Relation U.S.A – Cuba: My blunt explanation

To sum it up: The United States’ pride is hurt.

Oof. I can already see those anti-castro people throw bananas at me from their warm coast in Florida. Mouhaha. Well, yes it’s true. Let’s go through history and have a good laugh, shall we?

So! Early 18^th century, Cuba which was still a Spanish colony and the North American mainland began to do some illegal trading in order to elude colonial taxes. More this pattern went on, and more Cuba became prosperous. Obviously, the States really liked sugar and tobacco! Eventually Spain opened Cuban ports to North American commerce officially and the colony became highly dependent on trade.

Then, around 1820, you have Thomas Jefferson who realizes the potential of Cuba and states “the most interesting addition which could ever be made to our system of States” while John C. Calhoun, Secretary of war (no less!) declares that the United States “ought, at the first possible opportunity, to take Cuba”. Oooh, already, the intents are starting to show. They were even talking of an annexation of Cuba within half a century.

Around 1877, the United Stated represented about 82% of Cuba’s total exports. That sort of power gave to the US a control over prices and of course, production levels. It has been noted by some traveller that “The trade of the country is falling into the hands of foreigners, Havana will soon be as American as New Orleans.” Americans were moving in, and tried to abuse the weak economy of the country during the Ten Years’ War. Obviously, things haven’t changed that much…

Around the rebel war of independence of 1897, William McKinley (US President) offered to buy Cuba for $320 million. The rejection of the offer along with an explosion that sunk one of the US battleship, led to the Spanish-American War which has been closed with the signature of the Treaty of Paris. It meant that finally, Cuba was no more a colony of Spain but was pretty close to becoming part of the U.S. In order to succeed, the US-owned “Island of Cuba Real Estate Company” opened for business to sell Cuban land to Americans. HAHA. Also, U.S. military was on the island until Cuba was finally granted formal independence, in 1902. Is it me or the patterns REALLY didn’t change changed in over a century?

Anyway! We all know the U.S. wouldn’t have withdrawn for no reason or with no gain. As such, Cuba had to sign the Platt Amendment which basically stated that the U.S. government could intervene in Cuban political, economic and military affairs if necessary. That Amendment was to be respected for the next 33 years and needless to say that most Cubans didn’t like it at all. Another consequence of the amendment gave the States continued use of the southern portion of Guantanamo Bay, where the United States Naval Station was established.

In 1912, U.S. forces returned to Cuba to quell protests by Afro-Cubans against discrimination. Around 1926, 60% of the Cuban sugar industry was owned by U.S. Companies, 95% of the total Cuban crop was imported. In 1933, the rebels overthrew the government in place and Roosevelt panicked. He ordered 29 warships to Cuba and Key West, and warned U.S. Marines for use if necessary. The rebel leader assumed presidency of the island and immediately nullified the Platt Amendment. That was the beginning of “Cuba’s communist! Cuba’s irresponsible!” cries from the U.S., as they refused to recognize the new president’s government.

General Batista was a close friend of the U.S. and when he became President of Cuba for two terms, he made sure the two countries would co-operate as much as possible. Batista’s second spell as President is known to be initiated by a military coup planned in Florida, and President Truman quickly acknowledged Batista’s return and offered military and economic aide. Basically, the U.S. were dominating Cuba at that time, through private U.S.-owned companies. Still, we recognize the imperialist habit.

We also have this wonderful quote that was said while Castro took over Cuba with the rebels, that was said by U.S. State advisor William Wieland: “I know Batista is considered by many as a son of a bitch…but American interests come first… at least he was our son of a bitch.” So…great!

So in 1959, when the great Cuban revolution was finally over and Batista’s government was disbanded, President Eisenhower officially recognized the new Cuban government but quickly started to get worried about the large reforms and nationalization of US-owned industries. Who wouldn’t be! You treat people wrong, the abused says ok, that’s enough, go back home. Here, take a few pennies for the trouble. At least we will be happy and we’ll finally work to benefit our economy, not yours.

So when Castro met with Vice-president Nixon, he outlined his reform plans for Cuba. The U.S. started to freak out, seeing how it would be a threat to the U.S. business relation with the island. They started to restrict relations with Cuba at that time. In fact, Ambassador Bonsal met Fidel Castro to express “serious concern at the treatment being given to American PRIVATE INTERESTS in Cuba both agriculture and utilities.” You have to understand that, at that time, everything or so, was U.S. owned, any country that wants a bit of independency, got to take control of what she produces in order to be self-sufficient and not clingy to some other, just like the child has to eventually move out of the parents’ house and earn his own money to covers his own needs.

As Castro continued to reform things, trade restrictions on Cuba increased. Eventually, it reached a point where the island got in huge problems since they were unable to get petrol or other important resources. The U.S. Embargo got more and more prominent and Eisenhower authorized from behind closed doors the CIA to organize, train and equip Cuban refugees as a guerilla force to overthrow Castro. In 1960, the embargo was completed since every single time Cuba’s government was nationalizing a U.S.-owned company, the U.S. government was taking countermeasures. As a result, Cuba found new allies in the Soviet Union.

It’s hard to skip the beautiful failure of about 1500 CIA Cuban exiles trying to invade the island from the Bay of the Pigs. Kennedy declaring publically his responsibility for the event, pissed off the Cubans and they literally kicked the invaders out. Needless to say that the United States wouldn’t take that as a small offense, and they started to plan more and more ways to overthrow their neighbour’s government. Failure as the ultimate signature, all the next presidents tried to have Castro murdered, for a total of -638- times! Funny when you think that he just retired because he is actually greatly ill, and it’s by no mean because of the States.

So when we hear that the U.S. government still spends, in 2008, millions of dollars to try to conquer Cuba, with wronged propaganda filled with lies, insane plans and preparation of coup against their leadership…we can easily conclude that the U.S. still doesn’t accept the defeat. Thanks to Obama though, if he does manage to get elected, that stupid Embargo and manipulation of other countries will finally stop. Because not only are the U.S. snubbing Cuba and trying to get involved in what doesn’t concern them, but they also threaten other countries to stop business with them or punish them for dealing with Cuba.

Of course, Canada being on the top list of those doing business with Cuba, and first provider of oil for the U.S. …I guess they are choosing who they are snubbing. After all, American interests come first!

Cuba, will never be part of the United States so now, please, stop acting like children, damn presidents! Also, if you will excuse me…I will go wait by the door, the CIA should arrive soon…

-Sabbi

The Answer to Violence is NonLethal

Through whatever possible process, a socialistic democracy coming into a country must invariably decide on the process by which to ensure their authority, as a government that does not have a basis in the populace will succumb to a new revolution quickly after. The typical response has been over-zealous repression of ideals considered contrary to the state. While stemming from a pure intent, this method soon results in populace resentment of the government, which will unchecked eventually result in a revolt or reverting to a capitalistic ideal. Instead, they must work at length to establish a non-lethal police and military force.

There are already many ways to detain individuals with little to no permanent damage done to them. Stemming from these examples, a military force equipped purely with weapons designed to incapacitate or restrain their targets will achieve a massive public relations victory. One of the easiest ways to cause resentment towards a government regardless of their actions is the death of their own population. Blame will inevitably be placed on the government to some extent. Minimizing these occurrences is key.

This military methodology does not answer the ‘how’ of its full use and application, but in an ideal government it is necessary. If the government adheres fully to all other factors that might be necessary in such an ideal place, a police force that purely protects even the criminals themselves will be hard to resent. In this way, law can be maintained with minimum public disturbance and aggravation, and the elimination of the resentment would allow for public cries for change to be directed at the laws in question instead of the force used to enforce them.

Understand that this would not be the only factor needed to achieving said ideal government, but is simply one of the necessary factors. In order to reach the ideal, we must all think every moment how to improve even the slightest problem within the government at hand

. Even something small could one day could blow out of proportion if left unchecked. This is simply my answer as to how a non-lethal enforcement method is one of those things needing to be changed.

- Justin

How long will we wait?

And there was the day I became conscious. Conscious of my existence, of this pre-decided road on which I had to walk until the fatidic end of my brief appearance on earth. I started to walk, to…grow as some please themselves to say. The changing environment: its wonderful colours fading away. It was merging so perfectly that I barely noticed, as long as I wasn’t looking behind me. Anyway, even though I would have wanted to, I couldn’t walk back. With a slight push in the back, they show me the direction to take and no other must be considered as mine.

Is it mine or theirs? I often asked myself… A questioning that many prefer to ignore as reality, the answer to that interrogation, changes our lives forever. I, who believed that all were the heroes of their own adventure, was horribly mistaken. It’s them, who decide where are going, what we must think, do, create and use. They decide also, the day of our arrival and departure. Are we in all honesty, nothing more than marionettes?

Darkness invaded my soul the day I realized this. While I was attempting to find my own path, to hear my own reasoning within this chaos, the scheme exposed itself being much bigger than I first believed it could be. During each discovery, an expending rage eats the rest of their education, of their doctrine so deeply engraved. How can we see clearly while all stimuli are adulterated, swindled, manipulated by that third party.

I’m losing hopes. What will happen to these other generations, those children of our children? Will they be braver and more serious in their implication than we or are parents are? Will they be so misled that they will be completely obnubilated, such as zombies, machines accepting that the term “life” isn’t for them and is from now on unreachable? If freedom isn’t for us, it’s for them that we should fight!

The strength of my words remains useless, unable to state fairly that rage, this feeling of extreme disdain. While I thought I was isolated, she embraced me and it’s because of her, that I paint those weak sentences of this sheet. Not only am I not alone or poorly accompanied…but we are thousands! Thousands of people screaming to every Elite’s moves, but nothing more. Only words spread, quotes taken away…a popular force thrown to the garbage.

Change isn’t a discussion matter anymore. It’s a reality, a need. A need that is just as important and essential as eating, sleeping or even lodging. It is now fundamental. We can’t allow sitting back passively in front of TV, letting the media manipulate our poor grey matter, whitening.

That the population choose “the less bad”, clearly shows our lack of judgment. We are the population and I am part of that “we” just as you are. I can’t accept this cowardice where we prefer to blame our neighbour for our own misery. The simple “because” isn’t enough. It is time to rise and take what is ours. Together, consequently live by those words that please our revolutionary minds while we condemn the destruction of our future.

Forever become these warriors of the humanity liberation. It is no more the princess of childhood stories who needs rescue but the whole humanity, and its mother earth. Every single minute that passes by, becomes nothing more than the breath’s echo destroyed by our idleness. Hundreds of men, women and children, falling under the weight of canons; thousands of forest hectares, becoming no less than a souvenir…

- Sabbi