29-08-2016, 01:00 AM
Jim DiEugenio Wrote:Again Scott, you apparently have not read Kornbluh's book. One of the fine attributes of Bay of Pigs Declassified, is not only does it contain the Kirkpatrick Report, Kornbluh puts together a chronology of the whole operation; from beginning to end.
On page 318, Kornbluh describes an impromptu meeting on 4/19 at the White House, just after midnight during a formal affair. At this meeting Burke asked JFK for permission to send in American jet fighter planes with American pilots to aid the invasion. Kennedy said that he would not allow that in light of his pledge made a week or so previous on national TV.
But he did authorize planes from the Essex to fly air cover--in military terms its called a CAP--in order for the flotilla to come in and rescue the survivors on the beach before they were killed or captured. Kennedy's direct orders were that the cover planes were not to hit any Cuban air force planes, nor were they to attack targets on the ground. (ibid)
What had happened was that because of the ferocity of Castro's counter attack--the combination of an artillery barrage with the T-33's--the flotilla was way out in the sea, divorced from the shore. They could not come in close enough to rescue the wounded before they became prisoners or ferry out the survivors before they were all captured. One can see how JFK would be sensitive to this because of PT 109.
Now Scott, before you come in with something like this was really a secret mission to knock out Castro's Air Force, or such, let me repeat this for about the fourth time. As Kirkpatrick was at pains to make clear, it would not have made any difference if Castro's Air Force was neutralized. Because of the other factors that had failed, the attack was not going to succeed. Castro had too many men with too much artillery and tanks moving onto the beaches too fast.
For the life of me, I don't know why you insist on this "Kennedy blew it by not providing air support" myth. As I and others have shown, this was a CYA story that was used by Dulles, Hunt and Bissell. It was then spread throughout the exile community--which you find so bracing--and they swallowed it. The purpose was to disguise the fact that the CIA had gambled and lost. They thought Kennedy would cave, in order to avoid defeat. He did not. And I have tried to explain to you why, as this was part of his foreign policy ethos. You don't seem to care.
OK, that is your choice.
According to Jim DiEugenio, Kornbluh and Kirkpatrick, Kaiser is wrong because "air-cover" means [in military terms its called a CAP--in order for the flotilla to come in and rescue the survivors on the beach before they were killed or captured.] Air-cover certainly doesn't mean, a military operation, in this case, U.S. military, the same military Kennedy said he would not allow be used because his pledge made a week or so previous on national TV. Liar, liar pants on fire!
Air-cover is, "a military operation in which airplanes fly regularly over an area in order to stop the enemy from attacking" of course, to Jim, that means to take on gun fire and get our ass kicked right Jim?