Obama Wishes Away Cuba’s Terrorism Sponsorship
by Joseph Klein
The “state sponsors of terrorism list” is mandated under Section 6(j) of the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended, under which the Secretary of State makes a determination when a country “has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.” As explained in a report on “Cuba and the State Sponsors of Terrorism List,” prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in 2005, “certain trade benefits, most foreign aid, support in the international financial institutions, and other benefits are restricted or denied to countries named as state sponsors of international terrorism.”
Cuba was placed on the list of state sponsors of terrorism during the first term of the Reagan administration in 1982 because of Cuba’s “efforts to promote armed revolution by organizations that used terrorism.” It has remained on the list ever since – until now.
The Obama administration reversed the long-standing bipartisan designation of Cuba as a terrorist-sponsoring state, with no convincing evidence that Cuba has fundamentally changed its stripes. The administration announced on April 14th that it intends to remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, only days after President Obama’s face-to-face meeting with Cuba’s President Raul Castro on the sidelines of a Latin America summit held in Panama. The White House statement said that “the Government of Cuba has not provided any support for international terrorism during the preceding 6-month period” and that Cuba’s government has “provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future.” Congress has 45 days in which to consider the decision before it takes effect.
The Obama administration defended the decision to remove Cuba from the list on the grounds that there has not been any evidence Cuba has continued to provide support for terrorist groups fighting in Colombia and Spain as it had done in the past. Big deal, even if it is true. Cuba still harbors and supports terrorists.
The “state sponsors of terrorism list” is mandated under Section 6(j) of the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended, under which the Secretary of State makes a determination when a country “has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.” As explained in a report on “Cuba and the State Sponsors of Terrorism List,” prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in 2005, “certain trade benefits, most foreign aid, support in the international financial institutions, and other benefits are restricted or denied to countries named as state sponsors of international terrorism.”
Cuba was placed on the list of state sponsors of terrorism during the first term of the Reagan administration in 1982 because of Cuba’s “efforts to promote armed revolution by organizations that used terrorism.” It has remained on the list ever since – until now.
The Obama administration reversed the long-standing bipartisan designation of Cuba as a terrorist-sponsoring state, with no convincing evidence that Cuba has fundamentally changed its stripes. The administration announced on April 14th that it intends to remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, only days after President Obama’s face-to-face meeting with Cuba’s President Raul Castro on the sidelines of a Latin America summit held in Panama. The White House statement said that “the Government of Cuba has not provided any support for international terrorism during the preceding 6-month period” and that Cuba’s government has “provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future.” Congress has 45 days in which to consider the decision before it takes effect.
The Obama administration defended the decision to remove Cuba from the list on the grounds that there has not been any evidence Cuba has continued to provide support for terrorist groups fighting in Colombia and Spain as it had done in the past. Big deal, even if it is true. Cuba still harbors and supports terrorists.
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