Sunday, April 12, 2015

Panama OAS summit for dummies

OK, real quick.

The OAS summit, for Venezuela's Maduro regime it was supposed to be the trashing of Obama and the US.

For the US and Cuba it was going to be the start of something and a positive PR for both battered leaders.

The results?

Winners?

No winners. There are never clear winners in an OAS summit because of the nature of the participants there, all prima donne that will always find a way to say that "yes, they did this and that but I told them so" and make this pass as a dramatic victory for home consumption. The saddest part here is that it tends to work....

However there are two winning moments: 1) when Raul Castro says that the US is horrible but whatever happened was not Obama's fault and 2) when they both sat together in front of cameras to chat a little bit. From here to eternity there is a long way, and even from here to get some sort of real agreement there is quite a way as the US Congress will never vote any treaty that does not include a clear improvement of human rights in Cuba. So we cannot call Casto and Obama winners but their moments under the flashes have erased any other "winning" moment at the summit, Better, it made worse the loser moments...

Losers!

Let's start with the minor losers. The tirades of Cristina Kirchener was not even attended by Obama I understand. The ones of Correa and Evo were, well, tired and out of the point considering the momentous tectonic shift further north.  In short the axis of evil-ALBA looked passé and lonely.  Obama had made sure the day before that CARICOM and Central America would remain at the very least neutral. Even Dilma for the first time in a pre summit interview started putting a tiny bit of distance with Maduro.

The loser was, of course, and by far, Maduro and Venezuela. Clearly the least influential country of our hemisphere (even Canada weighs much more by blocking by itself a final declaration without remorse, I understand).

Maduro did not even get to have Obama sit down to listen while he ranted about Miami plots.

Maduro did not get to deliver his 10 million petitions.

Maduro did not get to have the OAS rage at Obama and the US.

Maduro was caught bringing a double for him and his wife. Nobody knows why. Some suggest it was to fake an assassination attempt.

In fact Maduro did not get anything.  Worse, at the very end, it seems that it was Obama, like an afterthought, who in fact sort of cornered Maduro to let him have it. No photo we know of at this point. Of course chavismo is pretending that this is a great victory.  Never mind the ridicule from months of insults to rejoice about 5 minutes in between doors, But even if it were true that Maduro had cornered Obama it would look more like the stalker that finally got after the star victim he had been tracking all day long...

There, I think I got it all.

54 comments:

  1. I didn't know about the Maduro and Cilia double. I did notice he never goes anywhere without Cilia. I got the feeling Cilia and Raul must be the brains and he's the hand puppet.

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    Replies
    1. Apparentli it happened: 2 Masburros: Google it up on video.

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  2. Anonymous1:25 PM

    Cilia's double can only be an improvement on the original.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous7:48 PM

      You know what, she wasn't....................

      Anon 242

      Delete
  3. Anonymous1:35 PM

    As chavismo takes direction from the castros, raul making nice with Obama and calling him an honest and good man completely sidelined any attempt from maduro to discredit Obama or flash his silly list of fake signatures. A complete bitch slap of maduro without even raising a hand. Genius if it was planned ahead of time.

    concerned

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  4. Thanks for the summary. I didn't have the stomach to endure that charade.

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  5. "Raul Castro says that the US is horrible but whatever happened was not Obama's fault "

    Does he even believe that, after about US Presidents treating Cuba the same way? Is he so old, decrepit, and/or stupid?

    The sad part is many Cubans will continue to buy into the BS.

    As for Masburro, Panama was a disaster, sure, but who cares. They built up that bogus "list", all the propaganda will continue, and they will steal the Presidential Elections anyway (if they aren't stupid enough to also steal the meaningless "parliament" elections)

    Expect more repression, Terror Tactics and Chavez's Fraudmatic:

    http://www.manilatimes.net/manual-precinct-level-counting-is-the-best-the-only-transparent-way/174698/


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  6. Richard3:19 PM

    I sense is a tone of sadness when you say "as the US Congress will never vote any treaty that does not include a clear improvement of human rights in Cuba".

    Am I reading this right Daniel? You really think that Obama giving oxygen to the Castros regardless of the human rights situation in Cuba is the right move? but the Republicans in Congress are the mean ones because they would demand human rights improvements before opening up?

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    1. The way you worded this is there any possible answer that will satisfy you?

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    2. Anonymous4:15 PM

      I loved the way you used only half of Daniel's sentence and totally ignored the second sentence when trying to make your case. Perhaps next time you can cobble together a sentence by removing every other word.

      Delete
    3. Ricardo4:34 PM

      The answer I would have expected, particularly coming from someone as specifically concerned with gay rights as you are, is: "NO! I did not mean to say that!".

      So let's make it clear for your readers: Daniel is ok with the US rewarding the institutionalized homophobia in Cuba. (Shhh it is the Republicans who want to see an improvement in human rights that are really bad)

      Consistency? Principles? Nah, leftism trumps everything.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous7:51 PM

      What a lame reply, Ricardo. Really lame.

      Anon 242

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    5. It's Republicans who are passing homophobic.legislation in some of The United States of north America.

      Delete
  7. @Ricardo it is easy to summarize your desires and thoughts into a blip based of another blip while knowing all well you are writing to mislead your readers. I have a feeling this style falls on deaf ears amongst educated intelligent people. Although this is a popular Republican tactic and works on much of their following. Based on the fact that i am a Conservative in Canada and serve on a Minister's board here for most part have always pushed for the Republicans. The last 2 elections have been hard because even though Obama has not been great he has looked great compared to the Tea party wackos who have lead the Republicans. Hoping this is the year they get their act together. Now congress doesn't care what's best it just plays politics. No where is Obama trying to make what Cuba is doing right or what they have done. He is just looking to move to a correction in bad policy that resulted more into harm of the nations people then the leadership as so designed. As many have said the USA would need to do the same to China Saudi Arabia and on and on.
    So in short take your cheesy politic tactics to another site.

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    1. Ricardo9:56 PM

      Conservative eh? Funny how you bring up all the leftist talking points: Tea Party whackos, Obama looks great compared to the Republicans. Congress just plays politics (I guess when the Democrats held Congress they didn't, eh?) Educated intelligent people will not fall for "my tactics". Oooh you must brilliant because leftist think they are smarter than everybody else.
      And the cherry on top: "take you cheesy politic tactics to another site". The perfect lefty reaction when they don't like someone's point of view. If people like you were in power they'd shut completely any adverse views, but wait, they are, they are called Chavistas.

      Delete
    2. "Obama has not been great he has looked great compared to the Tea party wackos who have lead the Republicans."
      I consider myself to be a non-partisan, pragmatic citizen of the USA. I've been trying to understand what people really mean when they use this kind of disqualification of the Tea Party. I know that some who call themselves Tea Party followers hold what seem to me to be passe, silly opinions about the "social issues" like sexuality, especially homosexuality. However, it seems to me that the one strong theme that runs throughout what is known as the Tea Party is that the US is on a path to impoverishment if not default because of the annual deficits and the accumulated debt, which in turn are the result of bloated government spending on everything...including the military. See http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2015/04/08-federal-debt-worse-than-you-think-haskins
      Is that was you refer to, Canadian? If not, what is it? Please explain.

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    3. Donn, the tea party types rhetorically are concerned about spending and deficits, however, they skew old and when it comes to the biggest most profligate programs that happen to benefit many of them, they suddenly don't favor less government.

      http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Tea_Party_Social_Security.htm

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    4. Yes Ricardo I am a card carrying conservative that sits on the Federal Agriculture Ministers riding board. I am an economist by education and own and run a very successful business in Canada and in Panama. I hate socialism and am a pure capitalist. However with that said with reason and balance. Wealth needs to trickle down and the opportunity needs to exists for the poor to invest and excel. I have always supported the republicans but am open enough to admit when they had some people driving the direction of the party the wrong way.
      Like it or not I do not agree with all their policies much the same as I don't agree with lots of the Conservative ones in Canada either but have always voted conservative. The policy against Cuba made great sense when applied in order to destroy the gov't which was bad, but it didn't succeed in that the gov't is still there and it hurt the people greatly. The USA gov't is not supporting the Castro policies when it opens trade that makes sense. People need to challenge their leaders decisions.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:42 PM

      The US policies against Cuba did not hurt the Cuban people it is the Castro's that hurt Cuban people. Do the US policies make the Castros jail dissidents? not have access to internet or cell phones? have a country that does not produce anything even though it has access to the rest of the world?
      Did all the tourism money help the average cuban in any way shape or form? Why not? The US?
      All that education wasted just spouting whatever "leftist conventional wisdom" you get from the New York Times et al. Even a schmuck like myself can do that. If I were you I would ask for a refund but you probably got free education and got what you paid for.

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    6. @Anonymous, there is no way to explain anything to ignorance. And ignorance always takes it to the lowest denominator, I guess one of us is ignorant and if it helps you feel better then it can be me. I feel bad your rant had to attack me personally as something I said must have hurt you personally and was not my intent.

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    7. and @ Anonymous I have done everything for the right wing conservatives from raising money to speaking at conferences and election boards etc in Canada I bet all you have ever done is complain on behalf of the Republicans in the USA.

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    8. @ Anonymous just for shits and giggles I thought I would give you a couple of examples recognized by the world for how USA sanctions have hurt Cubans people.
      - For example, Amnesty International reported in 2011 that "treatments for children and young people with bone cancer... [and] antiretroviral drugs used to treat children with HIV/AIDS were not readily available with the embargo in place because they were commercialized under US patents.”
      - Another although Cuba heavily regulates the internet Cubans are allowed the internet but cannot afford it as the USA heavily punishes any company that deals in the USA if they deal with Cuba. You act like the rest of the world can just openly deal with Cuba which is not true unless they have no dealings with the USA or they risk penalties. Plus many people and companies in the USA would help suffering people or family members but cannot.
      It was Canada who took the lead on getting the USA to lift its embargo in order to allow the world free access to Cuba.

      Delete
    9. Boludo Tejano4:26 PM

      @ Anonymous just for shits and giggles I thought I would give you a couple of examples recognized by the world for how USA sanctions have hurt Cubans people.
      - For example, Amnesty International reported in 2011 that "treatments for children and young people with bone cancer... [and] antiretroviral drugs used to treat children with HIV/AIDS were not readily available with the embargo in place because they were commercialized under US patents.”

      If Cuba has the cash money to pay for those medicines, Cuba may purchase those medicines from the US. Cuba may purchase agricultural and medical products from the US, with cash money. That Cuba produces relatively nothing to pay for such medicine, except to provide outlets for sex tourists from Canada and other countries[jinitera ring a bell?], is not the fault of the US.

      And regarding the harm that the US embargo has done to Cuba, consider milk production.

      Percent increase milk production, 1961-2013
      South America 388%
      Central America 368%
      Caribbean less Cuba 122%
      Cuba 68%

      I thought that Fidel had Ubre Blanca to solve Cuba's milk production issues. Is the CIA shooting down Cuban milk cows?

      http://faostat3.fao.org/browse/Q/QL/E

      Delete
    10. Anonymous4:37 PM

      Sanctions have been great for the Castros, They get to blame all their shortcomings on the supposed "blockade"

      Delete
    11. Boludo Tejano4:46 PM

      Plus many people and companies in the USA would help suffering people or family members but cannot.

      A search engine easily found the following:
      Cuba: $2.6 Billion in Remittances in 2012

      According to an independent study, remittances sent to Cuba from abroad continue to grow at an uncontainable pace and reached the record figure of US $2.605 billion in cash during 2012.

      In cash flow alone, this represents a 13.5 increase with respect to the previous year’s figures.

      When the incomes represented by packages and luggage containing food, medicine, electrical appliances and other materials sent to Cuba from abroad (remittances in kind) are added to these figures, the total, according to data processed by The Havana Consulting Group (THCG) is estimated at US $5.105 billion.

      Below is a comparative list of the most important items of the Cuban economy in 2012, as per their revenues in hard currency (US dollars).

      Remittances in cash
      $2.60512 billion

      Remittances in kind
      $2.5 billion

      Total remittances
      $5.10512 billion

      Tourism revenues
      $2.6133 billion

      Nickel exports
      $1.413 billion

      Medications
      $500.00 million

      Sugar exports
      $391.30 million



      And with that $500 million earned from medicine exports, don't you think that Cuba would have some cash money to pay for those medicines you claim that the US is depriving Cuba of ?
      Given that remittances in cash or in kind are substantially larger than what Cuba earns in either sugar exports or in tourism, your above claim is ludicrous. Are you auditioning for a stand-up comedy job, perhaps?

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    12. Given your logic that the USA lifting its embargo will change nothing in Cuba what the hell are you arguing about?????? By your own logic for the USA to treat Cuba the same way as it treats all the other countries of the world with human rights issues will make no difference and hence only makes sense. The fact that all United nation members except the USA and Isreal have voted and asked the USA to lift the embargo says nothing as only your logic makes any sense as the 98 percent of the world countries that agrees with me matters not as your insight is all mighty and the rest are ludicrous as you claim.

      Delete
    13. Boludo Tejano7:58 PM

      Given your logic that the USA lifting its embargo will change nothing in Cuba what the hell are you arguing about??

      Your self-righteousness clouds your thinking processes. Your claim is that "USA sanctions have hurt Cubans people.' My reply is that in looking at milk production, your claim is absurd. The CIA is not shooting down Cuba's milk cows. Cuba's abysmal record in increasing milk production compared to the rest of Latin America cannot be blamed on "US sanctions," but on the half century of Fidel's totalitarian control of the Cuban economy. Apparently you have trouble dealing with that fact, so you reply by blustering about "what the hell are you arguing about?"

      I am reminded of the Mencken quote on Puritanism: "The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy." Fidels's haunting fear is that somewhere on the island of Cuba, someone is prospering independent of the Cuban government.

      You might research how the money the foreign operated tourists hotels pay for their Cuban employees gets split between the hotel employees and the Cuban government. Who is exploiting whom?

      I suggest you consult Michael Totten's articles on Cuba.

      What is hurting the Cuban economy is not the "embargo"- an "embargo" which permits Cuban purchases of US food and medicine in addition to remittances from the US to Cuba- but the totalitarian control of the Castro brothers.

      Ciao. Que te vaya bien,

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    14. No body is arguing whether the Castros are bad, and whether they are responsible for the horrible situation in Cuba. The argument is whether lifting the embargo helps the people of Cuba or not. There are 193 countries in the United Nations, 191 of them voted for the USA to end its embargo, all but the USA and Isreal. All 191 did so stating that the embargo although well purposed is hurting the people of Cuba. I do not care about some article or book of some persons opinion. The USA and Isreal voted there way due to politics of principle (cannot suffer the shame), the other 191 voted due to what they felt was best for the people of Cuba. Like it or not your rude thought pattern is a minority!

      Delete
    15. Boludo Tejano3:50 AM

      There are 193 countries in the United Nations, 191 of them voted for the USA to end its embargo....Like it or not your rude thought pattern is a minority!

      Since you are not capable of replying with anything better than a carelessly thrown insult- "rude thought pattern" - or the "everybody's doing it" line, there is no point in further discussion.

      Delete
    16. ricardo8:19 AM

      Tejano very difficult to argue with people that hate chavismo, hate communism and socialsm but hate the united states even more and are happy when the castros are rewarded after 50 years of tyranny. What makes them happy is that the castros beat the us.

      Daniels statement that the most winning moment in panama was Raul saying 'the us is horrible' is shocking. It betrays everything I thought Daniel stood for. The only possible explanation is that Daniel prefers communist/homophobic Cuba to the united states.

      And the Canadian guy saying 'the embargo didn't work, did not remove the regime'. So that's it I guess, the castros won they beat the us, yay! Canadian happy.


      Delete
    17. Mile High Ben3:06 PM

      Most OEA countries support Maduro. Are they right and you are wrong? What do you think of that "economist" Canadian?
      So 191 countries voted to lift the sanctions, one more reason the get the f... out of the United Nations.

      Very disappointing post by Daniel where he sees the most "winning" moment in Panama the speech by Raul where he called the United States "horrible". No matter how much he hates Chavez, Chavismo, socialism, communism Daniel detests the United States even more and is all giddy when a thug like Raul, who hates homosexuals by the way Daniel, has the chutzpah to criticize the "empire".

      Good luck getting toilet paper Daniel.

      Delete
    18. I for the life of me cannot understand why you Ricardo and High Ben feel the need to say stuff that clearly is not true. Are you on here just to annoy Daniel and his readers. If you do not like Daniel and his blog why do you read it? Oh wait now that I said this I guess I hate humans and are cheering on the Alien invasion.

      Delete
    19. I attended two Tea Party rallies. Neither of them even mentioned things like gay rights. The entire focus of the speakers was on the US budget, the deficits and Obamacare. There was also some discussion about the actions of the government that were not really constitutional or legal.

      On the other hand, I noticed some "TV journalists" at one of the rallies that was trying to solicit negative comments about blacks, abortion and homosexuals. The idea was probably to frame the Tea Party rally as anti-gay, anti-abortion and anti-black. I made sure that they talked to me - I answered every question by talking about how high the debt was and how high deficit spending was and the need to cut government spending. Others did much the same which is why the Tea Party rallies got so little coverage. Everyone was more or less onto the tactics of the leftwing media and would not provide the kind of comments that the leftwing media wanted to solicit.

      But the tea party was still more or less portrayed as anti-gay, anti-abortion (anti-woman) right wing nut type of group by the leftwing media. On the other hand, the "anti wall street" rallies and protests that the democrats were able to eventually organized destroyed property, some of the people at them murdered, raped and robbed each other. After one of their protests, the entire area was trashed (full of trash ) and property was destroyed costing millions to repair.

      After Tea Party rally, the entire area that we were in was more or less continually policed up by members - not that there was much to do. Tea party people put their trash in a trash container and didn't destroy anyone's property, cause fights, murder anyone or rape anyone. The way to find non-tea party people at the rally was to find any really angry loud people at the rally who were not keeping things clean. Most of such people were union guys sent by the union organizations to try to disrupt things as the Tea party does favor right to work laws. But there simply were not enough union thugs to have much impact.

      The leftwing media did though succeed in painting the tea party as an extremist right wing nut type group at least to those who never attended a rally.







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    20. Ricardo3:02 PM

      I am not here to annoy, that is not my intention at all, I am here to discuss, debate, learn.
      Now lets take a look at your "techniques" at debating:
      "you say stuff that clearly is not true" --- just throwing out there an accusation with no backup
      "I am an economist and work at the Minister of Finance" --- who gives a s...t!
      "tea partiers are whackos" --- insult, no backup evidence, repeating what they told you on the Canadian Broadcasting System.
      "intelligent people will not be persuaded by your arguments" --- again insulting, a statement that has zero value
      "why do you come to this blog if you don't like it" --- let me ask you: do you only read stuff that you agree with? don't you like to hear other points of view? again typical lefty go-to move, don't listen to or shut up whoever disagrees with you.

      For example: why don't you address my statement that Daniel cheering Raul is absurd for someone who is extremely concerned about human rights? I guess you can't intellectually or politically.

      Now let me address your question about why I come here: I like to read about Venezuela's day to day comings and goings and Daniel does an awesome job at that. I am delighted that there is a comment section that provides an outlet for those of us who want to throw in our two cents.

      But I sense that Daniel is man of the left as you are, Mr. Canadian. In other words Daniel would never describe himself as being on the right in any of the infinite number of today's important issues. And without a doubt there is a touch of anti-Americanism. Let me put it this way, if you put Sean Penn's views and Daniel's views side by side, they would be identical except for Venezuela's.

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    21. Ricardo

      Perhaps your problem is that you may have some impairment or trouble with your reading skills because for anyone to suggest that I would cheer any word from Raul Castro cannot benefit of any other explanation. Then again, there is another one: when you equate me with Sean Penn, then you clearly have never read my blog until recently.

      Delete
  8. I think maduro won a little also. I did not sense any major energy involved in making a bigger deal of the political prisoners. He failed in making Obama deroging the sanctions. So at the moment I see only 7 people from the regime "suffering"

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  9. Anonymous8:26 PM

    Daniel-When or how did Dilma start to distance herself from the chavista regime?

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    1. She called for the release of political prisoners in Venezuela.

      Delete
  10. This is the first time Cuba has been represented at this conference. Obama and Raul not only shook hands, but held a meeting, one on one. Raul cleared Obama of past US transgressions, then performed the necessary castigation of the United States, in front of his disciples. This thaw will widen though as Cuba and the US each garner dividends. The Correa's and Evo's have to take notice. Argentina, I don't know. And Venezuela, a lost cause, while Chavism lives, though that might not be for long. Brazil goes along with its best interests, and it's certainly not Venezuela.

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  11. The whole event was a pretty sorry spectacle with authoritarian leftist leaders pretending to believe in democracy while they defend Venezuela's repression and express faux outrage over US sanctions over human rights violations. Obama was correct to go meet with Santos when all the infantile "anti-imperialist" rants began. He did get in a good rejoinder to Correa about governments deciding what is "good press" versus "bad press" and the tendency of some leaders (the most obvious being Maburro) to blame the big bad US boogeyman problems that are really their own creation.

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    1. The entire balance of power of the American Continent is about to shift again, centered on the USA:

      Fracking.

      The Latin American Leeches like Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Caricom countries, even Argentina and Brasil -- and Cuba -- will have no choice but to start siding with the USA and dumping Vzla by the side of the road.

      Vzla can no longer Bribe all of these leeches, and who's gonna by its heavy oil when the USA becomes an Exporter, cutting all imports?

      The game is gonna change, real fast, next few years.

      Fracking.

      Delete
    2. The leaders who support Venezuela clearly do so for free oil and likely big kick back money. Why the media does not push that fact more is beyond me.

      Delete
  12. Final note about Panama:

    If those are our Latin American "leaders".. we are in deeeeeep shyt.

    Talk about "pasar pena ajena"..

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  13. Boludo Tejano6:37 PM

    Day After Obama Removes Cuba from Terror Sponsor List, Terror Group Sponsored by Cuba Kills 10
    Yesterday, President Barack Obama announced that the United States would be removing Cuba from the U.S. State Sponsors of Terror list as part of his push to normalize relations with the communist dictatorship. But just hours later, a terror group long fostered by Cuba — even today, the Castro brothers are harboring several wanted members of the group — murdered 10 Colombian soldiers and wounded 17 others in a terror attack on a military base.

    Why am I not surprised?

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  14. Reference Obama's move to establish relations with the Castro family dictatorship, this approach seems to be appropriate because it only means exchanging embassies and consulates. But what follows is a different matter. The sanctions are appropriate simply because the Castro family is a self declared US enemy, and it is using stealth methods to gain control of other nations, interferes in their internal political processes, and it's an unabashed advocate of communist dictatorship and abuse.

    The key to defusing Castro family arguments is to establish relations, and avoid using restraints on commerce. But forbid lending to Cuban government entities, or those associated with Cuban communist party members, or the military, or the security services.

    It's also important to limit USA investments, which can easily be accomplished by requiring the investor compensate the previous owner of any land associated with the business at fair market price. I don't see any reason why a foreign investor should be able to use land stolen from honest people whose lives were destroyed by the Castro family dictatorship.

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  15. Anonymous5:28 PM

    Hold your friends close, and your enemies closer.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Charly2:45 AM

    The US fucked them with hard power before, now is fucking them with soft power. Well deserved! Hey Ricardo, are you listening or still playing in your intellectual playpen?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yngvar11:28 AM

    The US should announce that anyone that signed that petition will not get a visa as long as Maduro is president. If the signer is a government employee, his or hers relatives is likewise banned. Should produce a lot of hating on Maduro, no?

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  18. Anonymous7:56 PM

    Roger Noriega's take on Obama in Panama-
    http://www.aei.org/publication/president-obamas-use-of-farce-on-cuba/

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous6:44 AM

      Roger Noriega is a stooge. You would be advised to disregard him. Roger has burned his Venezuela bridges in Washington. Nobody takes him seriously. He has been discredited. This is a team that includes a Spanish journalist for El Pais. A bunch of Yahoos who specialize in fear mongering and sensationalism but who are actually clueless and sourceless about what is really going on. Noriega has written so much bullshit about Venezuela that it is pathetic but folks do not understand technical subjects and stuff like Iranian nuclear capabilities. Neither does Noriega thus his articles where easily debunked.

      Delete
  19. About Raul Castro's "clearing" of Obama no one really knows what is in Obama's heart of hearts (maybe Raul Castro has some inside insights) but it's clear the US has done some very terrible things since Hiroshima and Dresden and under Obama. I look forward to former president Obama's tell all book.

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  20. Anonymous6:40 AM

    Panama was hostile territory for Maduro and allies. All electronic communications where NSA'd therefore use of mobile devices by attendees comes with a warning such as do not disclose anything you don't want the gringos to know. I doubt the facilities and rooms where bugged because we don't want the Cubans finding a bug and derailing the deal. There is little to be gleamed by bugging others.

    When Tom Shannon met with Delcy, the possibility of a meeting in Panama between POTUS and Maduro was on the table. Delcy squandered that when she berrated Shannon in their meeting. What Delcy did was so bad that it got back to POTUS and the decision was made to stay away from the Bolivarians for fear of further inciting them.

    Maduro and team where not looking forward to this trip. They would be under the lens and microphone. Cuba stooge Jaua flanked Maduro. They arrived at the last minute on Friday. Maduro avoided the press and when they caught up to him, avoided hard questions.

    Maduro spoke for three minutes with Obama. Maduro kissed Obama's ass.

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  21. Anonymous6:48 AM

    Obama is taking a risk with Cuba. But he's also acting presidential. He has the big balls to do this and that is what being President of the United States is about. Obama is also taking the monkey off Jeb Bush's back... you'll see. Hell yes, Obama is calling Castro's bluff. History will show whether this was Obama's finest moment or a monumental foreign policy blunder. One certainty is universal agreement that things will change after Castro's pass.

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  22. Anonymous6:49 AM

    Eugene, your optics are pretty fucked up

    ReplyDelete

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