Although, not liked for his past links to Communism, there is still some truth in what he says from this MSNBC article today:

HAVANA, Sept. 22 — Warning that large-scale U.S. military attacks against
Afghanistan's ruling Taliban could have catastrophic consequences, Cuban
leader Fidel Castro on Saturday declared his opposition to the gathering war
as much as the terrorist acts that precipitated it.

Reiterating Cuba's ''willingness to cooperate with every country in total
eradication of terrorism,'' Castro repeated his solidarity with the American
people after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.

''Cuba is opposed to terrorism and is opposed to war,'' the 75-year-old
Castro told tens of thousands of cheering people at a government rally
Saturday outside Havana.

He called the attacks an ''atrocious and insane terrorist act,'' but
insisted that ''the tragedy should not be used to recklessly start a war
that could unleash an endless carnage of innocent people.''

Castro clearly took exception to parts of President Bush's Thursday night
speech roughly outlining his retaliation plan to the American people and the
world.

Bush's plan is for ''a world military dictatorship under the exclusive rule
of force, irrespective of any international laws or institutions,'' Castro
said.

''There would be only one boss, only one judge, and only one law,'' he said.

A vocal advocate of individual nations' sovereignty, Castro found troubling
Bush's declaration:

''Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.''

''No nation of the world has been left out of the dilemma, not even the big
and powerful states; none has escaped the threat of war or attacks,'' said
Castro. ''We have all been ordered to ally either with the United States
government or with terrorism,'' he added.

As for Bush's declaration that any weapon could be used, Castro said: ''No
procedure has been excluded, regardless of its ethics, nor any threat no
matter how fatal — whether it be nuclear, chemical, biological or any
other.''

The Cuban leader also expressed concerns about how extensive such a war
would be and how long it would last.

Castro said the American president made ''an amazing assertion'' Thursday
night when he said that ''the course of this conflict is not known; yet its
outcome is certain. And we know that God is not neutral.''

''When I think about the real or imagined parties involved in that bizarre
holy war that is about to begin, I find it difficult to make a distinction
about where the fanaticism is stronger.''

Washington and Havana have not have diplomatic relations for four decades,
but Castro insisted ''Cuba will never be used for terrorist actions against
the American people and we will do everything within our reach to prevent
such actions against that people.''

Both Washington and Havana confirmed this week that U.S. officials
approached Cuba about providing information about terrorism following the
attacks.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)