First Gruber, Now Cuber

This article has nothing to do with Dr. Of Hubris Jonathan Gruber. This is a blog about the recent development on the Island of Cuber. For those of you who listen to Rush Limbaugh, you get it. I pronounce Cuba that way to mock the way our late President Kennedy pronounced in heavy New England brogue, Cuber. This deal is similar to the proud Gruber in this respect. That he, and the President take the American people for fools. This deal with Cuba is sheer stupidity. 

1. We received nothing in return. I know we received some prisoners in return. In return for what is the question. Raul Castro is still in power. There is no promise of future democratic reforms. There is no hint of change from the regime in Cuba. Now there is no incentive or impetus to change course. 

2. We are a now contributing to a dictatorship. With more lax restrictions, economic interests will begin to intertwine. The Cuban people will not see the fruits of their laboratory rewarded in a capitalistic system. Instead our monies will go strait into the coffers of a dictator. He will use the profits from our investments to empower and maintain the Castro stranglehold on the people of Cuba.

3. It sends the strong message to other Dictators. We have in the last six years, more tyrannical embolden meant and advancement than at any time since Detente. Let's review:

     A) The emboldenment of Communist Dictator Vladimir Putin. Not only has he continued his long history of repression and human rights violations, but now we see military aggression against allies like Crimea and Ukraine. 

     B) We have seen the continued advancement of the radical regime in Tehran. We have been operating under the guise that we are "enagaging" them. In truth, we are capitulating, and they continue their radical march to a Nuclear weapon. 

    C) In the vacuum of a hasty withdrawal, we have seen the rise of ISIS. This enemy continues to behead and murder innocent people. We have no coherent strategy to defeat them, only to contain them. 

    D) This week we have seen the rise of cyberterrorist attacks from North Korea. 

You get the picture. This deal with Cuba, is not an anomaly. It is a pattern of weakness and capitulation. It is the culmination of liberal foreign policy in which America retreats. In which America no longer is the leader of the free world, but rather a bystander. Where America is complicit in the oppression of people across the globe. 

The embargo may not have made much ground, but any seasoned negotiator knows that if you have leverage, no matter how small, you do not give it up. We have now given up the only leverage we had. In addition, the economic ties once solidified, especially in this sluggish economy, will be hard to sever again. Welcome America to your future. You are not a superpower. You are now the footstool for Tehran, Moscow, North Korea, and now Havanna. It's a sad day when you wish you had Jimmy Carter back. After the last couple of days, the Malaise of Carter seems better than the feckless, capitulatory policies of Obama.