Obama Administration Removal of Cuba from List of State Sponsors of Terror Is Based On Politics, Not Facts, Says Ros-Lehtinen

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, made the following statement regarding that the Obama Administration's removal of Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST) list. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:

"Since President Obama came into power, his administration's policy toward the Castro regime has been: ask, and you shall receive. As expected, the Obama administration has indicated its intent to remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terror list, but this is being done only for political reasons and not in accordance with the law.

"For months, the Obama administration deceived the American people by conveying that opening embassies and the SST designation were not linked in these misguided talks. But this unwise decision to remove Cuba from the SST list illustrates that the Obama administration is willing to concede to the demands of the Castro brothers in order to set up an embassy in Cuba. Removing Cuba from the terrorist list does not help the Cuban people as they are still left oppressed and without even basic human rights while emboldening its oppressors.

"Recently, Castro thugs beat U.S. citizens and Cuban pro-democracy activists in Panama and now the regime is being rewarded for such actions by being removed from the SST list. This removal will only undermine U.S. national security and send a signal to the Cuban people that, instead of disapproving of the Castro regime's methods, the U.S. is rushing to embrace two decrepit tyrants in their twilight. Sadly, President Obama's decision to remove Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terror list is based on politics and not facts."

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