-Caveat Lector- Cuban State Paper Accuses U.S. of Attacking Bees Updated: Tue, Aug 21 8:55 AM EDT HAVANA (Reuters) - Not content with conventional conflict tactics like sanctions and a 1961 CIA-backed invasion, the United States has resorted to attacking Cuba's bees, according to the ruling Communist Party's weekly newspaper. The state-run newspaper Granma Internacional accused Washington of waging a "biological war against Cuba" that was probably to blame for a disease that has destroyed 16,000 beehives causing $2 million in lost honey output since 1996. In the latest edition of the paper circulating on Monday, writer Raisa Pages based the claim on the fact that the disease attacking the beehives, which Cuba calls "Varroasis," first appeared in the West of the island. "If it had spread naturally, its first attacks would have been reported in the east of the island, according to experts basing themselves on precedents for this disease in the Americas," she wrote in the paper, which always reflects the official position of President Fidel Castro's government. Whatever the cause of the disease, it has dashed Cuba's plans to produce 8,500 tonnes of honey this year. Much of the honey is exported and brings in much-needed foreign currency to the cash-strapped Caribbean nation. The honey accusation is the latest in a long line of "biological" attacks Havana has blamed on Washington. U.S. officials have generally ridiculed the claims as fantasy and propaganda. For decades, Castro's government has been alleging chemical attacks by U.S. agents, accusing them of deliberately planting diseases that have hit Cuban pigs, sugar, tobacco and even -- in the case of a dengue outbreak in the early 1980s -- humans. Granma Internacional quoted national beekeeping director, Eugenio Omar Rufin, as saying the island was seeking to stem the "Varroasis" outbreak with the application of a German product, Baibarol, and an Italian pesticide, Apilifbar. The newspaper gave no explanation of how the U.S. government had allegedly smuggled the disease onto the island, although with other past cases Cuba has spoken of planes spraying chemicals, or individual travelers carrying germs. Steve Wingate, Webmaster ANOMALOUS IMAGES AND UFO FILES http://www.anomalous-images.com <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
