The world has not yet reached the point which, in my view, is an
essential condition for the survival of our human species: access by all
the peoples to the material resources of this planet. There is no other in
the Solar System that we know that has the most elemental conditions for life.
    The United States itself always tried to be a melting pot of all
races, all beliefs and all nations: white, black, yellow, the Indians and
mixed races, with no other differences than those between the masters and
slaves, the rich and poor; but all within its borders: To its North was
Canada; to the South, Mexico; to the East, the Atlantic Ocean and to the
West, the Pacific Ocean. Alaska, Puerto Rico and Hawaii were simple
historical accidents.
    What makes the issue complicated is that it does not imply the noble
wish of those fighting for a better world, which deserves as much respect
as the peoples’ religious beliefs do. It would only take some kind of
radioactive isotopes that stemmed from the enriched uranium used by
thermonuclear plants in relatively small amounts—since they do not exist
in nature—to put an end to the fragile existence of our species. Keeping
those wastes in increasing volumes, under reinforced concrete and steel
coffins, is one of the major challenges for technology.
    Events like the Chernobyl accident or the earthquake in Japan have
revealed those mortal risks.
    This is not the issue I’d like to address today, but how amazed I was
yesterday to see, on Walter Martinez’s show “Dossier” on Venezuelan
television, the filmed images of the meeting between the chief of the US
Department of Defense Robert Gates and the U.K. Defense Minister, Liam
Fox, who visited the United States to discuss the criminal war unleashed
by NATO against Libya. It was something difficult to believe, the British
minister won an “Oscar”; he was a bundle of nerves, he was tense and spoke
like crazy; and he gave the impression that he was just spitting out the
words.
    Of course, he first got to the entrance of the Pentagon, where Gates
was awaiting him with a smile. The flags of both countries, the one of the
ancient British colonial empire and that of its stepson, the United States
Empire, flew high on both sides as the two national anthems were played.
Right hand on chest, the rigorous and solemn military salute of the
ceremony given by the host country. This was the initial act. Later, the
two ministers stepped into the US Defense building. They are supposed to
have spoken for a long time, given the images I saw, as each of them
returned with a speech in hand, undoubtedly prepared in advance.
    The context of this entire scenario was made up by personnel in
uniform. On the left I could see a tall, slim young soldier, who seemed to
have a shaved redhead, wearing a cap with the black peak pulled nearly
down to his throat, presenting his bayoneted rifle. He did not blink nor
seem to breathe, like the figure of a soldier ready to shoot a rifle
bullet or a nuclear rocket with a destructive capacity of 100 thousand
tons of TNT. Gates spoke showing the smile and natural manners of a host.
The British man, however, did so in the way I explained.
    I have not often seen anything more horrifying than this; he was
releasing hatred, frustration, fury and using threatening language against
the Libyan leader and urging his unconditional surrender. He looked
indignant because the powerful NATO warplanes had not been able to crush
the Libyan resistance in 72 hours.
    He was only missing the exclamation: “blood, sweat and tears,” just
like Winston Churchill when he calculated the price to be paid by his
country in the fight against the Nazi warplanes. But in this case, the
Nazi-fascist role is being played by NATO with its thousands of bombing
missions by the most modern aircraft ever known by the world.
    To cap it all came the decision by the US administration to authorize
the use of drones to kill Libyan men, women and children, like in
Afghanistan, thousands of kilometers from Western Europe, but this time
against an Arab and African country, before the eyes of hundreds of
millions of Europeans and no less than in the name of the United Nations
Organization.
    Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin yesterday said that these acts
of war were illegal and they are outside the framework of the accords
adopted by the UN Security Council.
    The crude attacks against the Libyan people, which have taken on a
Nazi-fascist character, may be used against any Third World nation.
    I am really amazed at the resistance posed by Libya.
    The belligerent organization now depends on Gaddafi. If he resists and
does not yield to their demands, he will enter history as one of the great
figures of the Arab nations.
    NATO is poking a fire that could burn everyone!
 

Fidel Castro Ruz
April 27, 2011
7: 34 p.m.