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War, War, War See other War, War, War Articles Title: Obama to remove Cuba from state sponsor of terror list Obama to remove Cuba from state sponsor of terror list Associated Press By JULIE PACE 4 minutes ago Related Stories 1. Obama says decision soon on Cuba as state sponsor of terror Associated Press 2. U.S. does not expect announcement on Cuba embassy before summit Reuters 3. Obama to Decide Soon on Removing Cuba From Terrorism List MarketWatch 4. State Department recommends removing Cuba from terrorism list: Senate source Reuters 5. Obama says review complete of Cuba's removal from terror list Reuters The terror designation has been a stain on Cuba's pride and a major stumbling block for efforts to mend ties between Washington and Havana. In a message to Congress, Obama said the government of Cuba "has not provided any support for international terrorism" over the last six months. He also told lawmakers that Cuba "has provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future." Cuba will officially be removed from the terror list 45 days after the president's message was sent to Congress. Lawmakers could vote to block the move during that window, though Obama would be all-but-certain to veto such a measure. Tuesday's announcement comes days after Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro met on the sidelines of a regional summit in Panama. The historic talks marked the first formal meeting between the leaders of their countries in a half-century. The U.S. has long since stopped actively accusing Cuba of supporting terrorism. When Obama and Castro announced a thaw in relations in December, the U.S. president expressed his willingness to remove Cuba from that list. In this Saturday, April 11, 2015 photo, U.S. President Barack Obama, right, smiles as he looks over … However, he held off on making a final decision amid indications that the White House was reluctant to grant Cuba's request until other thorny issues — such as restrictions on U.S. diplomats in Havana — were resolved. The president's final decision followed a State Department review of Cuba's presence on the list. Removing Cuba from the terror list could pave the way for the opening of a U.S. Embassy in Havana and other steps. Administration officials said they were optimistic about the prospects of opening the embassy, but did not provide any specific updates in timing. Cuba was designated a state sponsor of terror in 1982 because of what the White House said was its efforts "to promote armed revolution by organizations that used terrorism." White House press secretary Josh Earnest said that taking Cuba off the terror list does not change the fact that the U.S. has differences with the island nation's government. White House press secretary Josh Earnest speaks during the daily news briefing at the White House in … "Our concerns over a wide range of Cuba's policies and actions fall outside the criteria that is relevant to whether to rescind Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism," Earnest said. The terror list has been a particularly charged issue for Cuba because of what the government there sees as the U.S. history of supporting exile groups responsible for attacks on the island, including the 1976 bombing of a Cuban passenger flight from Barbados that killed 73 people aboard. The attack was linked to Cuban exiles with ties to U.S.-backed anti-Castro groups. Both men accused of masterminding the crime took shelter in Florida, where one, Luis Posada Carriles, lives to this day. Iraida Malberti, the 78-year-old widow of Carlos Alberto Cremata Trujillo, a member of the flight's crew, said Cuba's removal from the list was "a joy." "Cuba never should have been on the list," she said, minutes after the decision was announced. "No decision will bring the victims back to life, or erase the humiliation, suffering and pain that this has caused us." Until Tuesday, the communist island nation remained one of four countries on the U.S. list of nations accused of repeatedly supporting global terrorism. The countries still on the list are Iran, Sudan and Syria. Poster Comment: Cuban-Americans and all Cuban ex-patriots are strongly opposed to normalization of relations with Cuba as long as Fidel is still alive. ;) Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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