Bipartisan Agreement Against Hu and Castro?

BY: CAPITOL HILL CUBANS



January 25, 2011


An excerpt from Rick Robinson's latest column in The Daily Caller:


Left appeasement or national policy shift?


Many Americans are at a total loss to understand the nature of the actions taken this week by the Obama administration towards China and Cuba, two sovereign jails which present themselves to the rest of the world as countries.

Some argue that President Obama is merely appeasing the American left. It has been constantly reported over the last several months that Obama's base is unhappy with his performance. Coddling to the Hu and Castro regimes tosses the left a philosophical bone.

But others perceive that President Obama actually believes that "Communist conciliation" is, in point of fact, the proper approach to get China and Cuba to address the oppressive nature of their respective governments.

I am not sure which argument is more disturbing.

I was in Miami recently when Sen. Marco Rubio addressed the annual meeting of US-Cuba Democracy PAC. His comments that day were aimed at Cuba. But when he spoke of changing American trade policies with Castro, he could have been speaking about American trade policy with China, as well.

Senator Rubio simply stated that it was them (not us) who should be changing policy.

The implicit policy of several prior U.S. administrations has been to keep the pressure on tyrants like Hu and Castro, who chronically violate basic human rights under the guise of governmental autonomy. Obama's switch to a velvet glove approach will not bring reform. It will only embolden them.

Hats off to Congressional leaders (both Republicans and Democrats) who did not attend the state dinner and who pressed President Hu for answers when he attended a session with them on Capitol Hill. I'd bet he understood the questions that time.

This week, Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid hit Hu hard with their rhetoric. Republicans John Boehner and Mitch McConnell snubbed an invitation to break bread with Hu at the White House. Finally, America has the bipartisan agreement it's been seeking from Congressional leadership.

Let's hope that all four maintain a similar common tone when hearings are held, and debate is had, on Obama's easing of economic sanctions on Cuba.
Newer Post Older Post Home