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Thaw in US-Cuba Relations?
On December 17, the Havana Times headlined “Obama Announces New US Approach on Cuba,” saying: “In a surprise announcement today US President Obama has taken sweeping steps to re-launch US relations with Cuba.” “Talks between Washington and Havana have actually been going on secretly in Canada for a year and a half with mediation assistance from Pope Francis.” More on this below. On December 17, Obama said in part: “Today, the United States of America is changing its relationship with the people of Cuba.” “In the most significant changes in our policy in more than fifty years, we will end an outdated approach that, for decades, has failed to advance our interests, and instead we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries.” “Through these changes, we intend to create more opportunities for the American and Cuban people, and begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas.” “…I’ve instructed Secretary Kerry to immediately begin discussions with Cuba to reestablish diplomatic relations that have been severed since January of 1961.” “Going forward, the United States will reestablish an embassy in Havana, and high-ranking officials will visit Cuba.” “…I’ve instructed Secretary Kerry to review Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. This review will be guided by the facts and the law.” “Terrorism has changed in the last several decades. At a time when we are focused on threats from al Qaeda to ISIL, a nation that meets our conditions and renounces the use of terrorism should not face this sanction.” “…(W)e we are taking steps to increase travel, commerce, and the flow of information to and from Cuba.” “…I’m under no illusion about the continued barriers to freedom that remain for ordinary Cubans.” “(G)iven Cuba’s history, I expect it will continue to pursue foreign policies that will at times be sharply at odds with American interests.” Why Cuba? Why now? Why not earlier? What will change? What won’t? James Petras saying Washington “is totally alone in its boycott of Cuba.” Why when it uses sanctions as a key weapon of choice. Against independent states. Targeted for regime change. Wanting pro-US vassal regimes replacing them. Why when US/Venezuelan relations remain hostile? When Congress just passed the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014. Unanimously. By voice vote in both houses. Obama signing it into law. Imposing sanctions on targeted Venezuelan officials. Irresponsibly. Hypocritically. The world’s leading human rights abuser targeting one of its staunchest defenders. Why when Cold War 2.0 rages against Russia? More virulently than ever. Congress authorized more sanctions. US-instigated oil wars batter its economy and currency. Hot war remains possible. Unthinkable between the world’s two most formidable nuclear powers. Why when US/Iranian relations remain frosty? Punishing sanctions remain in place. Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program a pretext for Washington’s real aim. Regime change. Ousting its independent government. Installing a pro-Western stooge one. Why when Obama’s Asia/Pacific pivot targets China? Wanting it marginalized. Weakened. Isolated. Contained. Controlled. Eliminating one of America’s two main rivals. Why when Obama’s war on Syria shows no signs of ending? Or Iraq war 3.0. Or global US interventions. Covert mischief. Making the world safe for monied interests. Maintaining Washington’s permanent war policy. On humanity. At home and abroad. With America increasingly militarized. Governed under a police state apparatus. Federal, state and local authorities committing virtually every imaginable civil and human rights abuse. Unaccountably. Why when US policy more than ever threatens world peace? Humanity’s survival. When advancing its imperium matters most. No matter the consequences. Obama’s new Cuba policy comes after over half a century of blockade and isolation. Extreme hostility. Hundreds of failed attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro. Biowarfare. Including dengue fever. Killing hundreds. Sickening thousands. Contaminating crops and livestock. Terror-bombing hotels. Industrial facilities. Various other sabotage. Sinking fishing boats. Blowing up Cubana Flight 465. Killing 78 people on board. US military doctrine embraces anything goes. Including “massive casualty producing events.” Mindless of innocent civilian deaths and injuries. State terrorism is official US policy. Cuba a prime target for decades. Since Eisenhower authorized CIA efforts to oust Castro. The failed April 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion followed. So did support for anti-Castro terrorist groups. Ongoing for decades. Including Alpha 66. Omega 7. Brothers to the Rescue. The Cuban American National Foundation (CANF). Openly admitting acts of murder. Intentions to keep killing. CANF headed by fascist extremist Jorge Mas Canosa. Until his 1997 death. Embraced by various US presidents at the White House. Historian Jorge Dominguez reviewed thousands of declassified anti-Castro documents. Involving US-sponsored terrorism. Showing no concern whatever for human life or welfare. According to Dominguez: “Only once (in all documents he reviewed) did a US official raise something that resembled a faint moral objection to US-government sponsored terrorism.” In his book titled “Voices from the Other Side: An Oral History of Terrorism Against Cuba,” Keith Bolender said: “American aggression ran from the embargo, propaganda, isolation, and the Bay of Pigs military invasion.” “As the rhetoric increased, terrorist acts were formulated and carried out…American officials estimated millions would be spent to develop internal security systems, and State Department officials expected the Cuban government to increase internal surveillance in an attempt to prevent further acts of terrorism.” “These systems, which restricted civil rights, became easy targets for critics.” Obama’s Wednesday announcement followed 18 months of secret negotiations. Exploratory talks. Beginning in June 2013. Brokered by Canadian and Vatican […] More news from The Real Agenda:
http://www.real-agenda.com
Source: http://real-agenda.com/2014/12/19/thaw-in-us-cuba-relations/
