JFK, Castro, Etc...

[ZionSouljah]

K, im not really big on politics n kno very little about history n whatnot...
but i was watching this show on PBS i believe called "The Kennedy Experience...

Im wondering tho whats the whole situation with JFK n the CIA wanting to take out Castro, why did the CIA try to use the mafia for the job, what does Communist actually and technically mean, and why is JFK referred to as such a great president when he seemed to have quiet a few disastorous events or decisions....

could someone please explain to a politicaly challenged person. :blush:

By the way hello forum... :lol:

[Whitten]

Im wondering tho whats the whole situation with JFK n the CIA wanting to take out Castro, - To put things simply, The US had a policy of containment when it came to the sprea dof the political ideology is communism. Castro led the first communist party in the western hemisphere to gain power, and they feared it would spread throughout latin America. On top of this large amounts of American investments and assets were tied up in Cuba, which were mostly nationalised after the revolution. There is also the simple matter of prestige for the US in allowing a "communism" to effist so close to it. In response to losing any chance of trade with the US, and the growing threat of US invasion (including one failed attempted invasion using a militia of exiled cubans with CIA supplies), Cuba began trading with the USSR (the USA's arch enemy in the cold war) and even started to recieve military assistance.

why did the CIA try to use the mafia for the job, - Im not 100% certain, but this is likely due to the fact that the US told the UN they would not attack Cuba. It also just makes it go down easier with the public. The Mafia suffered alot from Castro's nationalisation of their "property" in Cuba, and so would have benifited from the downfall of Castro.

what does Communist actually and technically mean, - A communist is a person who advokates communism. Communism is a stateless and classless society, in which the means of production (industry) is collectivly and democraticly owned by the workers of that society. "Communist" when refering to a state, refers to a state which is run by a "Communist party" that is a political party that sees Communism as its ultimate objective (or claims to).

and why is JFK referred to as such a great president when he seemed to have quiet a few disastorous events or decisions.... - I guess him gettinga ssasinated just made people think it was wrong to critise him after that.

[Janus]

Im not 100% certain, but this is likely due to the fact that the US told the UN they would not attack Cuba. It also just makes it go down easier with the public. The Mafia suffered alot from Castro's nationalisation of their "property" in Cuba, and so would have benifited from the downfall of Castro.
The Mafia had quite a lot of influence back in those days and had many contacts in Cuba due to their previous investments there. Also, using the Mafia would've allowed the government to stay out of public scrutiny and keep their hands clean.