Hot enough for ya? Sorry.
Deathwatch in Miami's Little Havana - Fidel turns dictatorial powers over to younger bro, Raul, in hopes he survives his abdominal surgery. Cubans in Miami hope otherwise. Who would blame them? Someone close to our family and his current wife, who shall both remain nameless here, went to Cuba for a little vaca a couple of years ago. In some quarters this is considered a cool thing to do, all defiant of the policy of America and all, and a fun way to flip your country the bird. So, they go and visit with a family whose friendship was shared with a family they knew in their U.S. hometown. The two close to our family were so surprised to learn of the complete ban on personal freedom in Cuba. No public free speech, no freedom of religion, ban on bibles in homes, etc. The male of these two was talking to me about it upon arrival back home and all I could say to him was "and this surprised you?" I truly was flabbergasted at the naive attitude.
These two were of the belief that the dethroning of Saddam was not something in which America should get involved. Some refuse to learn the lessons of history.
Where's all the civil rights activists denouncing the hideous cartoons of Secretary of State Rice in the Arab world? The racist reporting of her trip to the region and the racist cartooning of her likeness? Is the message racism is ok if it is against someone with whom you don't politically agree? This disagreement earlier emboldened them to call Secretary Rice a few racist slurs themselves so it's business as usual, I suppose.
And dear Jimmy Carter. Bless his heart. A humanitarian, to be sure. A failed presidency, to be sure. The first of former presidents to publicly criticize a sitting president, he now wants to be the voice of reason on foreign policy. It's a joke, a cruel joke, for anyone to take the man seriously, particularly in regards to the middle eastern mess today. Were it not for him propping up the Ayatollah in Iran and running out the Shah during his administration, the early Islamo Facist terror activity against our country and citizens would not have taken hold. This fact of our lives is especially personal to me as I live in a city reported to have a Hezbollah cell. Appeasement doesn't work. Appeasement is a nice photo op and a feel good story on the evening news. Appeasement is not a long term solution to anything. The Islmo Facists view appeasors as weak.
Appeasement in the current situation between Israel and Lebanon/Hezbollah is an immediate ceasefire. It will be viewed as a victory to Hezbollah. The truth is that Hezbollah is winning right now and has been underestimated by Israel. The attack in Quan a few days ago was a staged event by Hezbollah, with the facts about the story coming out now, and it further illistrates just how barbaric Hezbollah is towards the people of Lebanon. Would they be any different to Israelis? The time is now for Israel to take off the gloves and clean out Hezbollah in Lebanon.
There is no reasoning with those who kidnap soldiers with the expectation of a prisoner swap. There is no reasoning with those who hide behind women and children, expecting them to live with weaponry in private homes. There is no reasoning with those lacking respect for human life.
Bring on the international force for enforcing peace in the region. The only movement I've seen is the minister in France running to Lebanon as soon as Secretary Rice was in the air, winging her way back home. Stabbing us in the back once again, France is not about to lose the oil supply it receives from Lebanon. France certainly is not going to stand with Israel. Anti-Semitism is rampant in Europe, its root deep in France. And now Palestineans in Gaza are jumping up and down for an international force to secure its territory. These peace - seeking folks were the ones who kidnapped the Israeli soldier and set off all the current situation. They want hundreds of Palestinean prisoners released in exchange for the soldier, and the soldier to be taken to Egypt until a ceasefire is enforced. Unbelievable.
Something is mentioned of Jimmy Carter's dislike of Jews in his autobiography. I haven't read it so I can't verify this claim.
Maybe there is a Habitat for Humanity project in Gaza...
2 comments:
Naive attitude indeed. Before I was ever a thought, my father was a concert pianist and was touring in Cuba. He almost got stuck there until his cousin said S. we have to get out of here NOW! This all happened days before Castro's take over.
Geez, there is not doubt that Carter is a good man. Heck he has done more for this country SINCE his Presidency. With that said, he was probably the most inaffective President we have had (in my lifetime anyway). Foreign is NOT his strong point.
I had for years subscried to Gourmet Magazine but in one issue several years ago there was an article on some guy from Cuba who had made the crossing and lived in Florida for quite a while. But it turned out he was homesick for the food and his homeland and WENT BACK even though he knew he would be thrown in jail. I don't know how exactly the article's author knew this, but it actually said, in black and white, that (paraphrased because I don't have the issue any more) "even though he was in PRISON, he was HAPPY to be eating REAL cuban beans and rice again."
Save me! Can you imagine just how tasty the prison food is there? Or that anyone would actually GO BACK? I hit the roof! I canceled my subscription with a scathing letter. I did receive the next issue before they got me off the list and in the letters to the editor someone equally peeved but far more articulate than I wrote that she was DISAPPOINTED that Gourmet hadn't printed the recipe for the obviously incredible beans.
France - bahh!
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