February 11, 2004
Potato Heads
Two more US Congressmen met with Fidel Castro to assure him the travel restrictions (scroll down) would be lifted next year. Castro, in exchange, signed baseballs and 8x10's for them and handed them cigars and flowers. How nice.
The two congresmen from Idaho were in Cuba signing a trade and cultural agreement with the communist regime. Cuba agreed to purchase $10 million worth of Idaho Agricultural products.
Of course these US "representatives," Republicans the both of them, want the travel bans lifted, how the hell else would Fidel get the money to pay for their products?
What bothers me the most about these agreements is the fact the Americans overlook the repression of the Cuban people. They are more concerned with their constituents being able to sell their products. Which is fine and all, but this country is supposed to be the example of liberty. The litmus of human rights. Mind you, Cuba is the same country that takes every opportunity to bash the United States of America. Capotalismo no, socialismo si! Abajo los yanquis imperialistas!
Tourists will be savoring delicious Idaho potatos while the average Cuban stands in line for a handful of beans.
Posted by Val Prieto at February 11, 2004 08:07 AM
Comments
Shameful.
Posted by: J.Scott Barnard at February 11, 2004 08:47 AM
I think they just wanted the cigars...unfortunately that probably is just not true.
Posted by: LatinoPundit at February 11, 2004 01:00 PM
Not only do they ignore the everyday plight of the Cuban people on the island, but they don't recognize, or refuse to recognize, that the Cuban government cannot pay for the potatoes. So it will be up to us U.S. taxpayers to eventually foot the bill.
Funny how such a small island on this planet cannot make do with the goods from the rest of the world they trade with, and somehow, if they could only obtain trade goods with the country "solely responsible" for their woes, somehow their social experiment would really blossom.
how IRONIC is all that?
Posted by: AJG at February 11, 2004 03:32 PM
Now, personally, I hate to call Republicans potato-heads, but those two congressman are of the same ilk as Cong. Sam Farr, from California. Potato-heads, all.
Why don't they check out the figures for how much Fidel owes to China, another Communist nation, owes to Argentina, to Mexico, to Spain, etc., etc., etc. (quote from The King of Siam). He owes billions, so what makes these fancy-dans think that Idaho farmers will get lucky and get paid, especially when Fidel (but not the ordinary Cuban) hates the U.S. so much?
That's why he needs the U.S. now, because he has lost his credit with every other country. Ahhh, yes, as Lenin called them, "Useful idiots." Like Saddam, he's most likely got billions, yes billions, stashed away abroad.
Posted by: Howard E. at February 13, 2004 02:58 AM