You’re a terrorist? But you’re pro-bush? No problem!

Disgusting.

A little-noticed but chilling scene at Opa-locka Airport outside Miami last month demonstrates that the Bush administration’s commitment to fighting international terrorism can be overtaken by presidential politics — even if that means admitting known terrorists onto U.S. soil.

That’s what happened when outgoing Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso inexplicably pardoned four Cuban exiles convicted of “endangering public safety” for their role in an assassination plot against Fidel Castro during a 2000 international summit in Panama.

After their release, three of the four immediately flew via private jet to Miami, where they were greeted with a cheering fiesta organized by the hard-line anti-Castro community. Federal officials briefly interviewed the pardoned men — all holders of U.S. passports — and then let them go their way.

The fourth man, Luis Posada Carriles, was the most notorious member of this anti-Castro cell. He is an escapee from a prison in Venezuela, where he was incarcerated for blowing up an Air Cubana passenger plane in 1976, killing 73. He also admitted plotting six hotel bombings in Havana that killed one tourist and injured 11 others in 1997. Posada has gone into hiding in Honduras while seeking a Central American country that will harbor him, prompting Honduran President Ricardo Maduro to demand an explanation from the Bush administration on how a renowned terrorist could enter his country using a false U.S. passport.

The terrorist backgrounds of Posada’s three comrades-in-arms are as well documented as their leader’s.

Did you get that? Proven, murderous terrorists, greeted like heros in Miami after being flown there on a private jet. Why? Because it will help bush get re-elected. I can’t put into words how nauseating it is.

Via Kos, who asks, “Mr. President, we know your advisers have told you Florida is key to your winning a second term and that the Cuban-American vote is key to that contest, but have you no fucking shame, sir? Not even a drop?”

The Discussion: 2 Comments

America has always had a gigantic double standard when it comes to supporting or denouncing terrorism.

It was the CIA who created the Taliban to fight the Russian, and who helped in the funding of Contra rebels. They also incited an uprissing in Iraq that ended up in the gassing of thousands of civilians with chemical weapons and supported numerous coups and counter coups in Latin America.

America will support anybody who is acting in its interests, no matter how vile they are.

September 14, 2004 @ 7:45 pm | Comment

I’m afraid I can’t argue with that one, ACB. I look at those pictures of Rumsfeld with Saddam back in the 80s, when he was there making plans to provide him with chemical weapons, and I can’t argue with you. That week, the enemy was Iran. Just like at that time the Mujahadeen were glorious freedom fighters we had to support with all we had.

September 14, 2004 @ 7:49 pm | Comment

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