As I mentioned in a post earlier, it is not easy being an anti-embargo advocate, and it appears that the stress of trying to justify the unjustifiable may have taken its toll on one particular “Cuba Expert.”
Wayne Smith, one of the media’s favorite “Cuba Experts,” seems to be losing his edge. With the US congress no closer to lifting any restrictions of worth against the Cuban dictatorship, the sudden realization that the millions of dollars both US and Castro interests have spent in lobbying is about to be flushed down the toilet.
With nothing to show for his work, Mr. Smith has gotten desperate. Gone are the misleading yet artful arguments against the embargo. Gone, too, are the perverted arguments that helping the oppressors will help the oppressed.
In this letter to the Washington Post complaining of an article written by Jackson Diehl, Mr. Smith has been reduced to nothing more than a mouthpiece for the regime. The desperation in the tone of his missive is so palpable that you almost (just almost) have to feel sorry for him. A desperate man pleading for someone to listen to him.
It is not time perhaps to begin thinking of an alliance. But Mr. Castro has said he will release most, if not all, political prisoners. President Obama had promised significant changes in U.S. policy in response to such a gesture. Where is it? And Mr. Castro has indicated that important changes in the economy are coming.
What has the United States done to stimulate further changes? So far, nothing.
Waiting until Cuba has a full democracy will not work. We need to respond now to the steps the Cubans have taken with steps of our own — such as lifting travel controls and perhaps arranging an exchange of prisoners. There are various options, but we need to move.
Please, please, do something! Don’t leave me here twisting in the wind. I need to show something to justify the millions of dollars that have been spent!
Desperation is such an ugly emotion. Mr. Smith should take some time off and get his thoughts back together.
It’s so heartening to see the edge of desperation in these jerks. Why would anyone in their right mind act on a mere promise from the Cuban government? When have the Castros ever kept their word? Even recently, with the eyes of the world on them they announced to much media acclaim that they would release the 52 political prisoners arrested during the Black Spring of 2003. So far only the 20 who agreed to be forcibly exiled have been released. The others who have refused to be exiled are still rotting in jail.
Being a leftist dictatorship means doing whatever you damn well please and STILL getting a pass, or at least getting FAR more tolerance than a right-wing regime. Guaranteed.
It’s just like I said last week, The End Game.
(https://babalublog.com/2010/08/the-end-game/)
And of course, Mr Wayne Smith, Cuba Expert extraordinaire, neglects to mention the continued repression against Reina Luisa Tamayo and others that happen on a daily basis.
For Smith and many of his cohorts, its not about helping anyone anymore. It’s about where the funding for next year and those to follow will come from given that they’ve proven to be no return on the investment.
FTA: “Mr. Castro has said ….Mr. Castro has indicated…” I agree that the anti-embargo crowd has to have a mental problem somewhere, or a deep-seated deliberate desire for ignorance, because they’ve not done any due diligence to find out if kasstro has complied with his promises in the past when it comes to economics — except those where he promised more hardship. With the US economy in shambles right now, you’d figure the business people would be smart enough to hold their horses before trying to push for trade with an economic rogue state; methinks they must be getting something for free behind the scene somewhere, because it makes no other sense. Or, they have $$$$ to burn. They only think of trading prisoners (as they would trade horses) when their options have come down to the wire. Truly despicable.
Wayne Smith
might be wise
to take care of Wayne Smith.
That is because from the Castro
Government’s point of view
“he knows too much.”
He should go to the press
and explain all he knows
and what he was induced to do
by the Castros
since he was caught in a honey trap
in Moscow.
It would make a fascinating book.
That in my view
is the only way to save
him from the same fate
as long ago
Sandalio Junco
and Mella.