David Skaggs: “the Castro regime has acted in callous violation of international law in shooting down two defenseless and clearly…”

“the Castro regime has acted in callous violation of international law in shooting down two defenseless and clearly marked civilian aircraft. Whether or not the Brothers to the Rescue planes strayed into Cuban airspace hardly matters. No law permits a military fighter plane to shoot down an unarmed civilian aircraft. Civilized people everywhere are rightly outraged by these murders and by the disregard that the Castro regime has shown for human life and human rights. The families of the pilots and crew who were killed have our sympathy in their tragic loss. These men were dedicated to a noble goal--freedom for the people of Cuba. We are told that the Cuban MiG pilots made no effort to contact the Brothers to the Rescue pilots, to make the usual warning signals to them, or to escort their small airplanes from the area before firing on them. All this demonstrates a willful failure to follow the internationally agreed-upon rules for dealing with such a nonthreatening approach to national airspace. Fidel Castro's desperate response reflects the nature of his regime. He's again shown us his contempt for international law and his need to isolate the Cuban people from the world community. The steps the President has taken constitute, for the most part, a reasonable and measured response. The President has properly sought and won international condemnation for an act that flouts international law and norms.”