Yahoo! By George Gedda, Associated Press Writer. Wed Mar 6,
3:26 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration has begun a review of Cuba policy
that will include an assessment of whether Cuba can disrupt U.S. military
communications through the Internet, a senior official says.
That issue will be examined along with others to determine Cuba's potential
to damage U.S. interests, the official said.
The senior official, asking not to be identified, said Cuba's involvement in
international terrorism also will be part of the review.
In addition, the administration is examining the possibility of seeking an
indictment against President Fidel Castro (news - web sites) in the 1996
shootdown by MiG jet fighters of two Miami-based private planes near Cuban air
space, the official said.
Thus far, the centerpiece of President Bush (news - web sites)'s Cuba policy
has been support of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. But the official's comments
suggested the administration has a more proactive agenda in mind for countering
Castro.
A year ago, Vice Adm. Thomas Wilson, director of the Defense Intelligence
Agency, told a congressional hearing that that Cuba has the potential to use "information
warfare or computer network attack" to disrupt "our access or flow of
forces to the region."
Wilson declined to discuss the matter further in open session, and the
administration has not commented publicly on the subject since then. The senior
official said Cuba's ability to engage in cyberattacks is part of the policy
review. Castro has dismissed Wilson's comments as "craziness."
Richard Clarke, the White House technology adviser, said in testimony in
February before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee, that the United States could
respond militarily against a foreign government in the event of a cyberattack.
"We reserve the right to respond in any way appropriate: through covert
action, through military action, any one of the tools available to the
president," Clarke said.
He said Iran, Iraq, North Korea (news - web sites), China, Russia and other
countries already have people trained in Internet warfare. He did not mention
Cuba.
Cuba is on the State Department terrorist country list, a designation based
on ties Cuba maintains with other countries on the list, including Iraq, and the
haven Cuba provides for foreigners linked to alleged terrorist organizations.
As a result of the policy review, the Cuba section of the next State
Department terrorism report, due next month, may add to the rationale for
keeping Cuba on the list.
Castro argues that Cuba has been the victim of a Miami-based terrorism
campaign that dates back 40 years and has claimed, he says, thousands of lives.
As for the embargo, Bush has said he will oppose "any effort to weaken
sanctions against the Cuban government until it respects Cubans' basic human
rights and civil rights, frees political prisoners and holds free and democratic
elections."
But there is strong sentiment in the Congress to lift restrictions on travel
by Americans to Cuba. The worst nightmare of pro-embargo stalwarts is the
specter of Americans filling Cuba's tourist hotels and, in the process, leaving
behind hundreds of millions in dollars for Cuba's cash-starved government.
The senior official raised the possibility of a presidential veto if the
travel restrictions are eased. At present, travel is permitted by journalists
some other categories of Americans who have a professional interest in Cuba. But
tourism has been barred for years. | 
