Fidel Castro Steps Up Iran War Alert

By Circles Robinson

HAVANA TIMES, July 13 — Former Cuban President Fidel Castro went on a live TV program Monday eveing for the first time in nearly four years to restate his concern that the United States and Israel are planning for a war on Iran.

Foreign correspondents in Havana reported that Fidel, who turns 84 in August, looked “relaxed and lucid”.  The program was broadcast on local TV and radio and Cubavision International.

Castro noted the danger of a nuclear war both in the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula where he claimed the US torpedoed a modern South Korean warship to provoke a crisis with North Korea.  He said the recent event occurred when the two Korea’s were carrying out military maneuvers.

Fidel has said that an attack on Iran would not be like when Iraq was bombarded by the US in March 2003, noting the resistance would be fierce with grave consequences.

During his prolonged recovery from intestinal surgery at the end of July 2006, Fidel writes an opinion column mainly with his views on world issues, steering clear of domestic matters thus far left to his brother, President Raul Castro.

Fidel Castro is still the head of Cuba’s all-powerful Communist Party.  Last week he made his first public appearance since falling ill in a visit to a scientific research center in the capital.