[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 27, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H1298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ILLEGAL CUBAN SHOOTDOWN WARRANTS PUNISHMENT OF CASTRO, BUT NOT DESPITE 
                   LONG-TERM UNITED STATES INTERESTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Skaggs] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SKAGGS. Mr. Speaker, the Castro regime has acted in callous 
violation of international law in shooting down two defenseless and 
clearly marked civilian aircraft. Whether or not the Brothers to the 
Rescue planes strayed into Cuban airspace hardly matters. No law 
permits a military fighter plane to shoot down an unarmed civilian 
aircraft. Civilized people everywhere are rightly outraged by these 
murders and by the disregard that the Castro regime has shown for human 
life and human rights.
  The families of the pilots and crew who were killed have our sympathy 
in their tragic loss. These men were dedicated to a noble goal--freedom 
for the people of Cuba.
  We are told that the Cuban MiG pilots made no effort to contact the 
Brothers to the Rescue pilots, to make the usual warning signals to 
them, or to escort their small airplanes from the area before firing on 
them. All this demonstrates a willful failure to follow the 
internationally agreed-upon rules for dealing with such a 
nonthreatening approach to national airspace.
  Fidel Castro's desperate response reflects the nature of his regime. 
He's again shown us his contempt for international law and his need to 
isolate the Cuban people from the world community.
  The steps the President has taken constitute, for the most part, a 
reasonable and measured response. The President has properly sought and 
won international condemnation for an act that flouts international law 
and norms. The President also has proposed legislation to enable him to 
use frozen Cuban assets to provide compensation to the victims' 
families. I expect to support that proposal. I also think it is 
reasonable to add some restrictions on travel at this time.
  The President's call for expanding Radio Marti, however, makes sense 
if and only if Radio Marti is first cleaned-up. The problems that have 
plagued the operation of Radio Marti are legion and do not reflect well 
on the management of USIA's surrogate broadcasting programs. Now, more 
than ever, it is essential that Radio Marti be brought up to U.S. 
Information Agency standards for quality and accuracy of news 
broadcasts. Otherwise, expanding its operations will not serve U.S. 
interests.
  I also do not agree with the President that it is in our national 
interest to cozy up to the Helms-Burton legislation, even in response 
to such an offensive provocation by the Cuban Government. If we tighten 
the embargo we will only be playing into Castro's hands by helping him 
to keep his people in a state of isolation and deprivation. As in the 
case of our other former and hold-over adversaries from the cold-war 
era, the best policy for the United States to follow, for its own self-
interested reason and for purposes of reforming the political and 
economic system in Cuba, is a policy of tough-minded engagement.
  The murderous attacks on the Brothers to the Rescue airplanes was an 
illegal and outrageous act. It is one for which Castro has to be 
punished. At the same time, we should not become captive to a limited 
ideology. Instead we should seek constructive ways to stand with the 
Cuban people in their struggle for freedom, and to serve the 
enlightened self-interest America has in a peaceful transition to 
political and economic freedom in Cuba.

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