By former Assistant Secretary of Defense, Stephen Johnson, in The Washington Post:
The U.S. should stay the course on Cuba
In his Sept. 18 op-ed, "Easing the impact of Cuba's coming crisis," Edward Schumacher-Matos wrongly suggested that the United States bail out Fidel and Raúl Castro by lifting the U.S. trade embargo. He claimed such action will help prevent an economic crisis on the island, kick out the supports propping up the regime and reward the Castros for their recent release of political prisoners. None of this makes sense.
The economic crisis is forcing Cuba to make limited market reforms and renew a lapsed experiment in self-employment. Lifting the embargo and U.S. tourist restrictions would help replenish government coffers with foreign currency and revive Cuba's army-run tourism industry, helping to prop up the status quo. As for encouraging positive behavior by Cuba's leaders, there is little to reward when political prisoners must agree to exile as a condition of their freedom.
In his final sentence, Mr. Schumacher-Matos warned of another Mariel-style exodus of dissatisfied Cubans. Yet instead of a giving Cuba a bailout, the United States should look to experience that shows that clear policies and effective immigration enforcement are better migration deterrents.
So far, the Obama administration has chosen a prudent course, denying aid to a repressive regime, pursuing purposeful contact and looking for ways to help ordinary Cubans expand their civil liberties until a true transition is at hand.
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