Salim Lamrani: "Cuba and the Contradictions of Barack Obama"

[magbana]

http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/21508

Cuba and the contradictions of Barack Obama

Salim Lamrani

On April 13, 2009, just before the V Summit of the Americas in
Trinidad and Tobago, Barack Obama eased economic sanctions against
Cuba by lifting restrictions affecting Cubans living in the United
States. Now they can travel to their country of origin whenever they
want (before restricted to 14 days every 3 years), and send unlimited
remittances to family members (before restricted to $100 a month).1

Although Havana did not participate in the Summit, due to its
expulsion from the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1962,
Cuba was a dominate theme. During her inaugural address, Argentine
President Cristina Kirchner exhorted Washington to eliminate the
state of siege imposed on the Cuban people since August 1960. The
other 32 Latin American and Caribbean heads of state also called on
the White House to end the anachronistic and cruel policy that harms
all sectors of the Cuban population.2

President Obama declared his will to seek “a new beginning with
Cuba.”3 “I believe we can move US-Cuban relations in a new
direction,” he emphasized. “I am here to launch a new chapter of
engagement that will be sustained throughout my Administration,” he
concluded. For her part, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
acknowledged that US Cuba policy “has failed.”4

Nevertheless, as soon as the Summit of the Americas wrapped up, the
White House changed its tone. On April 19, 2009, David Axelrod,
political consultant to the president, signaled that this
administration would not immediately lift economic sanctions. We are
still “a long way” from that, he said on CBS.5 Similarly, Clinton
made a not so friendly or diplomatic statement regarding the
government of Havana calling it a “regime that is ending,” which
raises serious doubts about her will to resolve differences between
the two nations.6

Later, President Obama demanded that Cuba make domestic changes as a
pre-condition to bilateral dialogue, specifically calling for a
reduction in the taxes on US currency exchange, while knowing with
scientific certainty that the government of Raúl Castro would not
accept any interference in the domestic affairs of the country. In
effect, this is like Havana demanding that Washington establish a
universal healthcare system in the United States before engaging in
any negotiations.7

For his part, Raúl Castro reiterated his disposition to dialogue with
Washington about anything “human rights, political prisoners and
press freedoms,” based on equality reciprocity, and
non-intervention.8 He also made clear that the ball is in Obama’s
court: “Cuba has not imposed any sanctions against the United States
nor against its citizens. It is not Cuba that blocks US businesses
from commercial interactions with our businesses; it is not Cuba that
tracks financial transactions made by US banks; it is not Cuba that
has a military base in US territory against the will of its people.
It is not Cuba that must make gestures. There is no political or
moral pretext that justifies the continuation of that policy.”9

The pressure to ease sanctions against Cuba is multiplying in the US.
The prestigious Lexington Institute published a 50 page report titled
Options for engagement: A resource guide for reforming U.S. policy
toward Cuba. The political studies institute recommended that the
Obama administration withdraw the conditions imposed on Cuba as a
prerequisite for any dialogue, pointing out that Havana does not
respond to intimidation and will not accept any breach of its
sovereignty.10

Democratic Representative Kathy Castor of Tampa Florida also insisted
that the government increase the number of airports authorized for
flights to Cuba in order to accommodate the growing demand and to
address serious logistic problems. Currently only Miami, New York and
Los Angeles have permission to provide flights to Cuba.11

Finally, the powerful US Camber of Commerce has launched a campaign
in favor of lifting trade restrictions with support from members of
congress. –Conventional wisdom holds that if something we have tried
for years has not worked, we should think about trying something
else. We have done something for 50 years that has not shown results.
Today is the time to seek other means— opined Thomas J. Donohue,
president of the organization that represents nearly 3 million US
businesses—We are losing important business opportunities in a market
that is only 90 miles off our coast. These opportunities are being
exploited by other countries like China, but it is still not too late
for us to recover them— he added.12

But instead of taking a step in this direction, Obama adopted the
opposite position. In fact, in May 2009, the Treasury Department
fined the petroleum company Varel Holdings $110,000 for having
exported technology to Cuba by way of an affiliate based outside the
US, even though the transactions took place between June 2005 and
June 2006, that is to say, under the Bush administration. Once again
the extraterritorial character of the economic sanctions is plain to
see. Thus, far from listening to the demands for a more rational
policy, Obama prefers to follow in the footsteps of his
predecessor.13

Another decision made by the Department of State illustrates the US
lack of credibility regarding its will to normalize relations with
the island nation. On April 30, 2009, Washington once again included
Cuba –without valid reason– on the list of countries that sponsor
terrorism, provoking a strong reaction from Havana, which accused the
United States of being a “international criminal” in reference to the
aggressions committed against Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition,
Washington “historically has a long trajectory of acts of state
terrorism not only against Cuba,” reminded Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla,
Cuba’s Foreign Minister. “Cuban territory has never been used to
finance or conduct acts of terrorism against the US. The Department
of State that emits those reports cannot say the same,” he added
referring to the more than 5,780 terrorist attacks committed against
Cuba that have cost the lives of 3,478 individuals since 1959.14

Ricardo Alarcón, president of the Cuban National Assembly, also
criticized the US double standard in the war against terrorism
referring to Luis Posada Carriles, international criminal responsible
for more than 100 deaths who is living in Miami and who Washington
refuses to prosecute or extradite:

“Why doesn’t Washington finally respond to Venezuela’s formal
extradition request for Luis Posada Carriles? It was submitted more
than four years ago and there has been no reply.

International conventions against terrorism are very clear and leave
the US with no option. Posada must be extradited in order to conclude
his trial for the in-flight destruction of a civilian plane or the US
is obligated to prosecute him for the same crime “without any
exception whatsoever.” Immediately extradite or prosecute Posada or
the US will remain in violation of Article 7 of the Montreal
Convention for the Protection of Civil Aviation and all other legal
instruments against international terrorism and Resolution 1373 of
the UN Security Council of September 2001”. 15

President Obama is not fulfilling the promises he made to
international opinion. For example, after presenting himself as
firmly against the military trials instated by the Bush
administration in Guantánamo –Cuban territory illegally occupied by
the US– which he has called a “monumental failure,” the White House
resident decided to simply continue with the military commissions,
thus annulling de facto the closing of Guantánamo prison and raising
the ire of international institutions.16 He also decided to block the
publication of photos depicting the acts of torture committed by the
CIA, contradicting himself once again, as he affirmed on many
occasions that he would pursue transparency regarding the abuses
committed under the mandate of Georges W. Bush. 17

The entire world has its eyes fixed on Barack Obama, who has a
historic opportunity to end a protracted aggression of fifty years
against the Cuban people. There is no justification for the current
status quo.

Translated by Dawn Gables

Notes

1 Salim Lamrani, «El primer gesto de Barack Obama hacia Cuba»,
Rebelión, April 19, 2009.
http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=84026

2 Agence France-Presse, «Presidenta argentina pide a Obama que
levante embargo contra Cuba», April 17, 2009; Agencia Bolivariana de
Noticias, «Cristina Fernández abogó por Cuba en discurso inaugural de
Cumbre de las Américas», April 17, 2009; Agencia Bolivariana de
Noticias, «Daniel Ortega rechazó política intervencionista de Estados
Unidos», April 17, 2009.

3 The Associated Press, «Obama Seeks ‘New Beginning’ With Cuba»,
April 17, 2009.

4 Macarena Vidal, «Obama ofrece ‘un nuevo comienzo’ en las relaciones
con Cuba», EFE, April 17, 2009.

5 EFE, «Asesor de Obama: EEUU está lejos de levantar el embargo»,
April 19, 2009.

6 Agence France-Presse, «Clinton afirma que régimen de Castro en Cuba
‘está finalizando’», April 22, 2009.

7 Frances Robles, «Obama a Raúl Castro: ‘Ahora es su turno’», The
Miami Herald, April 19, 2009.

8 The Associated Press, «Castro Says Cuba Willing to Talk on Equal
Terms», April 16, 2009.

9 Agence France-Presse, «Raúl Castro responde a Obama: No es Cuba la
que tiene que hacer gestos», April 29, 2009.

10 Juan Carlos Chávez, «Informe sugiere ‘más realismo’ en nexos con
Cuba», El Nuevo Herald, April 21, 2009.

11 EFE, «Piden que se pueda viajar a la isla desde más aeropuertos»,
April 28, 2009.

12 Néstor Ikeda, «Dueños de empresas y congresistas piden comercio
con Cuba», The Associated Press, May 6, 2009.

13 Wilfredo Cancio Isla, «Multa a petrolera por exportar tecnología a
Cuba», El Nuevo Herald, May 7, 2009.

14 El Nuevo Herald, «EEUU deja a Cuba en la lista de países
terroristas», May 1, 2009.

15 Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada, «Cuba: The Imperial Ignorance», Znet,
May 13, 2009. http://www.zcommunications.org/znet/viewArticle/21446

16 Le Monde, «Barack Obama maintient les tribunaux d’exception», May
16, 2009.

17 Jennifer Loven, «Obama Seeks to Block Release of Abuse Photos»,
The Associated Press, May 14, 2009.

Salim Lamrani is a professor at Paris Descartes University and
Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée University and French journalist,
specialist on relations between Cuba and the US. He has just
published Doble Moral. Cuba, la Unión Europea y los derechos humanos,
;
(Hondarribia: Editorial Hiru, 2008).

Contact: [e-mail] ; [e-mail]

[Bacchus39]

1. Cuba just isn't going to be on the radar screen

its not a priority.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Great article from a fantastic author. Glad to see a Democrat brought up the idea

of opening other cities to flights to Cuba! Now that's something I haven't heard before now:

Democratic Representative Kathy Castor of Tampa Florida also insisted
that the government increase the number of airports authorized for
flights to Cuba in order to accommodate the growing demand and to
address serious logistic problems. Currently only Miami, New York and
Los Angeles have permission to provide flights to Cuba.11

You may remember when the narrow window for agricultural products and medicine opened after Hurricane Michelle, when Cuba agreed to accept the very limited trade which had been available to them earlier through an act of Congress, Tampa was the Florida City which started discussing rearranging their port, creating new space for more private boats which would be making the trip to Cuba, and taking a good look at how to put a ferry boat to Cuba into service once the conditions were agreeable.

Tampa, Mobile, Alabama, and Corpus Christi, Texas all started shifting and sorting information and plans years ago in preparation for the day trade and travel became possible again. Also, the Texas Legislature made a resolution the VERY MOMENT _{George W. Bush} moved to Washington, D.C., and would be out of the road, to express their disapproval of the Cuban embargo.

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 54

Whereas, The relationship between the
United States and Cuba has long been
marked by tension and confrontation; further
heightening this hostility is the 40-yearold
United States trade embargo against the
island nation that remains the longeststanding
embargo in modern history; and

Whereas, Cuba imports nearly a billion
dollars’ worth of food every year, including
approximately 1,100,000 tons of wheat, 420,000
tons of rice, 37,000 tons of poultry, and 60,000
tons of dairy products; these amounts are expected
to grow significantly in coming years
as Cuba slowly recovers from the severe economic
recession it has endured following the
withdrawal of subsidies from the former Soviet
Union in the last decade; and

Whereas, Agriculture is the second-largest
industry in Texas, and this state ranks
among the top five states in overall value of
agricultural exports at more than $3 billion
annually; thus, Texas is ideally positioned to
benefit from the market opportunities that
free trade with Cuba would provide; rather
than depriving Cuba of agricultural products,
the United States embargo succeeds
only in driving sales to competitors in other
countries that have no such restrictions; and

Whereas, In recent years, Cuba has developed
important pharmaceutical products,
namely, a new meningitis B vaccine that has
virtually eliminated the disease in Cuba;
such products have the potential to protect
Americans against diseases that continue to
threaten large populations around the world;
and

Whereas, Cuba’s potential oil reserves have
attracted the interest of numerous other
countries who have been helping Cuba develop
its existing wells and search for new
reserves; Cuba’s oil output has increased
more than 400 percent over the last decade;
and

Whereas, The United States’ trade, financial,
and travel restrictions against Cuba
hinder Texas’ export of agricultural and food
products, its ability to import critical energy
products, the treatment of illnesses experienced
by Texans, and the right of Texans
to travel freely; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the 77th Legislature of the
State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the
Congress of the United States to consider the
removal of trade, financial, and travel restrictions
relating to Cuba; and, be it further
Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state
forward official copies of this resolution to
the president of the United States, to the
speaker of the house of representatives and
the president of the senate of the United
States Congress, and to all the members of
the Texas delegation to the congress with
the request that this resolution be officially
entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial
to the congress of the United States
of America.

The Texas State Resolution (SCR54) calling for the removal
of the trade/travel embargo against Cuba is now in effect.
The Governor did not veto nor sign the resolution, thus
allowing it to take effect as of Monday, June 18th, 2001.

http://www.blythe.org/nytransfer-subs/2001-Caribbean-Vol-2/Texas_adopts_resolution_to_remove_embargo

[Judi Lynn]

3. Former Interests Section head in Havana, Wayne S. Smith, in LTTE, NY Times:

THE NEW YORK TIMES
May 9, 2009
Letter
Reopening Channels of Communication With Cuba

To the Editor:

“U.S. Plans Informal Meetings With Cuban Diplomats to Improve Communications” (news article, April 27) reported government officials as indicating the Obama administration to be quietly pushing to reopen channels of communication with Cuba. This simply makes sense. How, after all, do two countries resolve their disagreements without talking?

Further, I have just returned from Havana, where I accompanied the mayor of Galveston, Tex., Lyda Ann Thomas, to discuss with Cuban officials how our two countries might more effectively cooperate in defending against the hurricanes that seem to be striking us both with increasing frequency and ferocity. One can hardly argue against the need for or the logic of that!

We were also struck, however, by the way in which every Cuban official with whom we spoke, including those in the Foreign Ministry, emphasized Cuba’s interest in having a constructive dialogue with the United States on a much broader basis. As one official put it: “It’s been 50 years! Surely it’s time to begin to talk — about so many things!”

And after all, if we have normal diplomatic and trade relations with Communist China and Vietnam, surely we can at least begin a dialogue with the Cubans, a dialogue that can result in reduced tensions and a more propitious atmosphere for the kind of changes we’d hope eventually to see.

Wayne S. Smith
Washington, April 28, 2009

The writer, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, was chief of the United States Interests Section in Havana, 1979-82.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/