I've often said that JFK wussed out when he refused to supply air
support during the attempted invasion of Cuba called The Bay of Pigs.
I've always called it "JFK's cut and run episode." Amazingly enough,
for the staunch war hero he advertised himself to be, he was too much
of a wimp to follow through and provide the air cover he had promised.
I've always wondered what would Cuba be like today had the invasion
succeeded. Air support wouldn't have made it a slam dunk, but it would
have at least given the troops on the ground a fighting chance. No one
can storm a beachhead loaded with enemy fixed position machine guns and
artillery if they don't have air support. It's a physical
impossibility. Kennedy, veteran of the Pacific in WWII, most assuredly
knew this, and yet he still backed away. I've also wondered how many
Cubans and Cuban-Americans revile the president most Americans consider
to be the penultimate because of his gutlessness. Well, as it turns
out, I was wrong. There was air support. Not any that JFK sent, of
course, but there was American air support, nonetheless. One brave
pilot picked up his Commander in Chief's slack, did what he thought was
right and died for his efforts. Now, forty-three years after her
father's death, because America is what it is, his daughter is taking
Fidel Castro to court. Amazing. Go read more at the Babalu Blog.
{hat tip: INDC Journal}
Posted by Kathy at November 1, 2004 09:35 PM | TrackBack