Col. Wilkerson Owes Cuban-Americans an Apology

April 7, 2011


BY: THE HILL


Col. Lawrence Wilkerson surely had a distinguished military and political career, which culminated with his service as Chief of Staff to then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Since his retirement from government, Col. Wilkerson has dedicated a great deal of time to lobbying for the U.S. to unconditionally normalize relations with the Castro regime in Cuba.

While we strongly disagree with his views, we respect his service and freedom to do so.

However, Col. Wilkerson seems to have forgotten that respect is a core Army value, as well as basic good manners.

According to the U.S. Army:

"In the Soldier's Code, we pledge to 'treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same.' Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best in other people."

In his latest column (and others before it), Col. Wilkerson dishonors this value.

While lobbying for U.S. companies to become minority partners in the Castro brothers' pursuit for offshore drilling, he sadly resorts to the following disrespectful personal attack:

"That the largest economy in the world is not involved [in oil drilling with Castro], moreover that it is doing all it can to hinder the 'consortium of the willing' through its draconian embargo on Cuba—and clearly failing to do so—defies the human imagination and begs for laments of ignorance, stupidity, and craven surrender to the tiny special interest group—the hardcore Cuban-American lobby—that has long since outlived any benefit to the United States it might have once offered. In fact, that special interest group today constitutes a clear and present danger to the real security interests of the United States."

From a policy perspective, we're fascinated by Col. Wilkerson's obsession with helping the Castro brothers become petro-dictators.

Plus, if U.S. sanctions have "failed" at preventing off-shore drilling in Cuba -- then why hasn't there been any off-shore drilling since Castro began this siren song over a decade ago?

Remember when Vice President Cheney warned that the Chinese were drilling for oil off Cuba's coasts?

Well, that never happened. Why? Thanks to the embargo.

So we can respectfully agree to disagree on policy, sir.

However, your personal attacks on Cuban-Americans are slanderous and unacceptable.

It's utterly shameful for you to impugn hard-working, law-abiding, U.S. citizens, who are every bit as patriotic as you may be.

As you are surely aware, Cuban-Americans have lost just as much blood -- or perhaps proportionally more -- than most other communities represented in the Armed Services of this great nation.

Thus, they deserve respect.

Furthermore, you have absolutely no idea what it feels like to live under the yoke of a dictatorship and see your family and friends beaten, tortured, imprisoned and executed. (Your multiple trips hosted by the Castro regime are far from the Cuban reality.)

Whether you like it or not, this experience leads Cuban-Americans to overwhelmingly elect Congressional leaders that support maintaining sanctions on Cuba's repressive regime. They do so within the open, transparent and representative process that this great democracy offers them, which is no more or less than what they want for their homeland.

You may not like the views we lobby, but we do so under the same freedom that you lobby for yours.

To label us a "clear and present danger" is not only slanderous, but scandalous -- particularly when in the same breath you advocate to normalize relations with (and make billions of petro-dollars for) the most brutal anti-American dictatorship the Western Hemisphere has ever seen.

It's even more appalling considering that you are also an active defender of the so-called "Cuban Five" -- five Cuban nationals convicted by U.S. federal courts (with no Cuban-American jurors) for espionage and conspiracy to commit murder.

Thus, you lobby for anti-American criminals, while simultaneously attacking law-abiding citizens.

All because you disagree with their policy views (the most fundamental of freedoms) -- an absolutism worthy of tyrants, not of American values.

Col. Wilkerson owes Cuban-Americans an apology.