March 29, 2024

FOOL ME ONCE

Texas-AM-Study-Calls-Obama-5th-Best-President-in-America“Buy a gift for a dog, and you’ll be amazed at the way it will dance and swerve its tail, but if don’t have anything to offer to it, it won’t even recognize your arrival; such are the attributes of fake friends.”

Michael Bassey Johnson

 

The misinformation, demagoguery, and outward lies justifying the “rapprochement” and announced visit to Cuba carried out by Obama and supported by commercial interests, liberal politicians, and “useful idiots”, are so extensive that it is hard to know where to begin. We might as well start with the often repeated falsehood that after fifty years of trying to topple the tyrannical regime it is time for a new approach.

The sad reality is that after the betrayal of Brigade 2506 and the failure of Robert Kennedy’s “operation mongoose” in the early 60’s, the only attempt towards the regime has been to try to exchange a friendlier relationship, for a tangible move towards a democracy and a free market system. This effort by presidents of both parties was rebuffed by the Castro’s who deny the oppression and starvation of the population. Then we hear “ad nauseum” that the embargo has not worked. I ask, what embargo?, Castro’s?. The reality is that Cuba is able to buy whatever it wants in the world market, including US products.

The only desire of Cuba is to receive banking credits for their purchases, loans that as attested by Europe, Canada, Russia, and Japan, they never pay. The other fallacy espoused by those seeking US/Cuba relationship is that those of us that maintain the idea that Castro will have to be forced out either by the military or by a real shutdown of the economic support that we already give him, are too old, too hateful, and/or too unrealistic.

Well, we might be older, but not old enough to forget our friends who demonstrated extreme courage, some losing their lives or freedom, and as for hate, it is a transient feeling that we have already overcome. What is not temporary, we still have, and will fight for with our last breaths, is a clear sense of values, an unambiguous definition of right and wrong, and a sense of morality taught to us since childhood, all principles that help us combat greed and selfishness.

This is the reason we are sickened by the recently announced Obama’s visit to Cuba. It is not only the trip itself; after all we are beyond those visits. It is because he is going representing a nation that up until now has stood throughout the world for democracy and human rights.

Our President has already demonstrated in his dealings with our enemies that the “fool me once” saying does not apply to him. His ideology and narcissism might justify his behavior and reinforce his false belief that his actions will be good for his legacy.

History will be the judge, but his supporters and he should realize that he is only fooling himself. If indeed his visit is “historic” so was Benedict Arnold’s actions, and if he thinks he will be free to engage with “Cubans from different walks of life”, he has a perverted sense of reality. He will only be exposed to Castro’s showcase, his travels closely monitored, his room “bugged”, and the “entrepreneurs” he talks about, not existent.

I will travel to Cuba to advance our progress and efforts that can improve the lives of the Cuban people”, tweeted Obama. What progress? The ones made to the Castro economy, or the renewed perverse interest that the world is showing due to the reestablishment of diplomatic relations, or the increase commerce between US impresarios and the Castro’s. And what efforts? Giving your opponents everything they desire without getting anything in return does not require any effort.

As far as mentioning human rights and visiting “dissidents” Obama will only receive the same rhetoric that others have received and the only opponents, if any, that he will see will be part of the “useful opposition”.

The real foes of the tyranny have only been subjected to increase beatings and incarceration since Obama started this ludicrous attempt with the objective to propagandize his so called achievements. In the end these measures might be judged by historians with the passage of times, but not as positive ones but as shameful and dangerous.

Fernando J. Milanes, MD

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