Military Exercise Raises Cuban Invasion Fears
by Glenn Baker
Two U.S. carrier strike groups (CSGs) sailed in the vicinity of Cuba as part
of Summer Pulse 04, the Navy's first exercise of a new operational construct
that will deploy seven CSGs around the world simultaneously, a major change
from the way carriers have been used in the past. The goal is to create a
more responsive, less predictable carrier force that can quickly support
contingency operations around the world.
A CSG typically consists of six major vessels and 65 aircraft. Cuba sits
just 90 miles from Florida. The Cubans note that the U.S. invasion of
Grenada in 1983, supported by the carrier USS Independence, took place
without warning.
In addition to the concerns about the CSGs, questions are raised by the
White House decision to deploy military "Commando Solo" airborne platforms
in coordination with the U.S. government's Office of Cuba Broadcasting
(Radio and TV Marti). These aircraft, operated by the 193rd Special
Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, traditionally
support psychological operations in wartime. The new policy also calls for
procurement of a dedicated aircraft for full-time broadcasting into Cuba. It
is unclear whether this aircraft will be operated by the military or the
Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB).
Some Cuban officials privately have expressed greater concern over the
latter possibility, because the OCB is run largely by Cuban exiles based in
Miami. OCB officials maintain ties to extremist exiles who seek to trigger a
violent incident that could create a pretext for military action against
Cuba, which might see this aircraft as the tool for such an incident. In
1996, the Cuban Air Force shot down two private planes near Cuban airspace
operated by the exile group "Brothers to the Rescue."
Glenn Baker is Cuba Project Director 202-797-5265 gbaker@cdi.org
Back to Peace Talk Index, Autumn, 2004