New Cuban Raids: Kennedy Says Attacks Don't Advance Cause
New Cuban Raids: Kennedy Says Attacks Don't Advance Cause
Seventeen men aboard a small twin-engine boat are picked up by British authorities in the Bahamas as they prepare to attack Cuban shipping. President Kennedy calls these raids ill-advised and feel that the raiders would do more good by joining the United States armed forces as have some of their fellow patriots. Cabin cruiser docked next to a pier, a Bahamian law officer is posted next to the cruiser. CUS - Gerry Buchanan MCUS - Men being released from a Bahamian jail. MCUS - President Kennedy steps up to a podium to address the raids. President John Kennedy: "I think when these issues of war and peace hang in the balance that the United States Government and authorities should and when American territories are being used, they should have a possession of some position of some control on the matter. We don't think they're effective, we don't think they weaken Castro, we don't think, rather hastily organized, to raid, which maybe shoots up a merchant ship, kills some crewmen comes back holds a press conference, doesn t seem to us that represents a serious blow to Castro and in fact it may assist him in maintaining his control. We distinguish between those actions in which we feel advances the cause of freedom and these hit and run raids which we do not feel advance the cause of freedom and were attempting to discourage those."