U.S. proposes making Radio Marti, broadcaster to Cuba, independent

[Judi Lynn]

U.S. proposes making Radio Marti, broadcaster to Cuba, independent
By Arshad Mohammed, Warren Strobel and David Adams
WASHINGTON/MIAMI, March 3 Tue Mar 3, 2015 3:15pm EST


(Reuters) - The White House has proposed turning Radio Marti, a U.S. government-controlled broadcaster created in part to undermine communist rule in Cuba, into a separate entity as Washington seeks rapprochement with Havana.

The proposal, buried in the federal budget released last month, was made some six weeks after the United States and Cuba agreed on Dec. 17 to embark on an effort to restore diplomatic ties and normalize relations after more than 50 years of enmity.

U.S. officials said the proposal was unrelated to the Cuba outreach and aimed at modernizing the broadcaster.

However, it has troubled critics of the thaw with Cuba, who view the proposed change as part of what they regard as the White House's abandonment of the fight against the authoritarian Castro government, a congressional aide said.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/03/usa-cuba-broadcaster-idUSL1N0W50MA20150303?rpc=401

[forest444]

1. It's good news at first blush

because it will at least mean that at least some of the more than $500 million squandered over the last quarter century on anti-Castro propaganda will be curtailed.

Once put up for auction, however, Radio Martí will almost certainly end up in the hands of Rupert Murdoch - and as we all know, Ted Turner didn't call him "the most evil man I've ever known" for nothing.

While Obama's heart might be in the right place on this, it's no secret that for many in U.S. foreign policy circles (neocons) the ultimate goal for Cuba is to turn it into another Honduras - a "capitalist hell" and key transshipment point for narcotics flowing through Florida.

God forbid.