Two prominent Communist dissidents in Cuba delivered a letter to the US Interests Section in Havana yesterday, addressed to President Bush. Marta Beatriz Roque and Vladimiro Roca pleaded with Bush to ease the American ban on travel and money transfers to Cuba, after Hurricane Gustav left the country's buildings and electricity infrastructure damaged and many people homeless.
The letter explained:
Knowing how intransigent the Cuban government is about accepting help from your country . . . we ask that you permit American non-governmental organizations to help the region so as to soothe the suffering of its inhabitants.
Russia has already sent aid, welcomed by Cuban officials, hinting at a revival of traditional Cold War relations. Perhaps lifting the ban, an act of placing humanitarian over political interests, could also give the US a geopolitical advantage. After all, it would be a PR blow to the Communist regime when people in the US have to step in to help its own people.
Monsoon
If we can be friends with Libya...
1People in need are people in need - the lives of people living in a communist country are just as important/sacred as people living in a democracy.
lol if we can be friends with labya, lol good one steph
2I think I can be friends with Libya, but I don't know about labya. At least, not intimately.
3*giggle*
4this is sad. i think putting political views aside would be great, but i don't think that's how washington works. political issues get ignored when the u.s. wants something from that other country. guess they haven't found something in cuba that has interested them yet.
5I have mixed feelings about this. I would like to see us establish better relations (because I want some good cigars), but I would like to see Cuba become a true democracy. I guess in the end we should allow the non-governmental agencies, like Luthern World Relief, go to help.
6I second your comment, steph! Cheers!
And
@ fuzzles!!!
7UnDave, that is an intriguing idea about letting NGOs go in. Did you know that USAID is already active in Cuba? I didn't until I just did a google search! Here is a link if you are interested....
8http://www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/country/cuba/
Thanks for the info. I'll take a look at that.
9MartiniLush--you're the best!
10Awww, thanks Bella! You know I think you are pretty great, yourself!
11Where's your godless communism now?
12Not everyone in Cuba is a communist.
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