On the Verge of Improved US-Cuban Relations - Will Snowden Undo It?

[flamingdem]

** Insider commentary from the Havana Note about whether Cuba will feel obliged to aid Edward Snowden by allowing Aeroflot to transit through Havana's Jose Marti International Airport. I've been hoping they're will not do that in spite of considerable pressure. It will scuttle the small steps of detente between Cuba and the USA currently in progress.

http://thehavananote.com/2013/07/are_we_verging_verge_will_snowden_undo_it

--- snip

The resolution of both the Alan Gross and Cuban Five cases are part of the knot. A variety of solutions are possible once the US acknowledges privately if not publicly that the activity it undertook in Cuba through Alan was not acceptable to a sovereign state and therefore it is reasonable to negotiate his release. The Gross case is politically and legally linked to the fifty year problem, but morally tied to the longer standing issue of the right to intervene.

The wild card is the situation of Edward Snowden.

When I was in Cuba two weeks ago, friends advised me that Cuba would stay out of this problem. But whatever hubris infected US official was responsible for blocking transit rights of the Bolivian President's plane has elevated the issue to regional principle. President Raul Castro is reported by Reuters to have told the National Assembly meeting:

"These actions demonstrate we live in a world in which the powerful feel they can violate international law, violate the national sovereignty of other states and trample on the rights of citizens," he said, accusing the United States of employing a "philosophy of domination."

It seems unlikely that Cuba will offer Snowden asylum, but it could have to grant him transit rights if Venezuela provides a travel document.

[Bonobo]

1. Snowden is seemingly more influential than the POTUS! nt

[flamingdem]

2. Sadly the Latin American Left is using him as a symbol

but this will hurt Cuba if they go along.

[allin99]

11. lol

[flamingdem]

4. Thanks Jury. That kind of rudeness makes people exit DU for kinder horizons.

At Mon Jul 8, 2013, 10:56 PM you sent an alert on the following post:

Fuck off with this bullshit.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3205718

REASON FOR ALERT:

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate. (See <a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus#communitystandards" target="_blank">Community Standards</a>.)

YOUR COMMENTS:

You decide if this post deserved this response.

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Mon Jul 8, 2013, 11:11 PM, and voted 6-0 to HIDE IT.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT and said: Rude, dude.
Juror #2 voted to HIDE IT and said: More childish behavior. If you don't like the poster or what is posted, either state a coherent argument or move along. A bunch of vain glorious shit stirrers here are driving away a lot of good people and turning DU into a dump.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT and said: Inappropriate and rude as hell. Hide.
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT and said: Somebody needs a hug, then hide it.
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT and said: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT and said: There are more civil ways to say this. Hide

[Cha]

8. HA! Good. Posters like that are trying to

bring DU down to its level. Not gonna happen. Too bad they don't like it. Trash it.. or get on and throw their stupid insults and get their post hidden.. their choice.

[msongs]

5. american response choices are not cuba's fault nt

[woo me with science]

6. The administration owns this.

But nice try.

[reusrename]

7. Unfuckingbelievable.

The stoopid is strong in this one.

[jmcauliff]

9. Snowden's route

The US has overreached in its reaction to Snowden. Somehow the premise is that the rest of the world should be grateful we are capable of listening to their calls and reading their e-mail because our motives are pure.

Our self-interested redefinition of asylum threatens international law and practice. Most significant political refugees are violators of their home country's interpretation of law or they would not be fleeing.

If someone in the US government was responsible for the blocking of transit rights to the plane of Bolivian President Morales, this has upped the arrogance meter to a new level and given Snowden greater stature.

As I argue in thehavananote real progress in bilateral relations requires a sharp US break with the past. I doubt that Havana allowing Snowden to sit in the international arrivals zone of the Havana airport, just as the Russians did in Moscow, will be a deal breaker although it could be used as an excuse.

John McAuliff
Fund for Reconciliation and Development

[flamingdem]

10. The point is that right wing Cuban Americans in congress will use this

to the detriment of everyone else.

That includes Sen. Robert Menendez, head of foreign relations

[jmcauliff]

13. nothing will affect the Cuban American ultras

They have opposed every forward step by the President, including even freedom of travel and remittances for their own community. They have failed legislatively and electorally except in blackmail of confirmations.

Fortunately the President has a great amount of space to change US policy. He just has to decide that the politics of exile should not trump US national, regional and international interests--and the views of two-thirds of Americans and 90% of Dems.

Apparently Senator Menendez did not join the hard liners self-isolating outrage about the trip by Beyonce to Cuba. Maybe he is rising to his responsibility.

Threats against Cuba if it allows transit for Snowden will further damage the US reputation in Latin America and the Caribbean.

[cali]

12. Precisely. It provides an excuse which in itself could be quite revealing

Anyway, it seems we've been on the verge of better relations for several years now.