small conference room sounded deafeningly silent after having been
filled with his angry rampage for the last fifteen minutes. How, she
wondered, did he manage to speak so continuously without pausing for a
breath?
“The United States did not shoot down your aircraft. Did not shoot
down any aircraft,” she amended quickly. “As you well know, any
aggressive action was taken by your country, not mine.”
“So you say! But when have we ever been able to trust the word of the
United States in reference to my country?
Conducting armed military maneuvers off our coast at this very minute a
deliberate insult to Cuban sovereignty.”
The Cuban ambassador took a deep breath.
Ambassador Wexler winced as she watched him gather strength for another
filibuster. When, oh when, would the nations of the world learn to
solve conflicts by talking?
Never, she decided, not if this was Cuba’s definition of a diplomatic
discourse. “Ambassador,” she broke in sharply.
“I granted you the courtesy of sitting quietly while you made your
position plain for fifteen minutes. I insist that you return the
favor.” She glared at him.
The Cuban ambassador seemed to swell up. While he was barely an inch
taller than she, it was clear that very few women of any size had
rarely had the audacity to challenge him so directly. “I demand to be
heard!” He banged his fist on the table.
Ambassador Wexler felt the yellow pine table quiver under her
fingers.
“You will have your turn when I am done,” she snapped. She turned to
the chairman of the Subcommittee for Caribbean Issues. “Sir, I insist
I be allowed to finish my statement.”
The chairman, a rotund, dark black man from the Bahamas, stirred
uneasily. His island nation was caught in the difficult position of
arbitrating the conflict between its two large neighbors, neither of
which the Bahamians wished to offend. He’d dreaded this moment since
the day he’d been elected chairman of the subcommittee.
“I think,” he said slowly, his gentle island accent rising
questioningly, “that perhaps the United States” “More lies! Always
lies!” The Cuban ambassador jabbed an accusing finger at the
Bahamian.
“You are bought and paid for, my friend. Do not deny it. Without
American aid, your little lumps of volcanic ash would still be hard
down under the British crown. Someday you’ll realize that the only
reason the United States provides money to you is to use your island as
a staging point for aggression against your neighbors.”
The Bahamian chairman stood. “You are so fast with words. But we are
not in Cuba, where everyone bows down to your dictator. This is,” and
his voice took on a note of pride, “the United Nations. Even a tiny
nation such as mine has a voice here.” The chairman turned to
Ambassador Wexler. “Your statement, madame,” he said with grave
courtesy.
She nodded her thanks, then turned to face the rest of the delegates.
Cuba, Barbados, Puerto Rico, Antigua, and the Virgin Islands the
combined landmass of all these nations put together was not even half
that of Florida’s. Yet, for all their lack of size, they had an equal
voice in these proceedings.
“As you all know, the USS Thomas Jefferson and the USS Arsenal are on
routine naval maneuvers south of Florida,” she began. “A number of
smaller ships are also operating in the area again on routine
operations. A little after three a.m a Cuban MiG-29 shadowing these
ships conducted an intercept on an unidentified contact approaching the
battle group. Shortly thereafter, the unidentified contact
disappeared. Later correlation indicates that it was a civilian
aircraft that was apparently en route to Cuba for what has been termed
rescue operations.” She spread her hands expressively. “The full data
tapes from that battle group are available for any nation that wishes
to examine them.” Not that any of you have the equipment to play them
back, she added silently.
“Lies! As you all knew it would be,” the Cuban ambassador broke in.
“Their aircraft carrier shot down a group of Cuban tourists touring the
island.”
“At three o’clock in the morning?” Ambassador Wexler let the question
hang in the air for a moment, saw doubt and fear flicker across the