Hurt Americans to Hurt Cuba

 Obama Tries to Stop It 
{Updated: Wednesday, August 24th, 2016}

         The great British news agency, Reuters, used the above image this week -- Monday, August 22nd, 2016 -- to explain what U. S. President Obama is trying to do in his herculean attempt to normalize relations with Cuba: Obama wants to correct a longstanding U.S. Cuban policy that, while created to hurt Cuba and bring about regime-change on the island, also hurts not only America's image worldwide but also directly hurts Americans in many ways. Of course, two generations of propagandized Americans since the 1950s are not supposed to be brave enough or smart enough to comprehend that. And, of course, the handful of vicious, self-serving and revengeful Cuban-Americans -- and their easily acquired handful of sycophants in the U. S. Congress -- don't give a damn about America's image or about hurting Americans in order to hurt Cuba.

              This week A T & T announced that it has signed a deal with Cuba's Etecsa telecom provider so A T & T can offer direct roaming services to its customers when they visit Cuba, which is much easier now, thanks to Obama, than it has been in almost six decades. Prior to Obama any such services had to be routed between other countries if Americans in Cuba wanted to make phone calls, etc. That sharply reduced the quality and was much more expensive. Other prime U. S. carriers -- Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile -- had already signed such deals with Cuba. And those are big deals because, in addition to helping Cubans on the island, they ALSO HELP AMERICANS. While that may displease a few Cuban-American hardliners and their most eager supporters, it reflects how President Obama is trying to change and ease a Cuban policy that hurts innocent Cubans, Americans and America's best friends all around the world.

       President Obama's extremely brave and astute efforts to correct six decades of a debilitating anti-Cuban policy that is actually more anti-American than anything else has a multitude of decent parameters -- including jobs for Americans. It is known that, as he embarked on his majestic Cuban policy, he made a pertinent comment to his key adviser {wife Michelle} that closely resembled these words: "Honey, if Americans had an inkling as to how our Cuban policy angers our friends and delights our enemies, maybe they would insist that it be changed. Or if they had any inkling as to how much of their tax dollars for decades have been devoted to regime-change programs and anti-Cuban propaganda vessels such as Miami's Marti broadcasts, maybe they would insist that it be changed." That lament, according to an Obama confidant, was for Michelle's ears only. She listened intently and then offered this sage advice: "Then go to it. You've been saying that to me for two years. Congress is Congress but you are the President." The next morning -- a December morning in 2014 at the White House -- President Obama began heeding his best adviser's advice.

A very smart, caring, and patriotic First Lady.

      In just a few days -- on August 31st -- jetBlue Airlines will register another huge Obama-orchestrated step in his dramatic efforts to defy Congress and normalize relations with Cuba, another historic move that will help both Americans and Cubans. Since 1962 the U. S. embargo has prevented commercial flights from the U. S. to Cuba. On August 31st a jetBlue commercial plane will depart from Fort Lauderdale and land in Santa Clara, Cuba!!! That's BIG news, so permit me to repeat it: ON AUGUST 31ST A jetBlue COMMERCIAL AIRPLANE WILL DEPART FROM FORT LAUDERDALE AND LAND IN SANTA CLARA, CUBA!!! And next month jetBlue, which has permission for 7 daily flights to Cuba, plans to start service to Holguin and Camaguey.

         In the eager battle to begin commercial flights to Cuba for the first time in half-a-century, American Airlines has been awarded 13 daily flights. Ten U. S. airports will soon offer daily service to Cuban cities.

      Not only will airlines make money with the historic flights to Cuba, but it will also benefit many Americans in jobs related to the industry. That's why these workers connected to American Airlines are proudly displaying a Cuban flag. Like most Americans and Cuban-Americans, they support Mr. Obama's initiatives, not the cruel and out-dated embargo that benefits revenge and political motives of a few.

       The red dots on this map indicate six of the Cuban cities that American Airlines will be flying to. The Obama and Cuban plans call for up to 110 daily flights from the U. S. to ten Cuban cities. Havana is the grand prize for the U. S. airlines but Jose Marti Airport in the capital city is already being severely challenged with current traffic as Obama has also sliced into the embargo by opening up more reasons for Americans to visit the island. Since 1962 Americans, to quench a revenge thirst for a few Cuban-exiles, have been the only people in the world without the freedom to travel to nearby Cuba. That apparently is so a few Cuban-exiles can dictate the Cuban narrative to Americans as opposed to Americans being able to judge the island for themselves. American plans 4 daily flights from Miami and one from Atlanta. Alaska Airlines will make one daily flight from Los Angeles. Delta will have one daily round-trip from Atlanta, one from JFK Airport in New York, and one from Miami. Frontier will have one daily round-trip from Miami. JetBlue will fly two round-trips a day from Fort Lauderdale, one from New York City, and one from Orlando. Southwest has 2 daily round-trips from Fort Lauderdale and one from Tampa. Spirit Airlines has two daily round-trips from Fort Lauderdale. And United has one weekly round-trip on Saturdays from Houston and one daily round-trip from Newark. American got the bonanza with 13 daily flights to the six Cuban cities highlighted with the red dots above. That includes one daily flight from Charlotte to Havana and four daily flights from Miami to Havana. All ten Cuban airports are undergoing hasty upgrades in preparation.

IN OTHER WORDS, President Obama believes that America should apply some decency and democracy to its relations with Cuba. From a legacy standpoint, his Cuban actions against powerful forces reveal him to be a great man, a great president and a great patriot. I don't believe the same can be said of his enemies.

       President Obama believes that rosy-cheeked little Cuban girls should not, unlike the entire lifetimes of their mothers, be punished all their lives by regime-change moguls hiding behind the skirts of the U. S. government, much like the Batistianos and the Mafiosi did when they ruled Cuba from 1952 till 1959. 

And by the way:

        On my first day in Cuba, I asked the clerk at the Victoria Hotel where I might be able to see a Tody, the incredibly tiny and beautiful Cuban state bird. She said the Tody is found only in Cuba and only in two particular places, which she marked on a map for me. The next day, my driver and I hooked up with three Belgium tourists also looking for a Tody. With their help, I got to watch two Todies fluttering back-and-forth from a perch and expertly snatching bugs out of the tropical air, and it's a mighty memorable memory.   

Clockwise: A Goldfinch, a Cardinal, I'm not sure, and a Woodpecker.

Can you help me with I'm not sure? 

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