DATE=3/31/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-229027
TITLE=CUBA THREAT? (L)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: SOME NEW ASSESSMENTS OF CUBA'S ARMED FORCES SAY THEY   NO 
LONGER POSE A THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES.  ONE EVALUATION COMES 
FROM THE MILITARY OFFICER WHO UNTIL RECENTLY LED ALL U-S FORCES 
IN LATIN AMERICA.  THE OTHER IS A SECRET, NOT-YET-RELEASED REPORT
FROM THE PENTAGON.  V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS, THE NEW VIEW OF 
CUBA IS SPARKING ANGRY DISAGREEMENT FROM CUBAN-AMERICAN MEMBERS 
OF CONGRESS. 

TEXT: RECENTLY RETIRED MARINE GENERAL JOHN SHEEHAN SPOKE 
(TUESDAY) AT A CAPITOL HILL PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING A TRIP TO 
CUBA. UNTIL LAST SEPTEMBER, GENERAL SHEEHAN WAS THE COMMANDER IN 
CHIEF OF SOUTHCOM, THE MILITARY ORGANIZATION THAT OVERSEES ALL 
U-S OPERATIONS IN LATIN AMERICA. 

HE SAYS THE THREAT FROM CUBA HAS BEEN DIMINISHING FOR SEVERAL 
YEARS FOR ECONOMIC REASONS.  EXPERTS ON CUBA SAY SCARCE FUEL AND 
PARTS MEAN THAT VERY FEW OF CUBA'S AGING FIGHTER PLANES ARE ABLE 
TO FLY AND CUBAN SOLDIERS SPEND MUCH OF THEIR TIME GROWING FOOD 
AND REPAIRING OLD VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT. 

GENERAL SHEEHAN SAYS HIS IMPRESSIONS WERE REINFORCED BY LONG 
CONVERSATIONS WITH CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO AND CUBAN ARMED 
FORCES CHIEF RAUL CASTRO.  HE SAYS HE ALSO LOOKED CAREFULLY AT A 
LOT OF CUBA'S SOLDIERS.  

                     /// SHEEHAN  ACT   ///

 NOT ONLY FROM THE INTELLIGENCE DATA THAT I LOOKED AT FOR 30 
YEARS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WALKING THE GROUND AND VISITING THE 
BASE CAMPS OF THE CUBAN MILITARY, THEY CLEARLY ARE   NOT  A 
THREAT TO THE U-S MILITARY.  

                        /// END ACT  ///

GENERAL SHEEHAN SAYS THERE IS  NO  CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT CUBA IS 
WORKING ON BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.  HE SAYS CUBA DOES HAVE SKILLED 
SCIENTISTS AND LABORATORIES, BUT THEY ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING 
MEDICINES THAT ARE HARD TO OBTAIN SINCE THE U-S BLOCKED TRADE 
WITH THE ISLAND. 

                      ///  SHEEHAN ACT ///

 ALL OF THE EVIDENCE I LOOKED AT SIX MONTHS AGO WHEN I WAS ACTIVE
DUTY, (INCLUDING) THE LABS THAT I PERSONALLY VISITED IN CUBA, 
CLEARLY INDICATE TO ME THAT THERE IS  NOT  A MILITARIZED BIOTECH 
CAPABILITY WITHIN THE CUBAN MILITARY.

                        /// END ACT /// 

(OPT) A PENTAGON OFFICIAL SAYS RETIRED GENERAL SHEEHAN MET WITH 
U-S  OFFICIALS BEFORE AND AFTER HIS TRIP TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION 
AND TO PRESS HIS CASE FOR NORMALIZING RELATIONS WITH CUBA. (END 
OPT)  

GENERAL SHEEHAN'S COMMENTS CAME ON THE DAY THE PENTAGON WAS 
SUPPOSED TO DELIVER TO CONGRESS A NEW ASSESSMENT OF THE CUBAN 
THREAT.  THE REPORT IS SECRET, BUT A PENTAGON SOURCE SAYS THE 
ASSESSMENT IS EXPECTED TO ECHO GENERAL SHEEHAN'S VIEW THAT CUBA 
POSES NO DANGER TO THE UNITED STATES. 

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM COHEN SAYS HE WON'T SEND THE REPORT 
TO CAPITOL HILL UNTIL HE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT.  AN ACCOUNT
IN THE WASHINGTON POST SAYS THE REPORT WAS DELAYED SO IT COULD BE
REWRITTEN TO BLUNT EXPECTED ANGRY CRITICISM FROM SOME MEMBERS OF 
CONGRESS.  BUT THAT ACCOUNT WAS LABELED "INACCURATE" BY PENTAGON 
SPOKESMAN KEN BACON.  

MEANTIME, SEVERAL CUBAN-AMERICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, INCLUDING 
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THE NEW ASSESSMENT.  
SHE TOLD REPORTERS CUBA WILL BE A THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES AS 
LONG AS PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO -- WHOM SHE BRANDED A TYRANT -- IS
IN CHARGE. (SIGNED)

NEB/JR/KL

31-Mar-98 5:40 PM EST (2240 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.