Speech #880032755

I would not be presumptuous enough to state that my plan provides the only possible solution to the Cuban situation. But I do submit that it has as its final goal the ridding from the hemisphere of Fidel Castro and communism. and proposes to do this with the least possible involvement of the United States. Furthermore. it seems to me incumbent upon us to offer to the displaced refugees from Cubamen and women who have been driven from their homeland because they refuse to knuckle under the Communist dictatorship--some source of hope. We must do more than pay lip service to the sacrifices which they have made for the ideals of individual liberty and democracy which we in this country extol. This must be done if we are not to suffer a tremendous loss of prestige in the eyes of the world. And it must be done to provide much needed inspiration to the Cuban refugees. lest they become completely disillusioned with democracy as a way of life and a form of government. Furthermore. all Latin Americans must know that we mean what we say about communism. that. actually. not only will we make speeches about it. but also we will in fact oppose it and we will help others to oppose it. and that our opposition is total and unrelenting. Anyone.