Open Letter to Secretary Cohen

Newt Gingrich
Sixth District
Georgia

Office of the
Speaker
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

March 31, 1998

The Honorable William Cohen
Secretary of Defense
The Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I understand that you are completing a Department of Defense assessment that press reports
indicate will minimize the security threat from the Castro dictatorship by concentrating on
conventional military factors. If true, such a conclusion would be very misleading.

Despite Cuba’s current economic situation, Castro is a dangerous and unstable tyrant capable
of
many of the same things we know Saddam Hussein is doing. Furthermore, the Castro
dictatorship is the only rogue regime 90 miles from our coastline.

Just two years ago, Castro ordered Cuban MIG-29 fighter aircraft to attack and kill unarmed
American civilians flying in international airspace just miles from the United States. Today,
Castro continues to support terrorists such as the Basque ETA, provide logistical support to
guerilla groups such as the Columbian FARC, provide safehaven for international criminals such
as more than 90 felony fugitives wanted by the Department of Justice, and profit from
narcotrafficking. In the past month, the Castro Regime has also signed a new agreement with
Russia to renew cooperation to complete a Russian-designed nuclear reactor. Furthermore, I am
very concerned about recent reports indicating that Castro’s secretive network of sophisticated
biological and genetic research labs are being used by the military and Interior Ministry to develop
chemical and biological weapons.

Any assessment by the Pentagon supporting the notion of a diminished U.S. national security
threat from the Castro dictatorship will raise serious questions of credibility. Given Castro’s
proven instability, ongoing anti-Americanism, and proximity to the U.S., it would be an
unacceptable mistake to underestimate his capabilities or his intentions.

Sincerely,

/signed/

Newt Gingrich