Christopher Ruddy. Thursday, July 26, 2001
We knew Congress was loony – but how loony became apparent yesterday
when legislators voted to life the ban on travel for U.S citizens wishing to go
to Castro’s Cuba.
Castro sympathizers are jumping for joy that the Republican-controlled House
voted by a wide margin to lift the travel ban to Cuba. No doubt they see this as
the first step to an outright lifting of the embargo against this anachronistic
communist regime.
There are several reasons why lifting the travel ban – and the trade
embargo – are a bad idea. In fact, lifting these bans won’t work and
will be a more dangerous solution than the current status quo standoff with
Castro.
Let me detail just some of the reasons lifting the travel ban is a bad idea:
National security: The first business of government is to protect our
country. Helping Cuba by allowing American tourists to pour hundreds of millions
– perhaps billions – of dollars into this Stalinist regime poses a
significant risk to American national security.
Let’s remember that Castro and his likely successor, brother Raul, make
no bones about their deep hatred toward the U.S. and the fact they believe Cuba
remains in a state of war with the U.S.
Just two months ago Raul gave a speech saying all of Cuba is preparing for
the future war with the U.S.
That may seem like a fantasy to many, but don’t discount what the
future may bring.
We know that Cuban spies caught here in the U.S. have said that Castro has
been very interested in learning about U.S. military vulnerabilities, perhaps to
help the Russians, and now maybe the Chinese.
Captured spies have also stated that Cuba was very interested in learning
the location and access to water sources and supplies for U.S. population
centers. Obviously Castro realizes he doesn’t need to invade us if he can
poison the water and wreak just as much havoc and destruction.
Castro has been fomenting, and continues to foment, revolution throughout
Latin America. Venezuela, the largest oil producer in the region, appears to be
in his pocket. Its leader, Hugo Chavez, calls himself the "second Fidel."
Already thousands of Cuban "advisers" are in Venezuela helping
Chavez remake that country in Castro’s image.
Human rights: According to the U.S. State Department and Amnesty
International, Castro maintains one of the most repressive regimes in the world,
and the most repressive regime in this hemisphere.
With such a record, why would Congress want to allow Americans to spend
their hard-earned money there?
The argument for opening up travel, and trade, was made Wednesday by Rep.
Jerry Moran, R-Kan. He explained the new legislation this way: "It is time
for us to try something different that may actually work."
Moran believes a "make nice" approach to Castro will help lead to
eventual democratization and the end of the Castro regime.
But the approach Moran talks of assumes that if we help Castro, he will do
the right thing, or that Castro will simply lose control.
Recent history, however, teaches us that this approach does not work. In
fact, it may have the opposite effect, and is fraught with danger.
Remember last year when people like that said that returning little Elian
Gonzalez would be the first step in beginning a new era of relations with
Castro. As we know, Bill Clinton did return Elian to Castro.
What happened in Cuba after Elian’s return in June 2000?
This year Amnesty International (not a right-wing group!) reported that in
the second half of last year, after Elian’s return, Castro’s human
rights abuses and repression increased dramatically.
So the first help the U.S. gave Castro was little Elian. Castro, in turn,
spit in our face.
When will Congress learn that Castro is not a reasonable person like you or
me, but a gangster in fatigues, a murderous scoundrel who hates America?
He also hates his own people. Targets of his repression include journalists,
trade unionists, religious believers, and just about anyone that challenges his
absolute control.
Economics: There are some people who believe the world revolves around
money. Once Castro sees the dollars flowing, he – and Cuba – will
change, so the thinking goes.
Because Americans are capitalists we assume all people are capitalists.
But that is a wrong assumption.
If Castro, and his ruling communist elite, simply wanted money, they could
have opened the doors to Cuba a long time ago. If Castro had thrown America a
few "carrots," America would have opened our arms to him easily.
But for four decades Castro has not thrown us a single carrot. Nor has he
thrown any to other Western countries that have embraced him.
Consider for a second what carrots Castro has given to European nations that
are deeply infatuated with him.
There is no travel ban for Europeans who wish to go to Cuba, nor for others
around the world. Castro has the ability to trade with most countries as well.
What has happened as a result of this open trade?
Europeans flock to Havana’s beaches, and millions of pounds, francs,
and deutsche marks have flowed into Cuba.
Has anything changed?
No.
Has Castro’s regime become less repressive? No. In fact, things have
gotten worse.
Has the average Cuban reaped the benefit of this tourist and business trade?
Absolutely not.
The average worker still makes $30 a month, and the government still won’t
let kids above the age of 7 drink milk. Cubans still risk crossing
shark-infested waters to make it to our borders.
If America lets the cash flow into Cuba, mark my words, it will only empower
this madman, help him to build his military and embolden him to spread
revolution throughout Latin America.
With a worldwide recession looming, this is not the time to be giving an
arsonist matches.
Somehow our Congress – Republicans and Democrats – seems driven to
undermine America. The Republicans seem driven to political suicide.
Wasn’t it just last year they won the presidential election by the skin
of their teeth – and then only by a hair’s breadth in Florida because
the Cuban-Americans turned out in record numbers for George W. Bush? (Hello, is
Dennis Hastert awake?)
We need to draw a line in the sand with Castro.
For too long he has been unfinished business. Instead of appeasing this
two-bit dictator, we need to start thinking about removing him from power and
making Cuba free.
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