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Cuba And The OAS

“Cuba is the only country in the hemisphere that repudiates nearly all forms of political dissent. For nearly five decades, the Cuban government has enforced political conformity with criminal prosecutions, long- and short-term detentions, mob harassment, physical abuse and surveillance.” - Human Rights Watch

A NYTimes editorial quoted this Human Rights Watch description in criticizing the campaign to readmit Cuba to the Organization of American States (OAS). The Times wrote "we are absolutely puzzled and dismayed by this week’s frenzied push by many Latin American countries to readmit Cuba to the Organization of American States." I find it neither puzzling nor dismaying. Arguing for Cuba has always been an easy domestic political move in Latin American countries. It is all meaningless. Indeed, I urge readmittance of Cuba to the OAS so that this empty political device can be finally defanged. Then we can concentrate on what the Times urges - "[T]he O.A.S. must press Havana to join the democratic mainstream — and its errant members to adhere to the organization’s own democratic charter." Get the excuses (like the US embargo) out of the way so we can talk about the REAL issue in Cuba - its totalitarian regime.

Speaking for me only

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    when you're a dictator yourself, (none / 0) (#1)
    by cpinva on Thu Jun 04, 2009 at 08:27:07 AM EST
    the country's economy is in the crapper, and the people hate you, what better way to distract them than by yelling about the "yanquee's" terrible treatment of cuba? ok, you could invade an island full of sheep, but not every latin or south american country has that option.

    the embargo against cuba has always been a sop to the expatriate miami cuban populace, it should have been dropped years ago. perhaps pres. obama will initiate that. given the economy, american businesses need all the markets they can get.

    that said, i'm not holding my breath.

    You can talk now (none / 0) (#2)
    by diogenes on Thu Jun 04, 2009 at 10:24:49 PM EST
    Nothing stops President Obama from calling Cuba "The Evil Empire" or citing it as part of the "Axis of Evil.  Of course, he doesn't talk about repressive regimes in North Korea, China, or the Sudan so why do you think he'll talk about the regime in Cuba, embargo or no embargo.  More realistically the OAS will mollycoddle Cuba the way the African countries mollycoddle Sudan and Zimbabwe.