Extending a Deceptive Hand to Cuba

Wednesday, President Bush gathered reporters in the State Department Building.  Behind him were wives and children of Cubans being held by the communist government.  The President made his case for the necessity of regime change, in the sovereign state of Cuba. Bush explained that Fidel Castro and the communist government “denied their citizens basic rights that the free world takes for granted.”  He continued to list the troubles of Cuban people and attempted to tout how America has played a positive role in liberating the small island nation.  “I also urge our congress to show our support and solidarity for fundamental change in Cuba by maintaining our embargo on the dictatorship until it changes,” Bush stated after discussing a bill approved by Congress to allocate funds to support Cuban democracy efforts.  The speech came on the heels of a week long push to show how nothing short of regime change would empower the Cuban people.  President Bush acknowledged Fidel Castro’s failing health and stated a power shift to his younger brother, Raul, would continue totalitarian rule.  But did President Bush offer any real suggestions on how to foster democracy so close to the Untied States’ shores?  Bush announced his initiative, the Freedom Fund.  The fund would be a multi-billion dollar account, donated by the international community, to rebuild Cuba’s economy and “make the transition to democracy”.  This money would be awarded as soon as the Cuban government implements what bush calls “fundamental freedoms”.  The money would then be turned over to Cubans, especially entrepreneurs.  The major problem is the fund is still left in the hands of American politicians loyal to the Bush administration.  As Cubans attempt to change their political landscape, what will stop the leaders of the Fund from changing the criteria or dissolving the fund all together?  Outside of the fund, Bush offered no real assistance to regime change, a note that he must have learned from the first President Bush when he told the Iraqi people to revolt against Saddam Hussein.  With the Cuban military loyal to the Castro family any type of revolutionary force would be met with utter annihilation.  President Bush did not stop there; he also offered other types of support.  “Here’s an interesting idea to help the Cuban people…provide computers and Internet access to the Cuban people,” Bush explained.  Internet access? Cuban citizens lack some of the most basic necessities, and President Bush seriously offered them computers.  Reaction from Cubans illustrated frustration.  A Cuban man, asked about Bush’s support of the Cuban embargo, was quoted in the NY Times saying, “The embargo has only proven damaging to the Cuban people.  Because of it we lack medicine, clothes, and food.  It is unfair.”  Though Bush supports the embargo, He allowed the export of 500 million dollars worth of goods to Cuba last year.  The UN general Assembly has called for the end of the embargo for 15 consecutive years.  Many people in America and abroad are angered by the isolation of one communist state and the acceptance of another.  While Cuba has been held under an iron fist, China has been left to flourish.  China, a country guilty of every human rights and government violation that Bush has aimed at Cuba, enjoys the positive side of a nearly $200 billion American trade deficit.  Amnesty International lists both China and Cuba as basically equal in their treatment of citizens.  Both countries are guilty of economic control of workers, arbitrary detention, unfair trials, religious control, freedom of speech limitations, and the restriction of newspapers and Internet access.  All this information and the Bush administration has never talked of regime change in China.  In fact, President Bush has failed to act as tainted goods pour into the US.  So why then is there this difference in treatment?  The answer is power, China has it Cuba does not.  This fact allows Bush to pick Cuba as his next country to bully.  Bush’s quest to spread democracy is reminiscent of the Cold War, although less successful.  His record stands for itself; in Lebanon free elections allowed Hezbollah to gain seats in the government, in Palestine democracy chose Hamas to run the country, in Iraq democracy has created a safe haven for terrorist activity, and Cuba is next.  Once again American foreign policy pushes democracy on countries that are not suited to accept the responsibilities of freedom.  The Cuban government is guilty of numerous human rights violations, many the result of Americas policy towards the neighboring country.  Instead of creating well named funds, America should foster friendship and attempt to actually help the Cuban people.           

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