Explain To Me How It Is That We Have A Military Base In Cuba?

[arwalden]

I'm guessing that we had a facility at Guantanamo BEFORE Fidel Castro came to power. But how is it that we managed to stay?

There must be a simple answer. I'll bet it can be explained in two sentences. --- Surely I was absent (or daydreaming) on the day we covered this topic in 10th grade history class.

-- Allen

[Atlant]

1. It's a relic of the Spanish-American War, isn't it?

You remember: William Randolph Hearst's "You give me the photos and
I'll supply the war!" war.

"Remember the Maine!" = "Never Forget 9/11!"

Atlant

[markbark]

3. Yup

the "spoils of war" after the Spanish-American dust up included Gitmo, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Phillipines.

[Atlant]

4. We do most of our "land-grabs" under the color of Faux-War, don't we? (NT)

[mcd1982]

2. I remember...

learning in HS that we pay the Cubans rent for the base, but Castro has never cashed a check. If I remember correctly, and I might not, we've had the base since the Spanish-American War.

Matthew

[maha]

5. It's a relic of the Spanish-American War

Before the war (1898), Cuba was a territory of Spain. After the war, it was a possession of the United States (as was Puerto Rico, the Philippines etc.). The entire island was U.S. territory until 1903. In 1903, the new Republic of Cuba leased the area that would become Guantanamo to the U.S. There is a complicated history behind the lease agreement(s) with Cuba, but in a nutshell we've been leasing Guantanamo ever since, whether Cuba liked it or not.

[Sick of Bullshit]

14. Similar to the story of Hong Kong

which the British won from China as a result of the Opium War, then leased it from China for 99 years beginning in 1898.

[soothsayer]

6. politics and strange bedfellows I reckon

I've often wondered the same thing (and chortled at us grrring at cuba and wishing fidel death whilst using his pretty island)

[Warren Stuart]

7. Simple - Where does an 800 lb Gorilla sit?

Answer - Wherever he wants. We are the world's 800 lb Gorilla, and we do what we want because we can.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. I'm Glad We Have The Most Awesome Military Power Ever Assembled

I just wish we used it more responsibly and for the good of all the world.

"To make the world safe for democracy" is a good start...

[9215]

9. I spent a year

at GTMO in the Navy. Since others already answered the question I thought I'd throw this in.

My understanding is that we had/have a 100 year lease that I thought was going to expire in about now. I guess we plan on staying there even after the lease expires.

[Mika]

10. Here

http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/gazette/History_64-82/HISAPXD.HTM

TEXTS OF UNITED STATES - CUBAN AGREEMENTS AND TREATY OF 1934

TREATY SERIES No. 418
LEASE OF COALING OR NAVAL STATIONS

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CUBA

[arwalden]

11. Thanks Everyone...

This one is pretty definitive. It all makes sense to me now.

-- Allen

[wuushew]

12. When does the lease expire?

I would find great amusement in Castro forcing shrub to find an immediate and costly replacement for Gitmo, perhaps Utah?

[maine_raptor]

13. We've been paying the lease

since Castro came to power, but he has never "accepted" the money. There's quite a little ceremony heald each year where the Gitmo commander tries to hand the payment over to the Cuban Offical, who then refuses.

The lease was for 99 years and was to expire around the year 2000 I think.