Cubans Exiles Once Again To Blame

The top headline in today's Metro section of the Miami Herald blares:

Exiles Urged To Stem Tide of Cubans

"Hmmmm. Something else to blame Cuban exiles for. After all, we're also being blamed for global warming", I thought, only half-kidding at the latter. Here's the main quote from U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral David W. Kunkel:

``We have federal, state and local help. But there's a link missing. (Cuban exiles) are not working with us. I know that's rather blunt, but the fact remains that these smugglers are being financed by desperate families,'' he said. ``The only safe way is if we all work together.''

The headline and story comes in light of the recent arrival of at least two groups of Cubans to South Florida's shores this week, and in the wake of two separate incidents in which boats filled with Cubans fleeing the island have overturned, leading to the drowning of dozens.

I know what Rear Admiral Kunkel means, and I can't bring myself to condemning the Coast Guard for doing what they are told to do. It must be extremely frustrating to have to chase down these boats under dangerous conditions. The problem is, how do we solve the smuggling problem?

End wet-foot, dry-foot? It makes sense at first glance since, as Marc mentions, there would be much less of a need for smugglers to sneak people in on their "go fast boats" (as opposed to their "go at regular speed boats", I assume). OK, but would we be ready to stomach a dramatic increase in population a la Mariel that a repeal of the ridiculous policy would bring about, not to mention a vast increase in marine accidents and casualties which would sap the Coast Guard of whatever resources they have, leaving our marine borders even more exposed than they already are?

BTW, this is not to imply that the wave of Cubans coming over just like during Mariel will be full of bad people, but the reality that any significant increase in population would be a serious strain on our local and national resources.

I assume the Coast Guard wants the community to come forward and identify smugglers and their operations. That's fine and well, but it underscores the main point in all this, which is the desperate situation that these families are in. Quite frankly, the situation in Cuba, as well as the misguided wet-foot dry foot policy, leads them to resort to illegal means to bring relatives over. If I were in their shoes, I'm not sure I wouldn't do the same. Also, the Coast Guard, justly or unjustly, has taken a serious PR hit in the local community in recent years, and it's quite possible that many people just don't want to cooperate with them.

Would increasing the number of annual visas for Cubans help? Sure, only if Cuba cooperated, which we know isn't possible.

Encourage neighboring countries to help the U.S. deal with the number of Cubans who want to leave? Sure, but they're more interested in maintaining relations with the castros than help Cubans attain freedom.

Rear Admiral Kunkel wants us to "work together". A noble suggestion and idea, but one that comes with more than its share of issues and complexities that can't just be pinned on one group of people (such as Cuban exiles).

So we're left with the puzzling question: How do all of us solve the Cuba problem?

Posted by Robert M at December 29, 2007 12:20 PM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.babalublog.com/cgi-bin/mt/hut.cgi/6936

Comments

Posted by: Dr.Shalit at December 29, 2007 01:16 PM

Posted by: Doorgunner at December 29, 2007 02:00 PM

Posted by: Tio at December 29, 2007 05:39 PM

Posted by: LaConchita at December 29, 2007 07:54 PM

Posted by: Larry Daley at December 29, 2007 09:21 PM

Posted by: R S at December 30, 2007 10:06 AM

Post a comment