This is John Batchel, speaking with colleagues Steve Yates of the Heritage Foundation about Cuba,

the island of Cuba, recalling the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962,

and how the executive branch of the U.S. did not have a good understanding of what Russia had deployed on that island,

including nuclear warheads, including nuclear warheads, tactical

nuclear warheads, in addition to those that could be mounted on the intermediate range

missiles that were the first alarm of the Cuban missile crisis. What else could be on Cuba these

days in the hands of the Chinese that we don't know about. That's important

because Mr. Rubio has pointed at Havana as a challenge, meaning perhaps next on the menu.

Here's Steve to speculate. That's all we can do. Much more tonight. Well, there could be a number of different things. Of course,

the Chinese don't have the same respect for humanity or quality control. We'd have to worry about

what kind of pathogens or unsafe scientific material they might have been playing with in an

environment like that. But really, at this point, with the advancement of technology,

space-based assets and other kinds of things, there's probably only a few areas of human

intelligence where we haven't had access. But anything that is available by signals of operation

and technology, we probably have a reasonably good read on what's there

at this point. That's why I think the administration probably feels like if they have the armada

at sea that is blocking shipments, and they have a significant troop presence ready for any

contingencies that with this economic leverage, they might be able to push for

a negotiated different path. So it's a little bit of a replay of the Maduro movie of pressure

and seeing if they'll sue for peace or a deal. And then if they don't, well, then we might have a

Venezuela 2.0. But I don't think that's the first arrow in the quiver

that President Trump wants to reach for just yet,

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