The failed policy of the US toward Cuba is a failure. Barack Obama is at least moving toward change and he should not back peddle on this, it is needed. Yep Cuba shot down two planes, yet it is key to remember that for six months these planes had been buzzing the Malecon in Havana dropping leaflets. The pilots had been warned several times, the US State Department had been warned several times, FAA had been warned and Washington had been warned. Would we permit two planes from Cuba to buzz Biscayne Boulevard? The Russians Santa Monica Beach? Of course not.

The result of defending their own soil was the Helms Burton Act. This was written in backrooms with the aid of lawyers from the Bacardi family, the most important of Cuban expat families. It is a typical example of over kill that Cuban policy is noted for. Presidents have to sign off every six months on not enforcing aspects of this Act. The key one being that any company having property or investments in Cuba can have their assets seized in the US. This means companies like BP (British petroleum, Sherritt the huge Canadian mining firm,all the international hotels like Melia)could have their US assets frozen due to this ridiculous Act.

The average Cuban family makes about 30.00USD a month and are barely alive. Grandparents are able to see their families only once every three years. We can't send adequate funds to Cuban families before limits were individual now they are per family. These are some of the injustices and examples of the failed policy that Sen, Obama wants to change. Here is a list of limit before Helms Burton and after it.




We are the land of the free and brave (except to visit Cuba). And the fact that Cuban families make an average of 30.00USD per month is pathetic. The fact we are not permitted to help them is a travesty. Helms- Burton was written in back rooms using the Bacardi family lawyers, it circumvents our legal system.

Bush in his trademark style made a significant change to the OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) Part of the Treasury Department. This is the office that is supposed to be chasing Bin Laden's money trail. The fact is that within this department 85% of its manpower and resources are used to enforce its laws against little old ladies who visit Cuba on bicycle trips and a paltry 15% on Bin Laden. The OFAC was directed to usurp our legal code by Bush/Cheney The OFAC not only abandoned our right to appeal a decision, but its courts are instructed to make an assumption of guilt rather than innocence dealing with citizens of these United States. This is against what are country stands for and the basic fundamental of our legal system that we are presumed innocent.

Edited Except from my book Yuma: A Yankee's Cuba Journals (Due out late 2008)
The Blog is also showing here (with pictures)http://bilingual.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/02/us-cuba-policy-and-history-part-one-the-spanish.htm

Edited Except from my book Yuma: A Yankee's Cuba Journals (Due out late 2008)

This Blog is historical but there is also quite a bit of narrative that accompanies the history. This narrative is what should be the controversial part, but something tells me that my spin will label me as pro communist or pro socialist, I assure you I am neither. I believe 100% in democratic forms of government. However I am not adverse to two socialist elements within a democratic framework, these are in the education and health care sectors. I do not think Cuba is a model government and neither do I think what the USA has become is a model government. The majority of the principles the USA was founded on I believe strongly in, obviously the freedom of speech I am exercising here in this Blog leads the way with the liberty that we from the USA enjoy. Mr. Bush (the younger) has apparently directed his pet agency the OFAC ( Office of Foreign Assets Control part of the US Department of Treasury) to prohibit any books or literature on Cuba from being published in the USA. Personally, I find all of these anti Cuba rules insulting and an infringement of my rights as a a citizen of the USA. I believe not only are they immoral, but they are illegal and unconstitutional. I am known for being a champion against injustices and sometimes this lands me in considerable trouble. Like any idealist, I am not afraid of the consequences. Change is something that comes through education and discussion.

This chapter will not change the hardliners opinion. In fact it will land me in more hot water than with any other group. The simple fact is that our history with Cuba is more than ugly, it is deplorable and embarrassing. Human nature demands that we root for the underdog, and few will disagree that Cuba is the underdog and the mighty USA is the bully. I have never liked bullies. I am not the toughest guy, but I am not afraid to stand up for what I believe even at the cost of being hurt or knocked down repeatedly. I am well aware I am stepping on more than a few toes here. The exile community hardliners will do their utmost to ban my book. My own Government will very likely target me for retaliation. Cuba may be less than pleased with my book as I do not paint a perfect picture there either.I feel a debt to expose the facts to those of you who have missed the truth. The truth is easy to miss, particularly when there are so many hidden agendas and so few unwilling or unable to dig for it. My dear friends, the truth is here in this Blog, yes it is along with my narrative that coats it with my perspective, but this will not change the facts. I encourage you all to dig deeper after reading this Blog, or better yet visit Cuba and see for yourselves. I will answer your questions the best I can, give a lecture to a group or an educational institution. I will be ready willing and hopefully able to further any discussion that will help lead to a fair and honorable policy with Cuba.

Ready for a bit of history and demographics? Just so we are on the same page. I'll start with the preamble that I love my country, yet I don't always like it, and yep, it frustrates me often, especially the last eight years. Over the years, I have read probably a couple hundred books on Cuba, a smattering, shall we say. The double edged sword that is the Net plays a part in this education as well. I say double edged because the Net or "information highway" does many fine things, and my screen is rarely off. Yet what this information and communication tool has done is to pierce the veil of "spin" on history. Rather than see things from just the "American" point of view, we and the world are now exposed to various points of views. This results in conventional and Nationalistic bubbles being burst. The United States has one of the biggest bubbles, spin doctors abound with slogans such as "America, love it or leave it" Media in the US does have various agendas whether it is FOX being conservative or a Move On.Org advertisement. The US and the Catholic Church were two of the biggest educators in the world. However, both of these have an agenda in educating developing countries. This agenda often has bent the truth, now with the Net, and developing countries being developed, a more neutral or unbiased picture is emerging.

This neutral picture is increasingly haunting us and world opinion of these United States has deteriorated, with a considerable amount of help from our recent administration. While our history starts with the Indians or Native Americans, that story is not part of our story. Ours starts with a term you might remember being glossed over in school, "Manifest Destiny". Manifest Destiny means that the USA has or had a God given right to acquire land from the Natives or anyone else in order to expand our considerable frontiers. According to this philosophy, we could acquire it by hook or by crook, war, economic pressure or whatever means we deemed appropriate. But don't take my word for it dust off your dictionary and see for yourself. Although,(as always) it is best to get a dictionary that is not published in the USA. Even our dictionaries are Nationalistic. There is a scene in the film Malcolm X that gives a very accurate example of this theme using the words "Black" and "White". Manifest Destiny permitted us to liberate much of Mexico at various times in varying amounts. It permitted us to liberate Hawaii from the Dole (Pineapple) family against the counties will. Manifest Destiny allowed a giant US company named United Fruit Company to liberate much of the Caribbean, Central and South America to our economic will as various times. The modern example would probably be Halliburton, what we destroy in the wars, Halliburton rebuilds. The most fruitful of these expansionist exercises was the Spanish American War.

The United States has always been desirous of Cuba, after all it is only a mere ninety miles from Key West to Havana, a hop, skip and a jump. A well documented fact is that every Presidency from Thomas Jefferson through Dwight Eisenhower tried to buy, trade or invade Cuba. The lone exceptions were Lincoln and William Henry Harrison who was not in office long enough (31 days). During Polk 100 millionUSD, was offered, Franklin Pierce 130 million, Buchanan 135 million. McKinley? He tried to buy Cuba from the Spanish who had colonized her twice during his administration. The first time for 200 million and the second for 300 million, Spain was financially pinched and in the midst of their own revolution. Spain's colonies were spread out and Spain was having difficulties suppressing the respective calls for freedom in several cases. The financial upkeep was contributing to the demise of their economy. While Spain was spread thin, Cuba was considered the largest and most desired jewel in the royal crown. Spain flatly refused to part with Cuba.

In 1868 Cuba began its own War of Independence, taking arms up against Spain who owned her. This was part one and is called the Ten Years War. 300,000 Cubans died in this part of the War of Independence. Part two was the twenty years following and the Ten Years War in which fighting continued. In fact, by 1895 the war of Independence in Cuba was going badly for the Spanish. The Spanish still held Havana but had lost most of the countryside and secondary cities to Generals Maximo Gomez and Antonio Maceo. Covering the War with Spain for William Randolph Hearst's chain of newspapers was the illustrious Western artist, Fredrick Remington. Remington was based in Havana at the Hotel Inglaterra. Hearst was involved in a power struggle with Joseph Pulitzer (the other newspaper tycoon of the era). Their respective newspaper chains were fighting over the Cuban War of Independence with Spain. Pulitzer was anti US interference and Hearst was pro US intervention. There is a famous telegram between Hearst and Remington where Remington writes "There will be no War; I wish to return" Hearst telegraphs back "Please remain, you furnish the pictures and I will furnish the War."

In 1898 the USS Maine exploded in the Havana harbor, killing 258. The Maine was supposedly in the harbor looking after US interests. Oddly all but one officer was ashore when the explosion sunk her in the Havana harbor. The US blamed Spain, naturally, and Hurst's prediction came true with The Spanish American War. Hurst's newspapers coined the phrase "Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain". Subsequent evidence has proved rather conclusively that spontaneous combustion blew up the USS Maine and not Hurst or the Spanish. On April 25th 1898 the USA declared War on Spain. Yet Uncle Sam did not land his force of 6000 on Cuban soil until June 22nd 1898.Young Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders were dispatched to conquer the Spanish, and they did, but largely with the help of the Cuban army that was 20 times larger than the American force. The charge up San Juan Hill in Santiago de Cuba (Cuba's second largest city on the East coast) indeed was led by Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, yet he was flanked by the Cubans and more Cubans were attacking from the three other sides of the hill as well. The real US contribution to the War was the US Navy sinking the Spanish fleet in battles around the island. This took the wind out of the Spanish sails, literally. Spain surrendered on July 17th 1898. A little known fact is that The Spanish American War once the Americans set foot on Cuban soil lasted only 26 days. Manila and the Philippines resistance lasted a mere 24 hours.

Cuba's greatest patriot was Jose Marti, Marti was a writer who has the heart of the Cuban people to this day. In fact, he is revered all through Latin America. Marti was an anti-imperialist who had lived in the USA, and Latin America often writing anti Manifest Destiny articles, Marti is considered the Grandfather of Cuban independence. His followers were intellectuals who championed the cause of freedom. Marti knew very well of the United States interest in Cuba and because of this, lobbied Washington with many others to declare that the USA had no intention of annexing Cuba. This successfully brought about The Teller Amendment that states:


Whereas the abhorrent conditions which have existed for more than three years in the Island of Cuba, so near our own borders, have shocked the moral sense of the people of the United States, have been a disgrace to Christian civilization, culminating, as they have, in the destruction of a United States battle ship, with two hundred and sixty-six of its officers and crew, while on a friendly visit in the harbor of Havana, and can not longer be endured, as has been set forth by the President of the United States in his message to Congress of April eleventh, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, upon which the action of Congress was invited: Therefore,
Resolved, First. That the people of the Island of Cuba are, of right ought to be, free and independent.
Second. That it is the duty of the United States to demand, and the Government of the United States does hereby demand, that the Government of Spain at once relinquish its authority and government in the Island of Cuba and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters.
Third. That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, directed and empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the United States, and to call into the actual service of the United States the militia of the several States, to such extent as may be necessary to carry these resolutions into effect.
Fourth. That the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said Island except for the pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and control of the Island to its people.

There was more to the Spanish American War than just Cuba, although the vast majority of this brief War was fought there. The spoils amounted to Puerto Rico, Guam, The Philippines, Haiti, and The Dominican Republic, not bad for less than a month's work! Still one might only say, up until this point, the USA was simply making the most of an opportunity that presented itself. We could say this, until we come to the surrender ceremony. Despite the Teller Amendment and the 400,000 dead Cubans over the course of thirty years, the USA shamefully insisted that Spain surrender to the USA not Cuba. Making matters worse, we insisted and prohibited Cuba from even attending the surrender ceremony or the victory parades on their own native soil. To top it off, the Cuban army was ordered to surrender their weapons! Furthermore, at the formal Treaty of Paris ceremonies (the formal slicing up the spoils) Cuba not only was not invited, they were prohibited from attending.

Rather than leaving Cuba as promised and declared under The Teller Amendment, the US forces were reinforced and Cuba became an occupied country rather than receive the freedom it so richly deserved. Uncle Sam's military occupation of Cuba began formally on January 1, 1899. This was the invasion after the invasion and 20 regiments landed this time not a paltry 6000 men. The invasion force stayed for four years while the details were worked out. Marti had been killed in the first battle of the War, and the Cubans wanted Maximo Gomez to be their first President. Uncle Sam had other ideas it made clear in the form of demands over the FOUR years of occupation. The US insisted it required the harbor of Guantanamo as well as the largest island off Cuba's coast The Isle of Pines. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isla_de_la_Juventud Maximo Gomez was unconditionally denied by the US to be the first President. The "deal" worked out like this: Uncle Sam would leave provided that Guantanamo was in their control under another amendment called The Platt Amendment.

Whereas the Congress of the United States of America, by an Act approved March 2, 1901, provided as follows:
Provided further, That in fulfillment of the declaration contained in the joint resolution approved April twentieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, entitled "For the recognition of the independence of the people of Cuba, demanding that the Government of Spain relinquish its authority and government in the island of Cuba, and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters, and directing the President of the United States to use the land and naval forces of the United States to carry these resolutions into effect," the President is hereby authorized to "leave the government and control of the island of Cuba to its people" so soon as a government shall have been established in said island under a constitution which, either as a part thereof or in an ordinance appended thereto, shall define the future relations of the United States with Cuba, substantially as follows:

"I.-That the government of Cuba shall never enter into any treaty or other compact with any foreign power or powers which will impair or tend to impair the independence of Cuba, nor in any manner authorize or permit any foreign power or powers to obtain by colonization or for military or naval purposes or otherwise, lodgement in or control over any portion of said island."
"II. That said government shall not assume or contract any public debt, to pay the interest upon which, and to make reasonable sinking fund provision for the ultimate discharge of which, the ordinary revenues of the island, after defraying the current expenses of government shall be inadequate."
"III. That the government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the government of Cuba."
"IV. That all Acts of the United States in Cuba during its military occupancy thereof are ratified and validated, and all lawful rights acquired thereunder shall be maintained and protected."
"V. That the government of Cuba will execute, and as far as necessary extend, the plans already devised or other plans to be mutually agreed upon, for the sanitation of the cities of the island, to the end that a recurrence of epidemic and infectious diseases may be prevented, thereby assuring protection to the people and commerce of Cuba, as well as to the commerce of the southern ports of the United States and the people residing therein."
"VI. That the Isle of Pines shall be omitted from the proposed constitutional boundaries of Cuba, the title thereto being left to future adjustment by treaty."
"VII. That to enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba, and to protect the people thereof, as well as for its own defense, the government of Cuba will sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations at certain specified points to be agreed upon with the President of the United States."
"VIII. That by way of further assurance the government of Cuba will embody the foregoing provisions in a permanent treaty with the United States."

This called for Uncle Sam and Cuba to mutually enter into a nominal lease agreement on the land (a paltry $2000 USD a year) Not a bad agreement for the best harborage in the Caribbean! The best part of the deal for Uncle Sam was that the lease is only cancelable if both parties agree to it, something that the USA is sure not going to do anytime soon. It was also something that the Cubans to this day have lived up to as much as they hate the US being on their soil and with what goes on on that part of their native soil credit must be given. We did agree to "give back" The Isle of Pines. But there was one more condition as the President was still not decided on. In order to consummate this new "deal" ( as opposed to the Teller Amendment we did not live up to) the Cubans had to submit to a President of Uncle Sam's choosing, not their own and not freely elected. Our Man in Havana would approve and help author the new Cuban constitution. The Cuban Constitution was reluctantly written in Washington, not in Havana where it should have been.

I bet you are wondering just who was the first President of "Independent" Cuba? It was a fellow named Tomas Estrada Palma. Fortunately, he had a Spanish name, and believe it or not he was Cuban, well kind of. You see he was of Cuban parentage, the fact was though, that he was Uncle Sam's red, white, and blue not Cuba's. Estrada Palma had been declared President during Thirty Year War briefly, so this was his second stint at being President. President Estrada Palma was in fact from Happy Valley, New York. To be sure he was a political insider (in Washington, not Havana, of course). Washington not only gave him his orders but even paid his salary as President of Cuba. But, finally to borrow Mr. Bush's favorite term "mission accomplished". The US Army, Navy and Marines were off Cuban soil and thus began our version of Cuban independence. When I retell this part of Cuban and American history even the most right wing Republicans drop their collective jaws and are left stammering with " But, But, But's". I invite them to check the facts and story and after they are still "but, but Butting." It is not just shameful; it is a incredibly deplorable part of our history and Manifest Destiny.

Estrada Palma was followed by a long line of Presidents that were US puppets.Menacal, Macado and of course Batista. Make no mistake he was our puppet and when we discuss Castros politcal prisoners in Cuban jails it is time to remember Batista's personal police force of 20,000 and the atrocities that these men committed while working for Uncle Sam too. Castro is no angel, yet no one in their right mind would say we were fair with Cuba in those days either. In part two we will discuss Batista and Castro and the continued shame of Uncle Sam as well. This Blog is protected by copyright as is the authors book Yuma: A Yankee's Cuba Journals. All rights reserved