UN General Assembly
2001

legitimate defence, enshrined in the Charter as the right of a State to deal with acts of aggression until the Council adopts the necessary measures, and not as a vulgar excuse to unleash attacks against other countries? Is this announcement, or is it not, the proclamation of the right of a super-Power to trample upon the still fragile and incomplete standards that protect the sovereignty, security and rights of peoples? Cuba calmly and firmly rejects that language. We have not done so out of concern for our own security, because there is no power in the world that can subdue our spirit of independence, freedom and social justice and the courage to defend it at any cost. We did so, because we believe that it is still possible to halt the escalation of a useless, brutal war that threatens to further plunge into hopelessness, insecurity and death the poor peoples of the planet, who are by no means responsible for any act of terrorism, but will be — and already are — the main victims of this senselessness.