-------------------------The military action could range from a single airstrike meant to scare the regime into concessions to a ground invasion meant to uproot it.U.S. Southern Command has in the past few weeks “convened a planning series” — in other words, started drafting plans for potential military action — the U.S. official and the person familiar with the talks told me.No action is imminent. The Pentagon has plenty of firepower in the region. Cuba, a nation of 10 million, is just 90 miles off Florida’s coast.One highly unlikely scenario is the use of Cuban exiles in any mission. “They have determined that the exiles have no role here except as cheerleaders and gadflies. This won’t be Bay of Pigs 2.0,” the person said.A White House official reiterated to me Trump’s claims that Cuba will soon “fall” and “we will be there to help them out.” The official added: “It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the commander-in-chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the president has made a decision.”Administration officials already are laying the public relations groundwork for military moves.Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted at something ominous in an interview with Fox News last week. “We’ll give them a chance,” said Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser. “But I don’t think it’s going to happen. I don’t think we’re going to be able to change the trajectory of Cuba as long as these people are in charge.”Over the weekend, Axios reported that Cuba had acquired hundreds of military drones and had discussed ways to use them in case hostilities erupt between Washington and Havana. Many national security analysts took that report to be a leak aimed at making a case for a U.S. military strike on Cuba.Watch: The ConversationPlay Video
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