B-Man Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 How about that "smart" foreign policy ? Obama administration stung by Cuban crackdown on dissidents, complicating detente Washington Times, by Guy Taylor Original Article The Obama administration has responded harshly to the Cuban government’s arrest this week of political dissidents planning a protest in downtown Havana, casting an uncomfortable shadow over the historic detente announced just weeks before between the U.S. and the Castro regime. The State Department late Tuesday night “strongly condemn[ed] the Cuban government’s continued harassment and repeated use of arbitrary detention, at times with violence, to silence critics, disrupt peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, and intimidate citizens.” The statement followed reports that Cuban authorities had detained overnight dozens of pro-democracy and free speech activists this week, including at least three members of the nation’s political opposition ahead of a planned protest art performance in Havana. More at the link...... Media Priorities NYT laments that Cuban oppression will give GOP “ammunition” to retain embargo . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Cuba (A Few, Weak Words) by Jay Nordlinger “Cuban dissidents, so long the center of U.S. policy toward the island, won’t be invited to Secretary of State John Kerry’s historic flag-raising at the U.S. Embassy in Havana on Friday, vividly illustrating how U.S. policy is shifting focus to its single-party government.” So begins an Associated Press report. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/a79f2c7b412a447281bc64b5304ed49f/ap-exclusive-cuba-dissidents-wont-attend-us-embassy-event Understandably, several people have asked me to comment on this. I’m afraid I can’t. I mean, I’ve been commenting — and interviewing and reporting and analyzing — for many years. I’m afraid I’m about spent. Do you get the impression that the Obama administration is warmer toward the Castro dictatorship than it is toward its opponents and victims? I do. Over the weekend, about 90 dissidents were arrested in Cuba. (Read about it here.http://news.yahoo.com/cuba-arrests-90-dissidents-protest-march-211544836.html)This is par for the course — but repression has increased since Obama declared his opening right after the midterm elections in the U.S. (They don’t have elections in Cuba — not democratic ones.) Some of the dissidents were wearing an Obama mask. They did not mean that in a complimentary way. I damn myself for being tired. I once said to my friend Mauricio Claver-Carone, “How can you get up every day and do battle with these apologists and propagandists and liars?” (He is a Cuban-American democracy activist, who mans the website Capitol Hill Cubans. He is a scourge of the Castros and their defenders.) He responded with the slogan of Leopoldo López, the Venezuelan oppositionist who is a guest in the chavistas’ jails: “El que se cansa, pierde” — “He who tires, loses.” P.S. Mauricio has written about the recent arrests here. Not only were these people arrested, they of course had the hell beaten out of them, which is how the Castroites roll.Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner Nearly 100 protesters arrested in advance of John Kerry’s ‘open, free walk’ in Old Havana http://twitchy.com/2015/08/12/nearly-100-protesters-arrested-in-advance-of-john-kerrys-open-free-walk-in-old-havana/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Cuba (A Few, Weak Words) by Jay Nordlinger “Cuban dissidents, so long the center of U.S. policy toward the island, won’t be invited to Secretary of State John Kerry’s historic flag-raising at the U.S. Embassy in Havana on Friday, vividly illustrating how U.S. policy is shifting focus to its single-party government.” So begins an Associated Press report. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/a79f2c7b412a447281bc64b5304ed49f/ap-exclusive-cuba-dissidents-wont-attend-us-embassy-event Understandably, several people have asked me to comment on this. I’m afraid I can’t. I mean, I’ve been commenting — and interviewing and reporting and analyzing — for many years. I’m afraid I’m about spent. Do you get the impression that the Obama administration is warmer toward the Castro dictatorship than it is toward its opponents and victims? I do. Over the weekend, about 90 dissidents were arrested in Cuba. (Read about it here.http://news.yahoo.com/cuba-arrests-90-dissidents-protest-march-211544836.html)This is par for the course — but repression has increased since Obama declared his opening right after the midterm elections in the U.S. (They don’t have elections in Cuba — not democratic ones.) Some of the dissidents were wearing an Obama mask. They did not mean that in a complimentary way. I damn myself for being tired. I once said to my friend Mauricio Claver-Carone, “How can you get up every day and do battle with these apologists and propagandists and liars?” (He is a Cuban-American democracy activist, who mans the website Capitol Hill Cubans. He is a scourge of the Castros and their defenders.) He responded with the slogan of Leopoldo López, the Venezuelan oppositionist who is a guest in the chavistas’ jails: “El que se cansa, pierde” — “He who tires, loses.” P.S. Mauricio has written about the recent arrests here. Not only were these people arrested, they of course had the hell beaten out of them, which is how the Castroites roll. Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner Nearly 100 protesters arrested in advance of John Kerry’s ‘open, free walk’ in Old Havana http://twitchy.com/2015/08/12/nearly-100-protesters-arrested-in-advance-of-john-kerrys-open-free-walk-in-old-havana/ In some strange way, I'm glad Jimmy Carter has been able to watch this before he dies, so he can go in peace knowing there is someone considerably more incompetent than him on foreign policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdnlng Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 In some strange way, I'm glad Jimmy Carter has been able to watch this before he dies, so he can go in peace knowing there is someone considerably more incompetent than him on foreign policy. That is an incredibly insensitive post, but I am not sure who it is insensitive to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Fidel Castro to US: you owe us millionshttp://news.yahoo.com/fidel-castro-us-owe-us-millions-133858731.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 (edited) In some strange way, I'm glad Jimmy Carter has been able to watch this before he dies, so he can go in peace knowing there is someone considerably more incompetent than him on foreign policy. He saw 8 years of George W Bush so I think he is safe. It's a little sad that Jimmy Carter is considered bad on foreign policy. A man who did his best to fight for human rights and try to keep America from more war certainly had good intentions. Of course Carter's outcomes weren't the best which leads to a more than fair assessment of failure. But I think Carter shouldn't be vilified to the degree he still is. As far as Cuba why not open up relations and slowly lift the embargo? I would say that the USA should demand release of political prisoners and extradition of fugitives before lifting the embargo. If those simple conditions are met I don't understand why the embargo couldn't be lifted. I don't understand opposition to the embargo. As though after over 50 years the USA was this close to breaking Cuba. It sounds like there should be a change in policy as the embargo wasn't working. All the embargo and cutting off relations did was allow Cuba's government to have an external enemy to rally around. The people would blame the USA instead of their own government. If you really want things to change it would probably be better to change our relations with Cuba. Keeping things exactly the same doesn't seem like a good idea. Edited August 13, 2015 by billsfan89 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeYouToTasker Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 (edited) He saw 8 years of George W Bush so I think he is safe. It's a little sad that Jimmy Carter is considered bad on foreign policy. A man who did his best to fight for human rights and try to keep America from more war certainly had good intentions. Of course Carter's outcomes weren't the best which leads to a more than fair assessment of failure. But I think Carter shouldn't be vilified to the degree he still is. To paraphrase: "don't confuse intentions with outcomes" Carter is not vilified. He is accurately acknowledged as poor in regard to the domestic economy, and foreign policy. Carter treated the world as he wished it could be, rather than as it was, and while his optimist was attractive, his lack of realism did great amounts of harm in the end. His human rights crusade, his work with Habitat, and his Christian compassion are what make him a wonderful person, but being a wonderful person does not make you a good President. Edited August 13, 2015 by TakeYouToTasker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 To paraphrase: "don't confuse intentions with outcomes" Carter is not vilified. He is accurately acknowledged as poor in regard to the domestic economy, and foreign policy. Carter treated the world as he wished it could be, rather than as it was, and while his optimist was attractive, his lack of realism did great amounts of harm in the end. His human rights crusade, his work with Habitat, and his Christian compassion are what make him a wonderful person, but being a wonderful person does not make you a good President. . Him being assessed as a failure is fair. In the end your outcomes are your outcomes. Although I don't think it was all his fault. There is only so much a president can do to control the world. But I think it's sad that keep the USA out of a lot of conflicts and trying to do the right thing somehow ended up with poor results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeYouToTasker Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 But I think it's sad that keep the USA out of a lot of conflicts and trying to do the right thing somehow ended up with poor results. Reality isn't always happy. It's a big scary world out there. It's one of the main reasons that the world is a better and safer place when America takes an active role on the global scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azalin Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Fidel Castro to US: you owe us millions http://news.yahoo.com/fidel-castro-us-owe-us-millions-133858731.html There's nothing more ridiculous than a senile communist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Fidel Castro to US: you owe us millions http://news.yahoo.com/fidel-castro-us-owe-us-millions-133858731.html Just cash the checks we've been sending you to lease Guantanamo Bay, and call it even. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Reality isn't always happy. It's a big scary world out there. It's one of the main reasons that the world is a better and safer place when America takes an active role on the global scale. That's true, the real world doesn't have easy answers. However is a military role always the most best role to take? Also how much intervention could the United States afford to do? In some cases yes the USA needs to be involved but our policy in Vietnam didn't work until it became an economic relationship. Now we regularly trade with a Vietnamese capitalist economy (Still a communist single party government). But force doesn't always lead to the change you want to see in the world. In each situation you have to evaluate the merits of each situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeYouToTasker Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 That's true, the real world doesn't have easy answers. However is a military role always the most best role to take? Also how much intervention could the United States afford to do? In some cases yes the USA needs to be involved but our policy in Vietnam didn't work until it became an economic relationship. Now we regularly trade with a Vietnamese capitalist economy (Still a communist single party government). But force doesn't always lead to the change you want to see in the world. In each situation you have to evaluate the merits of each situation. The main reason Vietnam didn't "work" is because of the absurd rules of engagement placed on our soldiers. As far as the larger role of the US, and our global military presence, that's our burden as the world's last superpower. It's also our privilege, as we get to project a Western moral philosophy, built around democracy, across the globe . Further, when we vacate our role, bad actors flow into the vacuum. The role of global leader won't go away if we shun it; it will rather be turned over to the likes of Putin and Xi Jinping. How well do you think they'll do with the mantle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 The main reason Vietnam didn't "work" is because of the absurd rules of engagement placed on our soldiers. As far as the larger role of the US, and our global military presence, that's our burden as the world's last superpower. It's also our privilege, as we get to project a Western moral philosophy, built around democracy, across the globe . Further, when we vacate our role, bad actors flow into the vacuum. The role of global leader won't go away if we shun it; it will rather be turned over to the likes of Putin and Xi Jinping. How well do you think they'll do with the mantle? Have you been stopping by our neocon happy hour lately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeYouToTasker Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Have you been stopping by our neocon happy hour lately? Heh, no. I simply recognize the realities of our modern world, which doesn't allow for non-interventionism as a policy, or allow us to shrink away from our duties without the world suffering the consequences both economically and militarily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 There is only so much a president can do to control the world. Except if you're GW Bush, amirite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberius Posted August 14, 2015 Author Share Posted August 14, 2015 Oh my! Blistering! http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/08/14/in_speech_rubio_slams_obamas_outreach_to_iran_and_cuba_127771.html Obama isn't touchy-feely enough now In a blistering speech Friday to the conservative-leaning Foreign Policy Initiative in New York, set for delivery the same day Secretary of State John Kerry re-opens the U.S. embassy in Havana, the Florida senator will say that Obama has made no efforts "to stand on the side of freedom.""He has been quick to deal with the oppressors, but slow to deal with the oppressed," Rubio says in excerpts of prepared remarks released by his campaign. "And his excuses are paper-thin." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 Except if you're GW Bush, amirite? Only George W Bush was capable of pulling of the greatest false flag cover up in human history. Besides the fact that he's a less than intelligent alcoholic who chokes on pretzels and only got where he was in the world because of his father. Damn you Dick Cheney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberius Posted August 15, 2015 Author Share Posted August 15, 2015 When Jeff Flake led a congressional delegation to Cuba nine years ago, he came, as is the custom, bearing gifts for his Communist hosts. But instead of a plaque or trinket, Flake brought copies of “The Wealth of Nations,” Adam Smith’s seminal economic treatise, and “Free to Choose,” Milton Friedman’s paean to capitalism. The gospel of free markets has yet to transform Cuba, but Flake will be in Havana on Friday to witness a milestone he has long advocated during his nearly 15 years in Congress: the reopening of the U.S. embassy and the formal end of a 54-year diplomatic freeze. “It’s going to be quite a moment,” said Flake, who has visited Cuba a dozen times, adding, “I wish there were some other Republicans.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-jeff-flake-became-the-senates-most-unorthodox-republican/2015/08/13/8363bb2e-2efb-11e5-97ae-30a30cca95d7_story.html Pretty pathetic the rest of The Party refused to go to this. Can't be part of anything this President does because he's just too, well, different, than other presidents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted August 15, 2015 Share Posted August 15, 2015 Can't be part of anything this President does because he's just too, well, different, than other presidents.I think most Americans are increasingly okay with the fact that Obama is so effeminate. He can thank Caitlin for blazing the path for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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