Castro says U.S. plans NATO invasion of Libya

Cuba’s former leader Fidel Castro says it’s too early to criticize Libya’s government — but just the moment to denounce something says is planned: A U.S.-led invasion of the North African nation.

Castro uses a column published in Cuban media on Tuesday to accuse the United States of planning a NATO invasion of Libya to control its oil. He says that might happen “in a question of hours or very short days.” He says the plan “has to be denounced.”

The Communist revolutionary is more cautious about reports by Arab and Western news media that troops loyal to his Libyan ally Moammar Gadhafi have slaughtered civilian protesters. Castro says, “We have to wait the necessary time to know with rigor how much is fact or lie.”