Cuban Arms: Kennedy Denies Russian Buildup
Cuban Arms: Kennedy Denies Russian Buildup
Cuban Arms: Kennedy Denies Russian Build-Up. At his News Conference, President Kennedy backs U.S Intelligence and statements by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara that there has been no offensive build-up by the Russians in Cuba. He says the Administration s estimates of arms in Cuba is based on comprehensive reports and emphasizes that certain Congressmen and Senators do not have these sources. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara steps up to the podium. MCUS - John Hughes, Pentagon Intelligence Aid. MS - Aerial snap shots of a Cuban missile site. and on the next snap shot the next month, it shows the missile site (whole area) dismantled. MS - News photographers with their long lens cameras. CUS - Senator, New York, Kenneth Keating. Mr. Kenneth Keating addressing the public and the press, "I stand on my statement that there's 10x as much military equipment there now in addition to this, the Soviet troops are digging in, these combat troops are building semipermanent or permanent barracks. And this is a part of my statement that they are 10x stronger. Its patently absurd it seems to me to believe the Russians and other communist are in Cuba because they're on the defensive. That they established a firm military base and are digging into it to defend the Cuban people. And that they don't intend and are not now using this base to get operators, equipment and propaganda into Latin America." The next day at the President's News Conference little attention to any matter about the Cuban question. The President of course points to the McNamara Press Conference as a thorough excursion into what the Russians have done and have not done in Castro's island fortress. MLS - President Kennedy at the podium addressing the press. John F Kennedy address the press, "We cannot base the issue of war and peace on any rumor or report which is that's not substantiated or which some member of Congress refused to tell us where he heard it. This issue involves a very definitely war and peace. When you talk about the occurance of defensive weapons there, if they are there, I hope the Soviet Union is aware and Cuba's aware will be back to where we were in October but far more in a concentrated way. But after our experience last fall we operate under the assumption while hoping for the best, we expect the worse. It's very possible that the worse will come and we should prepare for it. That's why we continue our duty to them. It's possible, conceivable. We cannot prove that there's not missile in a cave, or the Soviet Union isn't going to ship next week. Be prepared for that. That we will find them when they do, and when they do the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States must all be aware, that this will produce the greatest crisis which the world has faced in it's history."