[Marxism] NYT says lift blockade, but keep Cuba out of OAS

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As far as Cuba goes, the usual jive from the Times.

Interesting, however, their call for OAS pressure on its "errant members,"
allegedly Nicaragua and Venezuela, allegedly the least democratic.
(Everything's dandy, democracy-wise, in Colombia, as always. As for Daniel
Ortega, I'm no fan but I'm for giving credit where credit is due: Three
cheers for him!)

The Ecuadorian and Bolivian governments, which were quite active in this
diplomatic fight, will probably be offended by being excluded from this
condemnation of errancy. 

And note again the key role that Human Rights Watch played on the US side in
the OAS gathering. Seems like this "rights" organization has joined the
"without borders" family of pro-imperialist political cum "humanitarian"
groups.
Fred Feldman 


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/opinion/04thu1.html

June 4, 2009
Editorial
Mr. Obama, Cuba and the O.A.S. 
For 50 years, the Cuban people have suffered under Fidel Castro?s, and now
Raúl Castro?s, repressive rule. But Washington?s embargo ? a cold war
anachronism kept alive by Florida politics ? has not lessened that suffering
and has given the Castros a far-too-convenient excuse to maintain their iron
grip on power. 

So we are encouraged to see President Obama?s tentative efforts to ease the
embargo and reach out to the Cuban people. At the same time, we are
absolutely puzzled and dismayed by this week?s frenzied push by many Latin
American countries to readmit Cuba to the Organization of American States. 

Cuba, which says it has no interest in joining, clearly does not meet the
group?s standards for democracy and human rights. 

The campaign was led by the O.A.S.?s least-democratic members (Nicaragua and
Venezuela), which seemed intent on picking a fight with Washington ? and
deflecting attention from their own unsavory practices. The timing seems
especially odd and counterproductive considering Mr. Obama?s strong
overtures to the region and to Cuba. 

In April, Mr. Obama changed the regulations to allow Cuban-Americans to
visit their relatives on the island as often as they want (the Bush
administration had limited those visits to once every three years). And they
can now send unlimited gifts and money. He has also cleared the way for
American telecommunications firms to pursue licensing deals in Cuba in an
attempt to expand access to cellphones and satellite television.

The more contacts Cubans have with the outside world ? and the more they
learn about the freedoms just 90 miles away ? the more likely they are to
question the privations of their one-family rule. 

The White House also has offered to negotiate the first direct-mail service
in decades and to resume talks with the Cuban government on migration, which
were suspended by the Bush administration in 2003 along with most avenues of
regular communication. This week, Havana agreed to the talks on migration
and mail service as well as to possible cooperation on counterterrorism,
drug interdiction and hurricane relief.

This is not a reward for the Castro government. Eliciting Cuba?s cooperation
is in this country?s clear interest. We also suspect that if Cuban officials
talk to their American counterparts regularly, then they, too, may end up
questioning their political allegiances.

The Obama administration was right to resist the push to precipitously
readmit Cuba to the O.A.S. It was right to insist that Havana first improve
its treatment of its citizens and embrace the group?s democratic standards.
On Wednesday ? after a hyperbole-filled debate that focused almost solely on
past resentments of the United States, rather than Cuba?s ongoing repression
? the O.A.S., by acclamation, decided to lift Cuba?s 1962 suspension from
the organization. 

Officials from the United States and the O.A.S. said that Cuba?s re-entry
will not be immediate. It will result only from a dialogue in line with
O.A.S. ?practices, purposes and principles.? We?re not sure exactly what
that means, but we hope Havana will come under strong regional pressure to
release political prisoners and make other democratic reforms. 

We understand the desire to fully reintegrate Cuba into the main regional
organization. But as Human Rights Watch argued this week: ?Cuba is the only
country in the hemisphere that repudiates nearly all forms of political
dissent. For nearly five decades, the Cuban government has enforced
political conformity with criminal prosecutions, long- and short-term
detentions, mob harassment, physical abuse and surveillance.? 

Mr. Obama must go further and press Congress to lift the embargo. And the
O.A.S. must press Havana to join the democratic mainstream ? and its errant
members to adhere to the organization?s own democratic charter. 




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