Secretary of State H.R. Clinton on Cuba

[Mika]

Secretary of State H.R. Clinton on Cuba
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/news/63331

QUESTION: Thank you, Senator Clinton. Given the fact that probably the Cuban missile crisis may be the greatest example of a deterrent, that’s been almost 50 years ago. Is there any talk within the Department of maybe normalizing relationships with Cuba?

SECRETARY CLINTON: That’s a really – that’s a topic of conversation a lot. I don’t think that there is any question that, at some point, the people of Cuba should have democratically elected leaders and should have a chance to chart their own future. But unfortunately, I don’t see that happening while the Castros are still in charge. And so what President Obama has done is to create more space, more family travel, more business opportunities to sell our farm products or for our telecom companies to compete dealing with common issues that we have with Cuba like migration or drug trafficking. In fact, during the height of the terrible catastrophe in Haiti because of the earthquake, we actually helped some of the Cuban doctors get medical supplies who were already operating there.
So there are ways in which we’re trying to enhance our cooperation. But it is my personal belief that the Castros do not want to see an end to the embargo and do not want to see normalization with the United States, because they would then lose all of their excuses for what hasn’t happened in Cuba in the last 50 years. And I find that very sad, because there should be an opportunity for a transition to a full democracy in Cuba. And it’s going to happen at some point, but it may not happen anytime soon.
And just – if you look at any opening to Cuba, you can almost chart how the Castro regime does something to try to stymie it. So back when my husband was president and he was willing to make overtures to Cuba and they were beginning to open some doors, Castro ordered the – his military to shoot down these two little unarmed planes that were dropping pamphlets on Cuba that came from Miami. And just recently, the Cubans arrested an American who was passing out information and helping elderly Cubans communicate through the internet, and they’ve thrown him in jail. And they recently let a Cuban prisoner die from a hunger strike. So it’s a dilemma.
And I think for the first time, because we came in and said, look, we’re willing to talk and we’re willing to open up, and we saw the way the Cubans responded. For the first time, a lot of countries that have done nothing but berate the United States for our failure to be more open to Cuba have now started criticizing Cuba because they’re letting people die. They’re letting these hunger strikers die. They’ve got 200 political prisoners who are there for trivial reasons. And so I think that many in the world are starting to see what we have seen a long time, which is a very intransigent, entrenched regime that has stifled opportunity for the Cuban people, and I hope will begin to change and we’re open to changing with them, but I don’t know that that will happen before some more time goes by (Applause.)

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[EFerrari]

1. What would happen to two tiny little unarmed Iranian planes

that dropped pamphlets on D.C., I wonder.

[Wilms]

2. Can you believe her?

Sad part is, many will.

[EFerrari]

3. This policy is wrong on so many levels.

It doesn't help Americans.

It creates humanitarian problems in Latin America.

It fuels and fosters ill will among nations where none is necessary.

It alienates our fastest growing demographic, Latinos, most of whom are young and more liberal than their parents.

Sometimes I think the only way to rectify this trainwreck is to start little local clubs all over the country, "Hermanos" or something like that and hook them up over the net. Because left to its own devices, Washington never will.

[flamingdem]

5. She has gained a lot of credibility but I think she is beyond repair

when it comes to Cuba.

What she really means to say is:

IT IS GREAT THAT WE CAN PLAY UP THE DAMAS DE BLANCO AND THEY GUY WHO WAS A BRICKLAYER AND STARVED HIMSELF TO DEATH (CONFUSE EVERYONE TO THINK HE WAS A DISSIDENT) AND AVOID BEING RESPONSIBLE WORLD CITIZENS AND CONTINUE ABANDONING THE PEOPLE OF CUBA SO OBAMA CAN GET SUPPORT IN FLORIDA AND AVOID MORE BASHING FROM THE RIGHT.

And my brother told me so!

Frickin' cold war witch.

Otherwise she has some admirable qualities but she seems to dismiss the ALL OF LATIN AMERICA.

[amyrose2712]

10. Really. nt

[Judi Lynn]

11. They wouldn't last long before they were vaporized, would they?

I've read a remark by Dwight D. Eisenhower saying he believed the U.S. would obliterate ANY unauthorized plane flying within 50 miles of the U.S.

In Cuba's case, Hermanos al Rescate flew in so low over Havana, by design, people on the ground could read the insignia con the planes, including Wayne S. Smith, who was the U.S. head of the Interests Section in Havana under President Carter.

How WOULD it play in Wshington seeing planes from Iran or Cuba flying that low over the city?

[flamingdem]

4. Hillary is lying and it doesn't become her

same as with Honduras.

YUK

[Mika]

6. Strange how a man starving himself to death has become Castro's response to new US overtures.

And that the Ladies in White being protected from angry crowds and being driven home by police is being spun into Castro's repressive brutality by our gov't and MSM.

All the while we ignore this bizness-as-usual at home ....

No repression here

No repression here

No repression here

No repression here



Panel Says Miami Police Overreacted
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2432512

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[Wilms]

7. Interesting observation you've made. n/t

[Mika]

8. I guess that this is the US's response to Cuban overtures....

Since the MSM, echoing Hil's State, have spun unrelated events into Castro's official response, then we could be equally whacked in saying that this is the Obama response to Cuba....

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/county-probes-police-brutality-during-riot-1.1338873

officers who were caught on videotape beating a student during riots following the Terrapin men’s basketball team’s victory over Duke last month

More of Obama's response to Cuba....

http://news.google.com/news/search?aq=0&pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&q=police+brutality&oq=Police

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US/Cuba policy has, again, been driven into a ditch.

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[Judi Lynn]

9. All Latin American were completely open to the possibility of a new beginning, a new dialogue.

This had to be very painful for the Americas, but it should also encourage them to continue their own path toward integration.

We really SHOULD have been lucky enough to see a much better Secretary of States, and to see the old Iran/Contra criminals handed their hats.