Guantanamo, A Lingering U. S. Problem

A Two-Fold Moral Dilemma:
#1: Occupation of Cuban land;
$2: The infamous Bush-era prison.

        Marjorie Cohn has long been one of America's greatest legal minds. She is a former President of the National Lawyer's Guild and is now the top Professor at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She is also a journalist and author. On November 14, 2015, Ms. Cohn penned a long article in The Huffington Post. It was entitled: "Close Guantanamo And Return It To Cuba." Democracy loving Americans should go online to read it and heed it. She lays out all the legal reasons for closing America's democracy-sapping prison at Guantanamo. And she also shows concern and passion for democracy by being ashamed of the image Guantanamo Bay casts on both the U. S. and democracy. The infamous prison attained an intolerable reputation during the last Bush administration; the theft of the magnificent Cuban port in 1903 lingers as a reminder to the world of America's imperialist past. Now, as Marjorie Cohn's article points out, there remains in the U. S. Congress a sufficient number of right-wingers who simply don't care how injurious the notorious Gitmo prison and the theft of Guantanamo Bay continues to be for America and democracy. The rationale that the U. S. needs the Naval Bay at Guantanamo is ludicrous; the rationale that the prison on Cuban soil is less of a bad thing than on U. S. soil is bullish, puerile, un-American, and plainly stupid.

      The U. S. Naval Base/prison at Guantanamo Bay occupies Cuban soil in defiance of Cuba's sovereignty, international law, and world opinion. Even its image on maps like this one shames the United States, especially as most people in the U. S. and the world strongly desire peaceful U.S.-Cuban relations.

        Congressman Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania just led a large group of Pittsburgh-area officials and executives to Cuba. They eagerly toured Havana and Matanzas, 70 miles east of the capital. They were surveying buildings in need of repair with the hope that, one day, companies and products from Pittsburgh will have a significant share of the reconstruction. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto had earlier visited Cuba. Congressman Doyle said, "A lot of challenges, but a lot of potential in Cuba. Pittsburgh needs to be ready."

         This photo, courtesy of The Macon Telegraph, shows a large group of Georgia officials and executives in Cuba now scouting out potential business. Georgia State Senator David Lucas said, "We want Georgia to be ready for opportunities when Cuba and the U. S. begin trading. Sooner or later, something's going to happen. We need to be ready." Previous trips by the U. S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, and the President of the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, recently toured Cuba, paving the way for groups such as these Georgians to visit. Such U. S. interest has already benefited Cuba by encouraging other nations to compete stronger for Cuban business. For example, Vietnam is now selling rice and other products to Cuba and giving the island two years to make no-interest payments. The nearness of covetous U. S. ports is an American advantage but the bellicosity of the Republican-dominated U. S. Congress remains the biggest enemy for Americans and U. S. companies desiring normal relations with Cuba.

       I have nothing at all in common with Jennifer Lawrence, except for one thing. The brilliant, rich, and famous 25-year-old actress was a lifelong Republican. So was I. The operative word is was. As conservatives, the Republican Party was home to many Americans for many decades. But no more. The Republican Party is now a reservoir for thuggish right-wingers. including a fresh crop of radical young Tea Partiers. That creates a dilemma for me, and probably for Jennifer Lawrence, because America has a two-party political system -- the Republicans and the Democrats. And both, for the most part, are bought-and-paid for, especially the Republicans. That leaves two options for me, and probably Jennifer Lawrence: vote Democratic or don't vote at all. I agree with Jennifer Lawrence regarding the Republicans disdain for "women's basic rights." In fact, it is quite apparent that the Republicans care mostly about the "rights" of billionaires because they are convinced the more money billionaires have the more they will donate to political PACs, a process that has virtually destroyed the democracy envisioned by the Founding Fathers. To her credit, Jennifer Lawrence seems to comprehend that fact and seems very concerned about it.

Please take note........

        ........of this photo. It was taken by Tonny Onyula and is used to illustrate a major article in USA Today today -- Tuesday, November 17th. It depicts the ongoing Nigerian terrorism of Boko Haram, a group affiliated with ISIS. The little girl holding the baby is 7-year-old Jumai Ganbo. The baby she is holding was injured by "Boko Haram militants," the article says. Last year Boko Haram massacred and cut off the limbs of many in Jumai's village, including her 8-year-old brother. Notice the baby's left arm as its right hand clings dearly to Jumai's neck. And study the faces of childhood innocence trying to cope with adult madness. Does it reflect the fact that civilized adults are losing and little girls like Jumai are left to pick up the spoils?

And by the way..........

         .............in this forum I have been critical of CNN for being almost as bad as Fox and MSNBC when it comes to saturating newscasts with onset Talking Head pundits instead of hiring reporters to actually go out and cover the news. But I heartily congratulate CNN for hiring Clarissa Ward away from CBS, which had hired her away from ABC. Ms. Ward, a 35-year-old graduate of Yale, is an absolutely brilliant reporter, as indicated by her coverage of the tragedy in Paris this week. Its Talking Heads aside, CNN remains the source for America and the world when it comes to breaking news. But CNN's boss, Jeff Zucker, should fire all of his Talking Heads and continue to scout other networks for truly great broadcast journalists such as Clarissa Ward.

        This photo is courtesy of David Shaw and Birds & Blooms Magazine. It's a reminder that our beautiful feathered friends, like these Eastern Bluebirds, need our help this winter. Their survival depends on a food supply, which is scarce this time of year except for human-provided birdseed.   

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The Media Alternative

To A Declining Industry

        The ongoing and seemingly endless presidential campaign in the United States is pointing out that most Americans are fed up with biased, incompetent, and commercially obsessed news coverage from both the print and electronic media. But there are exceptions and there is an alternative. Editorial Cartoons are still staples of most U. S. newspapers and magazines. A pen in the skilled hand and insightful mind of a great Editorial Cartoonist, such as John Branch, is now the best bet for Americans seeking precise and incisive news. As proof, check out Branchtoon.com. Mr. Branch's gems originate with the San Antonio Express-News and then are spread far and wide by King Features/North American Syndicate.

           Jeb Bush was expected to ride the economic and political power of the Bush dynasty into an easy victory in the Republican presidential sweepstakes. It hasn't turned out that way, as this gem tells us.

        In fact, Jeb Bush and the other politicians -- including Senator Ted Cruz from Texas -- are lagging behind non-politicians Donald Trump and Ben Carson. In this Ted Cruz gem, John Branch explains why American voters, even Republicans, seem to be wising up to established, bought-and-paid-for politicians.

            One thing that has soured American voters, even Republicans, on the political process is the influence of highly questionable behind-the-scenes, money-grubbing puppet-masters such as the obnoxious Karl Rove. Again, John Branch best illustrates that pertinent fact while the mainstream media use Rove-types as "political commentators" when they actually are "extremely biased carnival barkers."

           No one expected flamboyant billionaire businessman Donald Trump to dominate the polls for the past five months in the Republican presidential race. The doubters included John Branch, as he illustrated with the above masterpiece. Even Trump supporters understand this Editorial Cartoonish critique.

      But rest assured that, in the world of great Editorial Cartoonists, there are both Republican and Democratic as well as conservative and liberal bashers. This one, for example, excoriates President Obama for his overtures to Cuba, claiming he is a socialist giving away too much to Cuba's Fidel Castro.

       Jon Meacham has a best-selling biography of 91-year-old George H. W. Bush. Most of the reaction has centered around Bush Sr.'s sharp criticism of Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, whom Bush Sr. blames for many of the gigantic mistakes made during the two presidential terms of his son George W. Bush.

           But once again, the most incisive review of Jon Meacham's bio of Bush Sr. was this Editorial Cartoon by the great John Deering {who consistently proves a great political cartoon is worth a million words}.

      Although I am a lifelong conservative Republican, I believe the two-term presidency of Democrat Barack Obama has been badly needed to stem at least some of the crass excesses of a money-crazed, two-party political system. Yet, like the Editorial Cartoonists whom I admire, I also am an equal opportunity basher. I applaud President Obama for such things as his very brave and sane attempts to normalize relations with Cuba while confronting a Republican-dominated Congress that caters too much to right-wingers. At the same time, I believe President Obama should do more, like using his Executive Authority to keep his campaign promise to close the Bush-era prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, and even expand his positive overtures to Cuba by doing all he can to return Guantanamo Bay to its rightful owner, Cuba. Also, I believe as Commander-in-Chief Mr. Obama could do more to combat the dire threat of international terrorism. That's why, as an equal opportunity basher, I conclude this essay with the above anti-Obama graphic {courtesy of www.joesherlock.com} that criticizes a President and a man that I very deeply admire.

And:

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America's Castro Industry

Still Dictates U. S. Cuban Policy
Updated Sunday, November 15th, 2015
First, a photo to ponder:

       This photo was taken yesterday -- November 14, 2015 -- by Yves Hernan for Reuters. It shows French soldiers patrolling near the Eiffel Tower in Paris after the dreadful, sadistic terrorist attacks killed or injured hundreds of totally innocent French citizens. Remarkably and perhaps not coincidentally, a white dove -- the symbol of peace -- flew across the path of the soldiers just as the photo was snapped. The dove and the civilized world weeps for Paris and all of its victims.

        Sarah Stephens at the Washington-based Center for Democracy in the Americas is the best chronicler of U.S.-Cuban relations. Unfortunately, that is precisely why the incompetent, biased, and intimidated mainstream U. S. media seldom, if ever, relies on democracy-loving Cuban experts like her to counter what, since 1959, has been the lucrative, unchecked, and self-serving Castro Industry in the United States.

        This week -- Friday, November 13th -- Sarah Stephens wrote on the Cuba Central segment of The Center for Democracy in the Americas blog:
           "Next week, our friends at the Atlantic Council and Engage Cuba will release their 'America's Heartland Survey' of voter opinions in Iowa, Ohio, Tennessee, and Indiana about U. S. policy toward Cuba. While the hard numbers won't be out until Tuesday, we do know that the poll shows significant support of engagement in those otherwise highly conservative Middle American states.
                  "During the last year, we've seen and studied eighteen surveys measuring public support for President Obama's policy of engagement with Cuba.
                     "...we want to remind you that the policies announced by the President last December 17th have real support and predict the reaction we're likely to hear from the hardliners who see the numbers continue to run against them."
                After those opening words Friday, Sarah Stephens quoted the "reaction" from just two of the "hardliners" -- Mauricio Claver-Carone and Mario Diaz-Balart -- that are synonymous with the economically and politically self-serving Castro Industry that has existed, virtually unchecked, in the U. S. almost since the very day -- January 1, 1959 -- that the Cuban Revolution chased the Batista-Mafia leaders off the island.

          Mauricio Claver-Carone is one of the most powerful and ubiquitous lobbyists in Washington, D. C. His prime agenda is to keep the U. S. embargo against Cuba in place and to strengthen it. He has a plethora of well-financed entities -- US-Cuba Democracy PAC, Capital Hill Cubans blog, etc., etc., etc. In Friday's "Cuba Central" update on the "Center for Democracy in the Americas" blog, Sarah Stephens used this quote from Mauricio Claver-Carone: "We've found that the more information people learn about what happens in Cuba, the more (likely) they are to support U. S. policy." Of course, ultra-powerful and highly financed lobbyists like Mr. Claver-Carone are prime reasons why everyday Americans are the only people in the world who do not have the freedom to travel to Cuba. If they could, of course, they might be able to judge things for themselves instead of being told what to think regarding Cuba. The vast and lucrative Castro Industry in the U. S. remains determined to control both the Cuban narrative in the U. S. and all laws in the U. S. Congress related to Cuba. Many cowered Americans routinely and sadly acquiesce to that dictation.

        The Claver-Carone dictation/quote that riled Sarah Stephens also riles Josefina Vidal, Cuba's Minister of North American Affairs and the island's main expert on all things American. Vidal, who has personally negotiated many positive U.S.-Cuban relations, was back in Washington last week for further impressive diplomatic discussions with State Department officials. But Vidal has also said: "Much of my time is spent trying to stay alert and deal with the myriad of regime-change programs continually funded by the U. S. Congress by elements from the long-ago Batista rule in Cuba. Those continuous regime-change programs include trying to saturate this island with money and other incentives to cause dissident trouble that they hope will provoke a reaction from Cuba that they can exploit against Cuba. Americans now know me for the diplomatic discussions with my friend Roberta Jacobson. But I wish Americans knew how much time I devote to dealing with those in the United States who want to enrich or empower themselves via cruel schemes against the island that are well-funded and legalized by Congress with little or no participation by most Americans."

         At age 27, Crisitna Escobar is Cuba's brilliant and influential television news anchor. She is fiercely Cuban and, on both Cuban and regional television as well as on her visit to Washington to cover the last Vidal-Jacobson diplomatic session, is uncompromisingly outspoken about "The vicious lies the U. S. media tells about Cuba." This past week she told her viewers: "The U. S. media allows without question the Miami and Congress Cubans to say whatever they want to demean Cuba. They say...we must strengthen the embargo because every dollar or peso that gets to Cuba goes in Castro's pockets or his Swiss bank accounts. This week the UN, UNESCO to be exact, congratulated Cuba for the incredibly high percentage of its income devoted to education and health for the Cuban people. In the last few weeks both the World Bank and the World Health Organization singled out Cuba for the same thing -- the high percentage of Cuba's wealth devoted to education and health, not to mention shelter and food. I've been to Castro's home and we on the island know he lives modestly and doesn't have bank accounts or even much interest in money. The Miami and congressional liars live in mansions, I believe, with bulging bank accounts. But, as a journalist in Cuba, I mostly blame the U. S. media for the lies about Cuba, and that's exactly what I said when I was in Washington." 

       Mario Diaz-Balart has represented Miami in the U. S. Congress since 2003. His older brother, the Havana-born Lincoln, represented Miami in the U. S. Congress from 1993 till 2011. In this week's "Cuba Central" segment on the "Center for Democracy in the Americas" website, Sarah Stephens quoted Mario Diaz-Balart as saying, "That is an absolute lie." He was referring to an article in the New York Times that pointed out that most Cuban-Americans in Miami desire a more decent U. S. policy towards Cuba but only anti-Castro hardliners like the Diaz-Balart brothers get elected to the U. S. Congress from Miami.

            Rafael Diaz-Balart was the father of four sons -- two born in Cuba and two in Florida -- including the two sons who have represented Miami, and the Diaz-Balarts, in the U. S. Congress since 1993. Rafael Diaz-Balart was a key minister in the Batista dictatorship that was ousted by the Cuban Revolution in January of 1959. Then Rafael became one of the richest and most ardently anti-Castro zealots in South Florida.

         This Washington Post photo shows Rafael Diaz-Balart flanked by his four sons, who are now four of the richest and most powerful people in Miami with massive tentacles to Washington. On the far right is Mario, ensconced in the U. S. Congress since 2003. Second from the left is Lincoln; he was born in Havana in 1954, was in the U. S. Congress from 1993-2011, and is now a lawyer and major anti-Castro zealot in Miami. On the far left is Havana-born Rafa; he is a very rich investment banker. The Post said Lincoln and Rafa work in the same Miami office. Second from the right is Jose; he is a very influential television anchor with his own Miami-based programs on both Telemundo and MSNBC. Based on the avalanche of laws that fiercely harm Cubans on the island and incredibly favor Cubans in Miami, it can be said, I believe, that the four sons of Rafael Diaz-Balart have far more influence in the U. S. Congress and in the U. S. media {when it comes to Cuba} than America's 314 million non-Cubans. Thus, democracy-lovers are often victimized.

          This photo shows Governor Jeb Bush, Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart and President George W. Bush in Florida during a period when this trio was instrumental in strengthening the anti-Castro, pro-Cuban exile U. S. laws. Since 1989 the Miami-to-Congress pipeline -- from Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to the Diaz-Balarts to Marco Rubio to Carlos Curbelo -- has been greased by the self-serving Bush dynasty. 

        Actually, the first President Bush -- George H. W. Bush -- as CIA Director in 1976 and then as Vice President for eight years under Ronald Reagan, began the Miami-to-Washington parade of Cuban-Americans. The genesis for that was when George H. W. Bush anointed Jorge Mas Canosa {above} as the leader of what essentially has been the Cuban government-in-exile. Mas Canosa then became a reputed Miami billionaire and the primary force behind America's Cuban policy via such things as the Torricelli Bill, the Helms-Burton Act, the Cuban Adjustment Act, Wet Foot/Dry Foot, etc., that to this day encourage Cuban defections to Miami with special privileges that include uniquely instant welfare and legal residency.

        This photo shows Jorge Mas Canosa, second from the left, basking in the glory of a Bush signature on a Cuban law. On the left is Miami's Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, entrenched in the U. S. Congress since 1989.

       In 1989 Jeb Bush was Ros-Lehtinen's Campaign Manager and in the photo above he is mimicking a halo around her head the day she was elected to Congress. The Havana-born Ros-Lehtinen remains in the U. S. Congress to this day as the first and still one of the most vociferous anti-Castro zealots. Future Governor Jeb Bush, following the lead of his father and brother, established his political roots in Florida by stressing the Bush dynasty's indelible alliance to the most hard-line Cuban-Americans in Miami.

       There is no American who knows more about the Cuban influence on the U. S. government than Julia E. Sweig. But that's why you will not see Julia E. Sweig on network news programs when Cuba or U.S.-Cuban relations are discussed. The U. S. networks much prefer Miami propagandists such as Ana Navarro.

         Julia E. Sweig's seminal book on U.S.-Cuban relations is "CUBA: What Everyone Needs To Know," including a revised updated edition. This classic gem documents many things that Americans need to know about Cuba to counter a Cuban narrative dictated by America's all-consuming Castro Industry. For example, Ms. Sweig explains that when the Bush dynasty anointed Jorge Mas Canosa as the leader of the Miami Cubans, Mas Canosa was advised to study and then replicate the ultra-powerful Israeli lobby AIPAC. Mas Canosa followed that advice and created The Cuban American National Foundation, which quickly came to rival AIPAC's virtually unchecked power in the U. S. Congress, a situation that exists to this very day.

         All of which brings us back around to Sarah Stephens and her Center for Democracy in the Americas. If you want the pertinent and unbiased truth about U.S.-Cuban relations, depend on Ms. Stephens, Ms. Sweig, etc. If you want to be brow-beaten and propagandized with self-serving innuendo from the vast Castro Industry in the United States, depend on Mauricio Claver-Carone, the Diaz-Balarts, etc.

And speaking of the Diaz-Balarts........

       .........Mirta Diaz-Balart is the aunt of Miami's four rich and powerful Diaz-Balart brothers. Their father Rafael was Mirta's brother. Mirta turned 87 on September 30th.

In 1948 Mirta married a young Cuban lawyer named Fidel Castro.

They honeymooned in Miami and New York.

They had a baby boy they called Fidelito.

        By 1952 Fidel Castro had decided to do the impossible -- overthrow the Batista dictatorship that was aligned with the Mafia and backed by the mighty United States.

       Fidel's first major thrust against Batista was the ill-fated attack on the Moncada Army Barracks on July 26, 1953. The AP photo above shows the bodies of some of his men. Most of the lightly armed 120 rebels were killed in the initial attack or then tortured to death shortly thereafter. 

        After the disastrous Moncada attack, Fidel Castro became prisoner #3859. Unlike many of the other prisoners, he was not tortured to death because the U. S. was aware of two things: {1} Fidel was the hero of the peasant majority on the island; and {2} his supporters, which included Herbert L. Mathews of the influential New York Times, closely monitored Fidel's well-being in prison.

        In May of 1955 Fidel was freed from prison because the U. S. was embarrassed by newspaper accounts of atrocities in the Batista dictatorship that were highlighted by female street marches. Batista assigned a death squad to finish off Fidel but Cuban women like guerrilla leader Celia Sanchez and his lover Naty Revuelta provided him safe houses till he escaped to Miami, New York City, and then Mexico. In December of 1956 he joined Celia Sanchez's guerrilla war in the Sierra Maestra foothills on the southeastern tip of the island. The rest is chronicled by world history.

Fidel's union with guerrilla leader Celia Sanchez was critical.

A tired but victorious Celia and Fidel on January 4, 1959.

Celia's/Fidel's Cuban Revolution triumphed on January 1, 1959.

       From 1959 till her death from cancer on January 11, 1980, Celia Sanchez, with Fidel's blessing, was the prime decision-maker on the island of Cuba. Americans are not supposed to know that but America's best Castro biographer, Georgie Anne Geyer, pointed out that Celia "over-ruled" Fidel whenever she chose, which was often. Respected and still-living associates of Celia and Fidel understood that key fact. Roberto Salas in his book said, "Celia made all the decisions for Cuba, the big ones and the small ones." Acclaimed journalist/author Marta Rojas told me in 2004, "Since Celia died of cancer in 1980, Fidel has ruled Cuba only as he precisely perceives Celia would want him to rule it." Since 1959 the Castro Industry in the United States has concentrated on vilifying Castro, sanitizing Batista, and ignoring Celia Sanchez, the child-loving doctor's daughter. The Castro Industry realizes Celia Sanchez cannot be vilified but, at least in the U. S., she can be ignored.

       After his revolutionary soul-mate Celia Sanchez died of cancer in 1980, Fidel married Dalia Soto del Valle, Celia's close friend from Trinidad, Cuba. Dalia remains fiercely devoted to the 89-year-old Fidel and she is the mother of his last five sons, all of whom are devoted to their parents.

      Which brings us back to Mirta Diaz-Balart. Now 87, she is shown above with her son Fidelito. She has a home in Spain and another one in Havana that awaits her when she visits her son and her ex-husband Fidel. While Mirta is not on good terms with her four anti-Castro nephews in Miami, she remains quite fond of Fidelito, Fidel, and Fidel's second and current wife Dalia Soto.

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