Why is Obama administration not demanding extradition of convicted cop killer Assata Shakur?

[Derec]

Have fun! Just make sure that you don't wind up getting extradited to Cuba after they indict you on kidnapping charges once relations are more normalized.

That would be something? Let a convicted murderer go but extradite those who seek to bring her to justice!

Besides, el Chapo is a more relevant concern. ($8.8 million) You can pick her up on your way back from Mexico with him.

Yeah, but he is scary, and I am not greedy - $2 million is plenty for me. As somebody else said, she is a 68 year old woman who probably still has difficulties raising one of her arms.

 

[Derec]

And why can't CIA go in and snatch her like Mossad snatched Eichmann from Argentina? And if that's beyond their capabilities, they could take her out right then and there.

I don't know that's CIA business. Their job is not to capture common criminals, and she's apparently not been a significant threat for US security for decades (unless you count the symbolism, but that probably wouldn't be weakened if she's captured; on the contrary, it might become stronger).

But she is not a common criminal. The murder, as well as the numerous other crimes she is suspected of, including another murder, she committed for political reasons as member of Black Panthers and Black Liberation Army.

Also, an operation like that would jeopardize the attempt to improve relations with Cuba, and that's a more important foreign goal for Obama.

As I said before, Cubans have more to gain from it than US. So they should really be offering Assata's head on a silver platter.

 

[Bronzeage]

Are they allowed to harbor murderers?

who is harboring Snowden?

He should be extradited too.

And I would have no more reluctance to take a vacation in Cuba as I would China...

I would actually like to visit Cuba, even though I abhor their dictatorship. Especially if I can make 2 million doing it.
And why can't CIA go in and snatch her like Mossad snatched Eichmann from Argentina? And if that's beyond their capabilities, they could take her out right then and there.

It would help your case if it could shown to be real concern for justice and not just another lame jab at the Obama administration.

The real problem here is it's the older Cuban generation that cares about whether Castro is ruthless dictator. They are the darlings of the GOP, and like all the other GOP groups, getting older and dying away. The grandchildren of the refugee generation don't really care about all that, but they would like to go to Cuba on vacation.

Lifting the embargo will make the Democratic Party more appealing to younger Cuban Americans, so it's very important for the GOP to keep the embargo in place as long as possible, because it fractures Cruz's and Rubio's main support group.

 

[funinspace]

Second, it was Pres. Obama's FBI placed her on their Most Wanted list in 2013, and doubled the reward to $2 million.

Lip service as she is still, in 2015, a free woman.

Speaking of lame jabs at Pres. Obama...and just what did the previous Bush administration do that was so different? Ah, yes lip service as she remained free after his 8 years ended.

 

[Angra Mainyu]

But she is not a common criminal. The murder, as well as the numerous other crimes she is suspected of, including another murder, she committed for political reasons as member of Black Panthers and Black Liberation Army.

My bad. I still don't know that's CIA business.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency#Purpose

She is no longer a threat, and hasn't been for decades. She was a terrorist in the past, but that was long ago.

As I said before, Cubans have more to gain from it than US. So they should really be offering Assata's head on a silver platter.

I'm not sure what Cubans you have in mind, but I think Obama has more to gain than Raúl Castro.
Even if that weren't the case, I was talking about the CIA operation you suggested.
An operation like that would be felt as an insult by many in Cuba, probably Castro himself - and if he wouldn't be outraged, he'd pretend to be so, for domestic political reasons.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Derec. Because of the US destruction of Iraq's water and sewer systems and embargos that resulted in failure to repair these systems, large numbers of innocent Iraqis died, including nearly 500,000 children. If there was a serious move to indict Bush and Clinton et al for war crimes, would you support their being sent to the Hague to be held for trial? Or does this sort of thing only apply to a woman in Cuba who killed far less than 500,000 children? How far does your studied outrage extend?

 

[Bomb#20]

Also, an operation like that would jeopardize the attempt to improve relations with Cuba, and that's a more important foreign goal for Obama.

As I said before, Cubans have more to gain from it than US. So they should really be offering Assata's head on a silver platter.

They should; but "should" has very little to do with what governments do. If Castro offered us her head he'd lose face -- he'd be perceived as knuckling under to U.S. coercion. He cares more about that than about letting the Cuban people benefit from closer economic ties with the U.S. The U.S. demanding her extradition would be a "killer amendment" -- it would be the same thing as the U.S. simply point-blank refusing to end the embargo.

 

[Derec]

As I said before, Cubans have more to gain from it than US. So they should really be offering Assata's head on a silver platter.

They should; but "should" has very little to do with what governments do. If Castro offered us her head he'd lose face -- he'd be perceived as knuckling under to U.S. coercion. He cares more about that than about letting the Cuban people benefit from closer economic ties with the U.S. The U.S. demanding her extradition would be a "killer amendment" -- it would be the same thing as the U.S. simply point-blank refusing to end the embargo.

I don't get why this cop killer is so important to the Castro regime. Why would he lose face by extraditing a convicted murderer? Do the Cuban commutards really hate US law enforcement that much?

 

[Bomb#20]

I don't get why this cop killer is so important to the Castro regime. Why would he lose face by extraditing a convicted murderer? Do the Cuban commutards really hate US law enforcement that much?

She's not important to the regime at all; and this isn't about US law enforcement or commutards. It's about symbolism. It's about the archetype of the US. Being seen to be standing up to imperialist gringos is important to the regime. It would probably be just as important to half the regimes in Latin America.

 

[laughing dog]

They should; but "should" has very little to do with what governments do. If Castro offered us her head he'd lose face -- he'd be perceived as knuckling under to U.S. coercion. He cares more about that than about letting the Cuban people benefit from closer economic ties with the U.S. The U.S. demanding her extradition would be a "killer amendment" -- it would be the same thing as the U.S. simply point-blank refusing to end the embargo.

I don't get why this cop killer is so important to the Castro regime. Why would he lose face by extraditing a convicted murderer? Do the Cuban commutards really hate US law enforcement that much?

You should be directing your concerns and questions directly to the US State Department and to the Cuban Embassy. People here can only guess answers.

But, given all the real pressing problems in the USA, why are you so concerned about this extremely minor issue?

 

[funinspace]

I don't get why this cop killer is so important to the Castro regime. Why would he lose face by extraditing a convicted murderer? Do the Cuban commutards really hate US law enforcement that much?

She's not important to the regime at all; and this isn't about US law enforcement or commutards. It's about symbolism. It's about the archetype of the US. Being seen to be standing up to imperialist gringos is important to the regime. It would probably be just as important to half the regimes in Latin America.

Holy Zeus! I happen to agree with Bomb#20...

 

[Ford]

But Orlando Bosch is a household name. *shake head*

He played Legolas in the Lord of the Rings?

 

[RavenSky]

But, given all the real pressing problems in the USA, why are you so concerned about this extremely minor issue?

You clearly missed the photo of this person that Derec posted earlier.

Female AND black

 

[whichphilosophy]

The US could arrange an exchange with Luis Clemente Faustino Posada Carriles who is in the US for his involvement in the bombing of Cubana flight 455, which killed 73 people. He is also known as the Godfather of Cuban exile violence.

 

[Derec]

Female AND black

And a race-based terrorist and cop killer. The left always ignores those last two parts.

 

[laughing dog]

Shakur fled to Cuba in 1984. Perhaps it is my failing memory, but I don't recall our resident SJWFWF starting a thread asking why Clinton or Bush wasn't demanding her extradition from Cuba. Gee, can anyone tell what has changed to prompt this?

ETA: Today's Chicago Tribune answers the OP question here - http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-cuba-assata-shakur-fbi-america-obama-perspec-1230-20141229-story.html

 

[SimpleDon]

I can read, I know what she was convicted of. You are promoting a very childish view of foreign policy and relations. I realize the Cuba is one of the right wings favorite political punching bags, but how about getting real, and deal with the fact that Cuba is little different than many other countries that we have normalized relationships with. How about we just shift our relations with Cuba up to the level with say Russia, who is harboring Snowden?

And I would have no more reluctance to take a vacation in Cuba as I would China...

I have traveled to and in both countries and I never had a problem in either. Something that I can't say about Iran or India for example.

You can't understand Asia until you go to China. Cuba is absolutely filled with wonderful, fun people. Both were a little rough outside of the major cities when I traveled in them, Cuba in the late 1970's China from 1989 to 1994. But both certainly have improved now and both had extensive tourist facilities even when I was in them. Money easily trumps politics.

 

[SimpleDon]

I don't know that's CIA business. Their job is not to capture common criminals, and she's apparently not been a significant threat for US security for decades (unless you count the symbolism, but that probably wouldn't be weakened if she's captured; on the contrary, it might become stronger).

But she is not a common criminal. The murder, as well as the numerous other crimes she is suspected of, including another murder, she committed for political reasons as member of Black Panthers and Black Liberation Army.

Also, an operation like that would jeopardize the attempt to improve relations with Cuba, and that's a more important foreign goal for Obama.

As I said before, Cubans have more to gain from it than US. So they should really be offering Assata's head on a silver platter.

And here Derec answers his own question but doesn't realize it. Cuba probably views this as a political matter, not a criminal one.