Cuba kills US diplomats' puppies and kittens, leaked Bush-era report says (no joke)

[apr09]

Notice the timing of the leak. President Obama is ready to ease restrictions between Cuban familes and Cuba, and all of sudden a Bush-era (2007) report is leaked claiming that Cuba kills diplomats' pets so as to intimidate them:

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/state-dept-cuba-poisoning-diplomats-pets-2009-04-11.html

As President Obama and members of Congress push to strengthen relations with Cuba, the State Department released a report on Friday that details Cuban efforts to weaken the morale of U.S. diplomats on the island by poisoning their family pets.

The 64-page report written in 2007 states that the life of U.S. diplomats serving in the U.S. Interest Section (USINT) – which issues visas and performs other diplomatic services in Havana – was laden with poor morale “in part because USINT life in Havana is life with a government that ‘let’s you know it’s hostile.’”

Cuban officials would often try to create dissention within the ranks of U.S. diplomats on the island according to the report, which was prepared and released by the State Department inspector general.

“Retaliations have ranged from the petty to the poisoning of family pets. The regime has recently gone to great lengths to harass some employees by holding up household goods and consumable shipments. The apparent goal has been to instigate dissension within USINT ranks.”

Could a nation that lied about WMD lie about the death of pets? hmm, let me think about it.

[LostinVA]

1. Suuuuure

[midnight]

2. A very good question.

[Downtown Hound]

3. Cuba ate my homework.

[Arctic Dave]

4. How did Cuba poison the pets? When did they do it? Where did they do it?

Did Cuba eat the last ice bar too?

[Hekate]

6. Chinese pet food, what else?

[Arctic Dave]

10. Doh!

[stillcool]

5. 'causing dissension'

that's what the media does here every day.

[noamnety]

7. I am preparing for great outrage about puppies and kittens

from the nation that's been torturing and murdering detainees.

[Vidar]

8. Must have eaten some of the poison the CIA had planned for Castro.

[Aloha Spirit]

9. Politicalticker.cnn has a similar article, originally posted on Friday:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/11/us-says-cuba-tried-to-hurt-american-morale-poison-family-pets/

April 10, 2009
US says Cuba tried to hurt American morale, poison family pets
WASHINGTON (CNN) � ....The report dates back to 2007, but its release comes just days before the Obama administration is expected to ease some restrictions on Cuban-Americans sending money to Cuba and visiting family there. And it is made public just days after a Congressional Black Caucus delegation returned from Cuba and provided glowing reports of how they were received by Cuban leaders Fidel and Raul Castro.

The report was prepared by the State Department inspector general. It repeatedly mentions poor morale among U.S. diplomats serving in Cuba, saying the Cuban government "lets you know it's hostile." Without full diplomatic relations with Cuba, and with a trade and travel embargo still in place, there is no U.S. Embassy. The Interests Section issues visas and performs other diplomatic services.

And the report says the apparent goal of Cuban authorities has been to provoke dissension within the ranks of American diplomats.