Tag Archive for: dictators

Washington’s Convenient Relationships with Dictators by Ted Galen Carpenter

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US leaders routinely emphasize that America’s foreign policy is based on support for the expansion of freedom around the world. But as I point out in a recent article in the National Interest Online, Washington’s behavior frequently does not match the idealistic rhetoric. Too often, US policymakers seem to favor even brutal and corrupt authoritarian allies over boisterous, unpredictable democratic regimes.

During the Cold War, US administrations enthusiastically embraced “friendly” autocratic governments in such places as South Korea and the Philippines—even when there were viable democratic alternatives. Because it was uncertain whether democratic governments would be as cooperative with US foreign policy aims, officials preferred dealing with more compliant autocrats. Worse, US leaders repeatedly misrepresented such allies to the American people as noble members of the “free world.”

The tendency was especially pronounced in the Middle East, and that cynical policy has persisted longer there than in other regions. It began early, as the US Central Intelligence Agency helped overthrow Iran’s elected prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh, in 1953 and restore the Shah to power as an unconstrained monarch. The Shah became America’s chosen Persian Gulf gendarme for the next quarter century, despite the regime’s appalling human rights record and pervasive corruption. Elsewhere in the region, Washington developed a cozy relationship with Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak that lasted three decades, even as he and his military cronies looted and brutalized that unhappy country.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration seems just as hypocritical as its predecessors when it comes to relations with Egypt and other Middle East countries. US leaders were reluctant to cut Mubarak loose even as pro-democracy demonstrations surged throughout Egypt in 2011.  In a PBS interview, Vice President Joe Biden even objected to describing Mubarak as a dictator and rejected calls for him to step down. 

Similar sentiments were evident after General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi led a coup against Egypt’s first elected president, Mohammed Morsi. Obama administration officials steadfastly refused even to describe the action as a coup. Not only has Washington continued to lavish weaponry on Egypt’s military, it has ignored mounting evidence of egregious human rights abuses by the Sisi regime. And as with respect to Mubarak, US officials pretend that Sisi is not a dictator, even though he became “president” through a blatantly rigged election that gave him more than 96 percent of the vote. American leaders used to scorn the results of such phony elections in communist countries, but they chose to view the farce in Egypt as progress toward a mature democratic system.

Hatred of hypocrisy is an emotion that tends to occur throughout very different cultures. US leaders do not help America’s reputation when they profess a commitment to freedom and democracy while they fawn over such allies as thuggish Egyptian dictators and the odious Saudi royal family. Victims of oppression were unlikely to take Washington’s alleged dedication to liberty seriously when they saw President George W. Bush strolling through the fields of his Texas ranch hand in hand with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah as though they were intimate friends.

Washington needs to walk the walk as well as talk the talk when it comes to supporting freedom as a key component of its foreign policy. It should at least stop undermining balky democratic regimes and embracing thuggish autocracies.

This post first appeared at Cato.org.

Ted Galen Carpenter

The Stark Contrast Between Two People’s Views on the Communist Cuba / Castro Controversy with Obama

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Hope all is well as I trust that everybody had a Blessed & Beautiful Christmas Holy Day…It’s not a Holiday – it’s a “Holy Day”…Along with the Day of the Resurrection, Christmas Day is the most significant day in our calendar year, as if it were not for these two days, I would not be writing this piece; we would not have eternal life…and Barack Obama would be the last thing on my mind…

But, we are blessed to have these two sacred days in our calendars…and, we are stuck with the Emperor for a little more than “730” days. And, boy, have these last “53” days been excruciating. Yes, since November 4th, when the Republican Party slapped the Liberals something silly – their ruthless and squeaky “lame duck” has made more noise than the AFLAC duck on TV commercials. And, with his latest and most blatant Executive Action taking place over a week ago – when he thought he would “go it alone”, again – taking on another Foreign Policy move that he has no place or business even going near – this fiasco with “Cuba & the Castro Commies” – is way out of his league…

And, like I wrote last week in my introduction message in regards to this down-right slap in the face to every Cuban exile living in this country, age 45 and up – Obama has no clue what he is doing with Fidel & Raul Castro – and does not even know what the word embargo means – let alone, what the word democracy means…

And, it seems that every time this dictator wannabe puts his foot in his mouth and does something that he has no business doing – he always manages to escape to Hawaii or the nearest golf course for another “much needed” vacation, as he is there now with Michelle and the girls, on our dime, again…

Yes, that has been Obama’s M.O. for the past 6 years – make a dumb move; create controversy; stir up the hornet’s nest; piss off the entire country; then go hide away in Hawaii or Martha’s Vineyard. But, this time, he knows he has to come back and he knows that come January, a new Congress will be awaiting him. And, he also should be well aware that what he did last week by gutlessly going behind our country’s back and “unofficially” trying to lift the embargo from Cuba, is going to cost him and it did not sit well with two vocal senators who have Cuban ties – Marco Rubio & Ted Cruz.

My prayer is that both, Rubio and Cruz, continue to take the lead in standing up against Obama in regards to this controversy with Cuba, and convince John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and the rest of this new Congress to NOT allow Obama’s Executive Action to actually take place. They need to fight this tooth and nail with all they’ve got and not allow any type of lifting of the embargo to take place until the ruthless tyrants who have run Cuba aground for the past 55 years, declare Cuba to be “Free of Communist Rule” and sign an agreement with the United States stating that Cuba will be a Free Democracy from now on, with Free Elections and that all human rights will be bestowed upon the 13 million Cubans living on this beloved island nation…Churches and schools must be open to everybody.

Until this is done – there is NO DEAL! I am all for progress and making things better with Cuba, but one cannot do business with ruthless dictators who have imprisoned, tortured and killed thousands of innocent people for over 5 decades, pretending that this never took place, and out of the clear blue, declaring Cuba “open for business”…There has to be a price to pay; an apology to take place; and lots of healing and conversion in order for the United States of America to do business with Cuba…Freedom does not come Free – and, it’s Cuba who needs to adjust to United States policies – not the other way around. If an embargo does take place sometime in the future, it is the U.S. who is doing Cuba a favor. Now, they need to come clean; release all prisoners; put down their guns and firing squads; lose that Communist flag; pay their dues and play by our rules. That’s the democratic way…That’s the only way…But, by the looks of things and from Raul Castro’s latest comments, it looks like he wants to stick to his guns and is still saying that “Cuba will always be under Communist rule as long as he is alive”…

And, there, the problem lies…but, Obama, as stubborn as he is, will continue to “go it alone”, and with those big ears of his, pretend that he did not hear Raul Castro’s latest comments…

The real problem is that an individual like Barack Obama has no clue what took place in Cuba the past 55 years. (He does not even now what took place in the United States the past 55 years, let alone, Cuba). He has no idea what the Castro brothers represent – and until you walk in the shoes of those courageous Cubans who left the island between 1959-1965, and see what they had to endure – do NOT even think of messing with their families’ history and the beloved island they had to leave because of Communist rule. This is sacred, personal and sensitive to all Cubans who fled back then and when an arrogant socialist like Obama decides that he knows best and is going to wreak havoc on these Cubans’ past & future by recklessly dealing with two Communist brothers who turned their lives upside down and more – you better be prepared to pay the consequences…Obama, don’t mess with Cuba…You would not want anyone to mess with your birthplace, Kenya…

So, please take a look at these two articles that I have included for you, below, so you can see how different two people’s points of view on this controversial issue with Cuba, Castro and Obama truly are. The first article happens to come from the President of the Catholic League, Bill Donohue, who, you can tell, is quite liberal. Claims to be a devout Catholic – but, definitely, left-handed. His views on what Obama is trying to accomplish with Cuba is in total disagreement with the millions of Cubans who are living in this country today who see it as an insult to them and the place of their birth. Donohue’s comments about Obama and Pope Francis only adds more insult to injury and coming from the President of the Catholic League, his socialist views are just as slanted as Obama’s…

http://www.catholicleague.org/obama-pope-right-cuba/

Then, we have a phenomenal article and commentary from an incredible woman who was born and raised in Cuba – who saw it all first-hand, along with her very active family. Yes, Marielena Montesino de Stuart, a devout Pro-Lifer, patriot and outspoken Republican activist, who ran for U.S. Senate in 2012 – truly lays it all on the line here. She has the right to be able to express herself like this because she lived it. She walked in those shoes I was referring to earlier. Marielena basically says everything that I, along with any Cuban-American in this country (ages 45 and up), would have written. She could not have said it any better. Her article should serve as an inspiration to all Cubans in this country. Thank you for being bold for your Faith, your present country and for your country of birthplace…

http://romancatholicworld.wordpress.com/2014/12/18/rewarding-evil-obama-embraces-communist-cuba/

Friends: I humbly ask that we, as American citizens of this great country of ours – please keep this volatile situation with Cuba, the Castros and Obama – in deep prayer. Had it been anybody else (other than Barack Obama), executing this Executive Action – I know I would personally feel a lot more comfortable and confident that something positive is going to be happening in Cuba in the near future. Let’s face it – 55 years is way too long a time to have this beautiful island still under Communist rule – especially when it is only 90 miles away from my sister, Elena’s house, in Key West. But, I along with millions of Americans in this country (Obama’s approval ratings are at an all-time low right now), do not trust Obama with anything – especially with an area he has absolutely no experience in or clue as to what he is doing – Foreign Policy…it’s all foreign to him…and, Cuba can be quite dangerous…

In closing, let’s pray that Obama comes to his senses; that cooler and smarter heads prevail; that our new Congress shows some courage, boldness and self control; and that we, in fact, are able to do something with Cuba in the very near future. I honestly believe that this is in GOD’s Plan and we owe it to all those courageous and passionate Cubans who gave up their lives fighting for their Patria, dreaming that one day we would all be able to say out loud: VIVA CUBA LIBRE!!…I, for one, am one of those. And, although I came from Cuba, myself in 1961, at the age of three and consider myself more American than most Americans – my heart goes out to all those older Cubans who suffered and gave up so much for their beloved homeland (including my beloved mother and late father). It is only right that those well-deserving Cubans get to see a Free Cuba before they die and go to their final resting place knowing that, in the end – good triumphed over evil – GOD over the devil…Free Democracy over ruthless Communism…

VIVA CUBA LIBRE – BUT, NOT UNDER OBAMA!!!