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Conspiracy Theory Wednesday

Cuba suffered greatly under the Kennedy Administration.  A cut-off in diplomatic relations had been followed by the Bay of Pigs invasion and terrorist acts by CIA-supported Cuban exiles.  Cuban Premier Fidel Castro knew the CIA was trying to kill him, eventually counting 24 attempts.  CIA death devices included poison cigars, exploding seashells, and a toxic wetsuit.  But the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis resulted in Kennedy telling Soviet Premier Khrushchev that, in return for removal of Russian missiles from Cuba, the U.S. Would not invade the island.  Meanwhile, the U.S.  Fair Play for Cuba Committee (FPCC) urged an end to the economic embargo.  In the Summer of 1063 Kennedy clamped down on CIA-exile groups that ignored his order to stop terrorist acts against Cuba, and that Fall he made secret diplomatic plans for U.S<  and Cuban representatives to meet, leaving Castro little motive to kill him.  A month before the assassination Castro said, “I believe Kennedy is sincere.  I consider him responsible for everything , but I will says this…in the last analysis I’m convinced that anyone else would be worse…I’m willing to declare Barry Goldwater my friend if it will guarantee Kennedy’s re-election.”  After Kennedy’s death, the agreed-upon secret talks were scrapped by Lyndon Johnson.

Oswald’s suspect FPCC membership connected him not to Castro, but to Cuban exile  handler Guy Banister.  CIA reports on “Oswald” in Mexico City and rumors of Oswald’s meetings with Cuban agents that circulated after the assassination seemed to link him to Castro, but they originated in the propaganda mills of CIA veterans David Phillips and E. Howard Hunt.

This conspiracy theory has been around a LONG long time.  Ask anyone old enough to remember the assassination if they REALLY believe Kennedy was shot and killed by ONE man, Lee Harvey Oswald.

Related Articles

• U.N. calls for end to embargo on Cuba (cnn.com)
• Fidel Castro (socyberty.com)