Thursday, February 9, 2012

Fighting Cuba for 50 Years

Tuesday, February 7 marked the 50 year anniversary of the official start to the US embargo against Cuba. Just a few links related to Cuba to mark the occasion.

At this link I summarize some of the documented terror that Cuba has been subjected to over the past 50 years.

Why do Cubans flee the island if it's such a leftist paradise? Ultimately it's because the world's richest nation gives Cubans every incentive to flee by dangerous and illegal means. If they reach the shore they have an easy path to citizenship, which would be a tremendous incentive for residents of any other nation. Cuba constantly makes efforts to increase permissible legal migration for Cubans into the US, but these efforts are rejected. Some details here.

Senator Obama opposed the embargo against Cuba and said it should be lifted. President Obama has flip flopped. Now he will not lift the embargo unless Cuba makes various reforms.

In order to curb the violence perpetuated against Cubans by right wing militants in Miami five Cubans infiltrated the terrorist cells. Cuba invited the FBI to come to Havana where they handed the FBI files documenting the planned violence which was obtained by these five Cubans. The FBI thanked Cuban officials and returned to the US, where they arrested the five individuals that had infiltrated the terrorist cells. These individuals received a show trial and were imprisoned. One was since released. Some details here.

A new book by two US civil rights attorneys documents the CIA's role in the execution of Che Guevara. An interesting interview at Democracy Now here. Cuba does a lot of humanitarian work, especially sending medical help to impoverished areas. One person that received help was Che's executioner, Mario Teran. He was blind due to cataracts, but his sight was restored. His surgery would have been unlikely without the revolution Che was instrumental in bringing about.

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