The Cincinnati Post.
October 17, 2000
Nothing so much dramatized the inconsistency of U.S. policy toward Cuba as
the visit to the White House of North Korean defense chief Jo Myong Rok.
The United States has fought one war with North Korea and maintains 37,000
troops in South Korea against a possible attack. For 50 years, relations with
North Korea have been an armed standoff.
Yet Jo is an honored guest at the White House and State Department; Cuban
diplomats can't even get visas to the United States.
The United States gives food and medicine to the starving North Koreans;
Congress just voted to allow the sale - if a third party finances the deal - of
food and medicine to the impoverished Cubans.
Congress has outlawed travel to Cuba by most Americans; Americans are free
to visit Pyongyang if the North Kore ans will allow them.
Sanctions are likely to be dropped against North Korea; sanctions, with some
exceptions, will stay in place against Cuba. There is talk of establishing
diplomatic relations with North Korea at some stage; there is no talk of doing
so with Cuba.
During Jo's visit the other day, the White House was stuck with defending
our illogical policy toward Cuba.
Asked to explain the discrepancy, National Security Council spokesman P.J.
Crowley said, ''North Korea represents a major security threat to the United
States and our allies. Cuba does not.'' That would seem to mean that if the
Cubans got some missiles and landing craft and made threatening gestures toward
Florida, we might treat them better.
And, chimed in new White House spokesman Jake Siewert, ''At the same time,
North Korea has indicated a willingness to change its regime, to open up.
(Fidel) Castro had not indicated a willingness to change its regime, to lower
the level of tension.''
Beg pardon? North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong Il, is a
second-generation dictator and shows no signs of wanting to change that
arrangement. Castroism won't survive Castro, and Kim is 16 years younger than
the 74-year-old Cuban.
If, as Emerson said, ''foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,
adored by little statesmen,'' there are no little minds or little statesmen at
work on our Cuba policy.
Publication date: 10-17-00
Copyright 2000 The Cincinnati Post, an E.W. Scripps
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