On "negotiating" with Cuba

A column by the Center for a Free Cuba's Frank Calzon was published in the Herald today that's worth quoting from. I know that some will disqualify what Calzon has to say because his organization, which receives substantial federal funds, was embezzled from. Only in present day America is the victim blamed for the crime. Never mind that the fraud was detected by the organization, reported to the government and the funds were recovered. In any case, Calzon's words make a lot of sense:

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., is known for his thoughtfulness and his interest in foreign affairs. He wants to go to Havana to talk with Raúl Castro (and perhaps Fidel as well) and then to Venezuela to talk with Hugo Chávez...

America's blind faith in reason and compromise doesn't always transfer well to the realm of world affairs. Happy outcomes are not inevitable, as is attested by the history of totalitarian rule in the 20th century, today's catastrophes in Sudan and Zimbabwe and China's brutal occupation of Tibet.

This will be Specter's fourth trip to Cuba to talk to a regime that refuses to talk with Cubans about their complaints, but has no qualms about talking with foreigners...

A lot of ideological fog engulfs debates over Cuba policy, but one thing is clear: America has well-established channels of communication with Havana. The U.S. diplomatic mission in Cuba has more diplomats than the Spanish, Canadian or the Russian embassies. Washington has been talking to the Havana for years without results...

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Presidents Carter and Reagan, and every president since tried to initiate meaningful negotiations. All failed because the Castro brothers only want American dollars to prop up their hostile, totalitarian dictatorship. Kissinger sent James Theberge to Havana, Carter sent Robert Pastor, Reagan sent Vernon Walters. Each reported back that the regime was interested only in talking about what concessions the United States would make not what Havana would offer in exchange...

So, let us all bid the senator godspeed and pray that his good intentions aren't mistaken by the Castro brothers as signs of weakness and exploited in a way that besmirches his good name.

Posted by Henry Louis Gomez at August 12, 2008 12:42 PM

Comments

Posted by: asombra at August 12, 2008 12:52 PM