and congressional sources and Cuban American lobbyists expect the Bush White House to punt once more on the controversial legislation and issue a waiver - essentially putting off the date at which those provisions would become effective.

The Clinton administration came under fire from Cuban Americans for not implementing Title III.

But the Cuban American Foundation's Washington Director Jose Cardenas told UPI Thursday he is not concerned about the move.

"In order to soften the blow," he said, referring to the announcements expected Friday, "the White House wants to demonstrate it is acting on several other fronts to strengthen U.S. policy towards Cuba. That was the crucial element missing when Clinton continually waived Title III."

In this regard the nomination of Reich is also significant for the anti-Castro crusader.

Cardenas said Thursday, "We are very excited about the nomination, and we don't think the President could have found a better candidate to take over this important post."

Reich also served in the first term of the Reagan administration as chief of the State Department's Office of Public Diplomacy for Latin America and the Caribbean. Reich and his office were accused of cultivating a network of well-placed U.S. intelligence officers to raise money in the United States to support the U.S.-backed war in Nicaragua. Reich, however, has denied any wrongdoing.

In part for this reason Reich is thought by some Democrats to be a poor choice for the post. One Democratic staffer told UPI in May, "He won't be able to build bipartisan support for a sensible Latin American policy in part because of his passion and preoccupation with (Cuban leader Fidel) Castro."

But Reich also enjoys a constituency of supporters. Twenty-two retired foreign service officers wrote a letter to all 100 Senators Thursday strongly endorsing his nomination. Lester Munson, the spokesman for the Republican staff on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told UPI Thursday, "We fully anticipate he will receive a fair hearing and he will be confirmed by the Senate for this because he is the best man for it."

Copyright 2001 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

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