Even the Clinton Administration Made an “Effort” to enforce U.S. Law, Cuba Sanctions
Did I do that?
In a recently declassified State Department document secured via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), a State Department Congressional briefer offers a small glimpse at early Clinton administration efforts to implement and enforce the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act (LIBERTAD or Helms-Burton).
Keep in mind that President Bill Clinton signed Helms-Burton in March 1996. This private Congressional briefing appears to have taken place in June, just a few months after Clinton signed the measure into law. I’ll publish the document in the near future and while it is heavily redacted, it makes for interesting reading.
Here is a flavor of what the State Department official told the Congress. The Helms-Burton law is,
[s]tarting to discourage foreign investors and this will likely dampen prospects for economic growth [emphasis added]
This particular comment is sure to give political heartburn to current advocates of Cuba engagement:
It is more important now than ever before to maintain concerted international pressureto bring about a peaceful democratic transition in Cuba. The European Union is maintaining a firm position that it will negotiate a cooperation agreement only if the Cuban government launches a process of fundamental political and economic change. They are maintaining this position despite our profound differences over the Helms-Burton law. We will be looking for ways to expand efforts to press Castro. [emphasis added]
A little more copy from the Congressional briefing:
Our Cuba policy positions us to exert maximum pressure for a peaceful democratic transition on the island while protecting our legitimate national security interests … [i]n order to send the strongest possible message to Castro, the elites around him, and our allies [emphasis added]
In a few days I’ll post additional information from the document, including a few specific steps that the Clinton Administration took to defend American interests with regards to Cuba, especially property rights. Yes, you read right. The (Bill) Clinton State Department moved quickly to warn Europeans, Canadians, and other foreign nationals that, among other things, trafficking in stolen properties that used to belong to Americans, and others, is a crime. The current occupant of the White House is not even trying. Nor did, to our knowledge,Secretary of State (Hillary) Clinton.
1 thought on “Even Bill Clinton’s administration at least made an effort to enforce Cuba sanctions”
That Clinton photo is more telling than most–he looks like the hollow, lowlife fraud he ultimately was, but there were (as there still are) enough voters prone to go for such a charlatan. That’s the real significance of a figure like Clinton or Obama–what it says about the society that falls for them, elevates them, and never appears to learn much, if anything, from such appalling lack of insight and discernment.
And btw, John Kerry wouldn’t be caught dead with that much hair out of place.
That Clinton photo is more telling than most–he looks like the hollow, lowlife fraud he ultimately was, but there were (as there still are) enough voters prone to go for such a charlatan. That’s the real significance of a figure like Clinton or Obama–what it says about the society that falls for them, elevates them, and never appears to learn much, if anything, from such appalling lack of insight and discernment.
And btw, John Kerry wouldn’t be caught dead with that much hair out of place.