Let Carter Speak to Castro (4/6/02)
by Dean Hartwell
Recently, former
President Jimmy Carter asked the Bush Administration for permission to go to
Cuba. If Carter goes, it would be the first trip to Cuba by an incumbent or
former president since Fidel Castro took it over in 1959.
During the last forty-three years, the United States government has tried
everything at its disposal to oust Castro. These acts have included attempted
assassinations, an embargo of goods to the nation and the training of Cuban
expatriates in the disastrous "Bay of Pigs" invasion. None of them
produced a new leader or changed Castro's dismal human rights record.
And the issue of human rights in Cuba is what President Carter wants to talk to
Castro about. What could be the problem with that?
Some say that an ex-president in Cuba gives the appearance of legitimacy to the
Cuban dictator. If that were true, then why hasn't the lack of US leaders in
Cuba produced the opposite result in all these years? Furthermore, the Pope's
visit to Cuba a few years ago did not appear to give Castro additional
legitimacy.
Others believe that Carter's opposition to the Cuban embargo will conflict with
President Bush's desire to strengthen it. But, the former president has
traveled all over the world to monitor human rights and elections, frequently
meeting with groups of people whose interests conflict with those of the United
States. No United States president has ever had any serious criticism of his
visits abroad.
Lastly, there will likely be dissent from the vocal ex-Cubans who now reside in
the United States. Naturally, they want the removal of the person responsible
for their emigration here. A former president talking to the hated Castro could
provide an opportunity for them to express their opinions, just as they did
during the Elian controversy a few years ago.
Let them talk. There is nothing that stirs the wonder of people living in
regimes like Castro's than the fact that we let our people speak out against
our government's policies.
And let President Carter talk as well. His words with Castro will not likely
change anything in Cuba, but they will serve to assert a new willingness to
pursue peaceful change.