Via Boston.com – U.S. Rep. William Delahunt told a congressional subcommittee that national security laws are being unfairly applied to favor Luis Posada Carriles, who is wanted in Cuba and Venezuela for the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner.
“We must insist on answers about the disparity of treatment provided him”
I’d like to know which “disparity” Rep. Delahunt is referencing. Luis Posada Carriles’ current status was determined, with all due process, by the U.S. Judiciary, not some arbitrary power as alluded to by Delahunt. That’s how dictators run regimes, not how democracies apply the rule of law to protect the Universal Human Rights of individuals.
The justice department’s ongoing prosecution of Posada has been zealous. Extradition requests for Posada were appropriately denied by the court based on U.S. law, and in adherence with the U.N. Convention Against Torture, of which the United States is a signatory.
Congressman Delahunt has been quite vocal about the alleged torture perpetuated by the U.S., so a reasonable person should be able to assume that Delahunt is against all torture. Is it not logical that if he is against the U.S. using torture, then by extension, he must also be against dictators using torture? Does Rep. Delahunt believe that his opinion should take precedence over court rulings? Who does he think he is?
The only disparity here is Delahunt’s hypocrisy. Why does Delahunt parrot the demands of vengeful dictators instead of upholding the law of the nation he represents? Once again, the Congressman from Massachusetts kowtows to castro.
ZivamyDiva:
those must be some unbielavable video tapes the DGI has on him.
Delahunt is asking why the Justice department won’t classify Posada as a terrorist. I don’t see any hypocrisy and I don’t see how his involvement in the Posada case is kowtowing to Castro.
Maybe if Delahunt could meet with Raul he could ask or negotiate for the release of some political prisoners. Instead you make it sound like anyone who tries to meet with Raul is pro-Castro.
Let’s be fair here.
(I live in Congressman Delahunt’s district and have voted for him even though I am a registered Republican.)
Rob,
Has Posada been convicted of terrorism in court? If so, then I have no issues classifying him as a terrorist, but I certainly do have an issue if its the MSM , castroites, and the other lot of useful idiots that have “convicted” in the public eye.
I also find your “meeting with Raul” comment intriguing. It shows that you are either incredibly naive or willfully myopic, given the regime’s history.
HavanaJournal,
Do yourself a favor, go to the website for the Allegiance for a Responsible Cuba Policy. There, in the section trumpeting a congressional “fact finding” trip to Cuba during December of 2002, you will see photos of Delahunt’s adult daughter smiling broadly as fidel castro signs and autograph for her.
Mr. Delahunt’s interest in the Posada-Carriles case is not coincidental. It is the latest in a pattern of furthering castro’s agenda. He willingly cooperates with the dictaroship to help it maintain its stranglehold on the Cuban people.
Apparently, he also brings his family along on these “fact finding” trips. As an aside, I wonder if that is a violation of the “embargo.” Who paid for his daughter’s trip? What kind of father would want his daughter within a hundred miles of a blood soaked murderer? Pose for a keepsake photo with Hitler? Pol Pot? Jeff Dahmer? I can’t understand your attemt to rationalize the unjustifiable.
Gusano,
Agree with you 100%, I can only wonder what level of scandalous, that video must be.
Havanajournal suggests:
“Maybe if Delahunt could meet with Raul he could ask or negotiate for the release of some political prisoners.”
As Val pointed out, that is indeed an intriguing proposal. Since negotiating, by its definition, means the US offering the Cuban dictatorship something in return for the favor, what would you suggest the US proffer? Perhaps the loosening of trade restrictions? Some free oil? Maybe we can offer them some parts for all those old American cars they have over there.
I can’t imagine the Cuban regime loving anything more than the US rewarding them for violating the rights of Cuban citizens.
So enlighten us, Havanajournal; how do we “negotiate” with a regime without rewarding them for their copious violations of human rights?
“So enlighten us, Havanajournal; how do we “negotiate” with a regime without rewarding them for their copious violations of human rights?”
Very good question no doubt but since the failed Plan A Embargo has not gotten rid of Fidel, maybe a policy of engagement would be worthwhile? Maybe Raul would agree to releasing prisoners in exchange for us loosening up the restrictions on trade? I don’t have all the plans but let’s AT LEAST talk to Raul. If he chooses to lie or back out of deals then we have current, first hand knowledge but at least the US can say that it made a legitimate effort to ease the oppression on the Cuban people.
George Bush making a speech promising funds AFTER free elections and demanding action just isn’t going to have any effect in Cuba.
Let’s do something to get the Castro government to ease up on the oppression of the Cuban people. Isn’t that what we all want?
PS I didn’t see the photo of Delahunt with his daughter. Please post a link.
That’s sick! they got pics of Delahunt AND his daughter?!? No wonder he’s always shilling for castro and his cronies…
I tried to cut-and-paste the link to the photo of Delahunt’s daughter fawning over castro, and could not figure out how to do it.
Just go to “www.responsiblecubapolicy.org/visits” and scroll down to the December 2002 item. You will find the photo there with the appropriate caption.
Havana- The castro regime has never honored any agreement. Are you really so naive as to believe that you can negotiate with “we have no political prisoners” raul? Get real. Numerous adminstrations have attempted “dialog” with Havana, only to find it’s pointless.
Havanajournal, last time I checked, europe was filled with democracies with policies of talks and engagement with Castro. That has also failed. If all one had to do was talk to them, then Cuba would have been freed a long time ago because of talks with europe. But it is pointless to talk to them since they deny any political prisoners.
Good point. Maybe talking with Fidel never worked but things are different now. I the Delahunt’s of the Congress should keep trying, after all it’s for the Cuban people, not so much for the American businesses or travelers.
But, if we’re not going to talk and expect the Embargo to have any teeth then stop the wet foot dry foot policy, stop all trade with Cuba and stop sending all remittances to Cuba. ZERO tolerance.
I don’t advocate any of those but to me it has to be engagement or complete Embargo.
Havanajournal- If you imagine that Delahunt cares anything about the Cuban people, you are delusional. He’s made numerous trips to Cuba, always smoozing with fidel and his henchmen, and always lobbying in support of the regime.
Havana:
Things are just sooooo different now in Cuba. As a matter of fact, in Cienfuegos people are now getting 8 oz. of meat every month. Woohoo!
Of course, you’re going to say that the lack of meat and milk and other sustenance is because of the US embargo. Actually, it is in spite of the US providing all the food Cuba can buy. There is nothing stopping the Cuban government from buying all the grain, meat, milk, poultry they can pay for from the US.
Of course, the key word here is pay. Cuba doesn’t want to pay up front for the food, they want it on credit. Now, when you buy something on credit, all it means is that you are promising to pay it at a later date–it does not imply that you will not pay at all. But, since Cuba has a nasty habit of not paying for stuff, it makes perfect sense NOT to extend them credit.
If raul is such a great reformer and really wants to change things on the island, let’s see him tap into the millions (if not billions) of dollars he has pilfered from the Cuban people and buy all the food they need, in cash, to feed the people. If they can’t buy what they need to eat in cash, what makes you think they’ll pay for it later?
And one other thing, why do you think that such bastions of democracy such as Canada, Spain, France, the UK, etc., do not make demands regarding human rights in Cuba? I’ll tell you why: because the subject is verboten. The dictatorship will not allow that to become a bargaining chip. Therefore, if you want to do business with the oligarchy in Cuba, you have to take the whole human rights issue off the table. All those countries decided to acquiesce to that demand. The US, on the other hand, is the only country that stands by its principles.
Let raul come out and say that he is willing to discuss the human rights violations that are going on right at this moment in Cuba, and then, maybe you can consider discussing the possibility of a very limited dialog. In the meantime, any concession on our part is a waste of time and only serves to embolden the brutal dictatorship.
Delahunt, though, doesn’t really care about the Cuban people. He just wants to make a buck.
1. You are both too tough on Delahunt. He is a human rights guy not a trade guy. So, don’t paint him with a broad brush. Just because a Congressman from the US wants to talk with Raul doesn’t mean he’s supporting the regime. This is a point that Cuban American’s have to lighten up on.
2. I am not going to say that the US Embargo is the reason that Castro can’t buy food. I know he likes to buy on “credit”.
Cuba should have been and will be a great economic power someday. They have all the resources.
I blame Fidel much more than I blame the Embargo for Cuba’s problems.
I’m just trying to take some of the emotion and some of the history out of the picture.
This is coming from a Massachusetts Republican. See the irony there? Those are two words you don’t see together too often.
Havana:
Please don’t insult our intelligence. When Delahunt stands up and demands the end of all the torture and murder that has taken place in Cuba for 50 years with a quarter of the vigor he assigns to going after an old man who has already stood trial, then you can tell us he’s a “human rights guy.”
Human rights for liberals is a pick-n-choose proposition. They pick who deserves it, and choose who is to receive it.
As far as taking the emotion and history out of the debate, that is exactly what the communist in Cuba would like you to do. You see, when you forget the tens of thousands that have died because of them, and you forget the fifty years of oppression and lies, then it is really easy to sit down at a table and talk about patching things up.
Without history and emotion, this world would have fallen prey a long time ago to vile despots such as the castro oligarchy.
Life is not candy canes and puppy dogs–it is a tough place that requires tough decisions and determination. The world’s lack of toughness and determination is what has kept the castros in power all these years. They allowed history and their emotional drive to fight tyranny to take a backseat to business. When the world does that, we all lose.
Take the history out of it? As fidel has done? For instance the myth of the starving Cuban peasant led revolution? The myth a new and improved Cuba under fidel? The myth of social justice? Of free health care and education? There are volumes on Cuba’s “forgotten” history, all for the purpose of erasing history to support castro’s lies. The problem is there was a very high price paid in blood, and guess what, there are witnesses who are unable and unwilling to forget. And how dare you suggest they should.
“You see, when you forget the tens of thousands that have died because of them, and you forget the fifty years of oppression and lies…”
And at this rate the 45+ year old failed Plan A Embargo will be here for another 50 years.
I don’t take the Cuban American situation, don’t get me wrong. I would just like to avoid four more decades of Castro type oppression and since the Embargo isn’t working, there must be another solution.
Also, just because Delahunt hasn’t stood up in Congress to demanded human rights in Cuba, how do you know he hasn’t done it privately? Look, I’m no fan of liberals but I have a lot of faith in Delahunt and his ability to orchestrate change in Cuba.
The CA community really needs to figure out a different way to deal with Castro because the Embargo just ain’t working my frens.
You know Havana, no matter how hard you try, you cannot hide your complete lack of interest in what is good and just for the Cuban people. The fact that you can turn your back on the blood that has been shed by tens of thousands of people tells me, and everyone else reading your commentary, that you don’t really care about the crimes that were committed and continue to be committed against the Cuban people. The deaths and torture of all those Cubans, in your opinion, is not enough to discourage anyone from forgiving and forgetting what transpired.
So tell us, Havana; how many Cubans have to die and how many have to be tortured and kept in dungeons before you decide that morality and justice come before business? Give us a number of deaths and/or political prisoners that would force you to say, “hey, I have to draw the line here.”
Is there such a number? Do you really care? Do you even know where the number is now?
The sad part is that you might be correct in surmising that Cuba may be in store for another 50 years of oppression. But it won’t be because of US policy, or because of the “hard-line” Cuban exiles—it will be because of people like you that just don’t understand why a hundred thousand dead Cubans is such a big deal.
Havanajournal, you insult Cuba exiles who have have survived castro´s nightmare. You cannot be on the side of castro apologists and and say you care about the Cuban people. You might as well put on a che shirt, pin a “Viva Cuba Libre” button on it and stroll down Calle Ocho. Go away, please.
Just because I am anti-Embargo does not mean that I am pro-Castro.
Also, for you to say that I don’t care about the Cuban people is insulting to me and disrespectful.
It’s too bad that I can’t even talk about a Plan B to get rid of Castro without being labeled a Castro supporter.
And so it goes. Tomorrow will be the same in Cuba as yesterday because no one wants to do anything to change a 45+ year old failed policy.
Now, who’s really hurting the Cuban people?
Listen up Havana Journal, you come into someones house, toss shit around and act insulted when the residents get pissed off. You are out of line, get it? If you just wanted to debate the embargo, that´s been done here, over and over. But that´s not what you did, you insulted Cuban exiles and defamed the memory of castro´s victims by defending enablers of that tyranny. If you don´t understand that and don´t like the reception here, that´s your problem, you are free to leave.
Havana:
I have seen your website and I have read your comments regarding Cuban exiles. So imagine, if my words insulted you, just think how insulted I felt when I read your comments.
According to you, we should all just “get over it.†One hundred thousand dead Cubans? Get over it!
According to you, Cuban exiles actually want castro to remain in power so that they can continue collecting government aid in the US, influencing political elections, and maintaining our investments safe here in Miami.
According to you, the Cuban exile community is mainly made up of people who got their businesses confiscated and were thrown out of Cuba by castro.
Your view of Cuba, its reality, and the 2 million plus that have fled its tyranny is so twisted and fantastical that I can only imagine what your “plan B†might consist of.
Neither I, nor the majority of readers on this blog, really care to hear your “plan B†sir. So, I suggest you go back to your own website and continue hocking your Cuba t-shirts and badmouthing Cuban exiles along with the rest of the castro appeasers on the web. I’m sure they want to hear your “plan B.â€
The discussion is over.