Count to 10 slowly before you do that...
From the New York Times:
Sean McCormack, a State Department spokesman, made it clear on Tuesday that the United States would take an active role in shaping events on the island if the Cuban leader dies. “The United States and the American people will do everything that we can to stand by the Cuban people in their aspirations for a democracy,” he said.
President Bush said Monday, before Mr. Castro’s illness was announced, that the United States policy would be to undermine Raúl Castro’s rise to power. “We are actively working for change in Cuba,” he said, “not simply waiting for change.”
...uh, me thinks you should hold your horses.
Not only do American critics of post '59 Cuba like to describe the place as Castro's little project ready to democratize upon his death, but they also like to think that they have a role in fomenting this transition. Both charges are baseless and as with many other things in his administration, Bush's view is really, really, really baseless.
Basically, in my time in Cuba it was readily apparent that American delusions of combating political oppression in Cuba (sanctions, assassination attempts, etc.) only strengthened the regime, compelling its evolution from a one-man show, if it ever was one, to a national expression of anti-imperialism. There are a bunch of guys who get thrown in jail and a bunch of other guys who really, really want to leave, but they can't. There is also a whole bunch of guys who like Communism, like Cuba and don't like US domination. Sorry CIA, State Department and the rest of the federal government, the "but what have we done lately?" defense doesn't cut it here.
Even if there was some coherent logic that made room for external support for the development of a truly democratic Cuba, this support would require a level of tact, empathy and local knowledge that has yet to be displayed in any context from this administration. (The closest thing is the American ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, but he don't get no respect from the big guys in Washington...)
Sean McCormack, a State Department spokesman, made it clear on Tuesday that the United States would take an active role in shaping events on the island if the Cuban leader dies. “The United States and the American people will do everything that we can to stand by the Cuban people in their aspirations for a democracy,” he said.
President Bush said Monday, before Mr. Castro’s illness was announced, that the United States policy would be to undermine Raúl Castro’s rise to power. “We are actively working for change in Cuba,” he said, “not simply waiting for change.”
...uh, me thinks you should hold your horses.
Not only do American critics of post '59 Cuba like to describe the place as Castro's little project ready to democratize upon his death, but they also like to think that they have a role in fomenting this transition. Both charges are baseless and as with many other things in his administration, Bush's view is really, really, really baseless.
Basically, in my time in Cuba it was readily apparent that American delusions of combating political oppression in Cuba (sanctions, assassination attempts, etc.) only strengthened the regime, compelling its evolution from a one-man show, if it ever was one, to a national expression of anti-imperialism. There are a bunch of guys who get thrown in jail and a bunch of other guys who really, really want to leave, but they can't. There is also a whole bunch of guys who like Communism, like Cuba and don't like US domination. Sorry CIA, State Department and the rest of the federal government, the "but what have we done lately?" defense doesn't cut it here.
Even if there was some coherent logic that made room for external support for the development of a truly democratic Cuba, this support would require a level of tact, empathy and local knowledge that has yet to be displayed in any context from this administration. (The closest thing is the American ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, but he don't get no respect from the big guys in Washington...)
posted by Sam at 8:20 PM
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