Bush on Cuba, and Guantanamo Bay

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With a year to go before the next presidential election, President Bush today promised tougher enforcement of sanctions against Cuba. At the same time, after urging the White House for months to make changes, the International Committee of the Red Cross went public and denounced the US for holding prisoners without trial at Guantanamo Bay. In Washington, a group of ex-judges, diplomats and former military lawyers has asked the US Supreme Court to intervene. The Cold War meets the War on Terror 90 miles from American shores. Fidel Castro has been in power since 1959 spanning the terms of 10 American Presidents, all of whom have wished for "regime change" and supported sanctions against Castro-s Cuba. The question of Cuba is especially important for George W. Bush. Making News: President Bush-s Speech about Cuba In July, President Bush sent 15 escapees back to Cuba after the Castro regime assured him they would not be executed for hijacking a boat. In Florida, home to 400,000 Cuban exiles, that action was so unpopular it was publicly criticized by the President-s brother, Governor Jeb Bush. Today, at the White House, the President tried to repair the damage. Reporter's Notebook: Shirin Ebadi Wins Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Committee came up with a surprise today by awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to an Iranian woman, Shirin Ebadi. After the Iranian Revolution, Shirin Ebadi had to resign as a judge. Since then, she has worked as a lawyer and advocated for human rights - especially for women and children. Today, she became the 11th woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She is the first Iranian and the 11th woman to get the honor since it-s inception in 1901. Pope John Paul was just one of the other likely candidates, but the Committee chose Ebadi as a fighter for human rights "of whom," in the Committee-s words, "the Muslim world can be proud."
With a year to go before the next presidential election, President Bush today promised tougher enforcement of sanctions against Cuba. At the same time, after urging the White House for months to make changes, the International Committee of the Red Cross went public and denounced the US for holding prisoners without trial at Guantanamo Bay. In Washington, a group of ex-judges, diplomats and former military lawyers has asked the US Supreme Court to intervene. The Cold War meets the War on Terror 90 miles from American shores. Fidel Castro has been in power since 1959 spanning the terms of 10 American Presidents, all of whom have wished for "regime change" and supported sanctions against Castro-s Cuba. The question of Cuba is especially important for George W. Bush.
  • Making News: President Bush-s Speech about Cuba
    In July, President Bush sent 15 escapees back to Cuba after the Castro regime assured him they would not be executed for hijacking a boat. In Florida, home to 400,000 Cuban exiles, that action was so unpopular it was publicly criticized by the President-s brother, Governor Jeb Bush. Today, at the White House, the President tried to repair the damage.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Shirin Ebadi Wins Nobel Peace Prize
    The Nobel Committee came up with a surprise today by awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to an Iranian woman, Shirin Ebadi. After the Iranian Revolution, Shirin Ebadi had to resign as a judge. Since then, she has worked as a lawyer and advocated for human rights - especially for women and children. Today, she became the 11th woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She is the first Iranian and the 11th woman to get the honor since it-s inception in 1901. Pope John Paul was just one of the other likely candidates, but the Committee chose Ebadi as a fighter for human rights "of whom," in the Committee-s words, "the Muslim world can be proud."

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Warren Olney