The Final Call

Cuba holds army exercises to ward off any U.S. attack

By | Last updated: Dec 11, 2007 - 12:47:00 PM

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HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) - Cuba’s military launched five days of exercises recently to prepare against a possible U.S. attack.

The Moncada-2007 maneuvers, involving the armies of Cuba’s west and central regions and units of the Territorial Militia Troops, reserves and local residents, are “an exercise of leaders and command and control units,” according to the official newspaper Granma.

The maneuvers will involve aircraft as well as troops, and demonstrate the modernization of combat techniques, it said.

“Moncada-2007 will serve to measure the readiness of command and control units and, as well, show the level of skill achieved by the different types of personnel over a year of defense preparation,” Granma said.

The government, presided over by defense chief Raul Castro since his brother Fidel became infirm in July 2006, maintains that U.S. President George W. Bush has stepped up U.S. “aggression” against Cuba to force a political change.