How Mean Can the Bush Administration Be?

Hundreds have lost their lives and nearly a million people are without shelter, medical supplies, or food in the aftermath of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike (which is ravaging Cuba at this moment with a storm surge as high as a five story apartment building and winds up to 150 mph, according to Reuters.)

But Condi Rice says the Bush administration sees "no wisdom" now in ending an economic embargo against Cuba -- even temporarily -- despite strong criticism that only prompt action by Cuba's largest neighbor can truly save lives and provide needed disaster relief in the aftermath of hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

There's "No Wisdom" in helping a million of our neighbors and restoring our image in the world as one of the "good guys"?

As opposed to the "Wisdom" and "Judgment" the Bush administration has shown in bombing Iraq and killing up to half a million innocent civilians.

As opposed to the "Wisdom" displayed in ignoring the genocide of hundreds of thousands in Darfur.

As opposed to the "Wisdom" the administration has shown in failing to protect New Orleans from Katrina and the continuing string of hurricanes that seem to be menacing this woe begotten city

In contrast, last week, Barack Obama called for sympathy for Cubans who had been hit hard by Gustav. And he asked Bush "to immediately suspend restrictions on family remittances, visits and humanitarian care packages from Cuban Americans for a minimum of 90 days."

Five Cuban-American members of Congress have urged the Bush administration to provide direct assistance to Gustav's victims in Cuba. They said, more importantly, that aid could be provided without changing U.S. law to lift the restrictions.

Could the critical electoral swing votes in the state of Florida--- often determined by the views of Cuban emigrants --- have a role in what seems like a needlessly mean action?

Nah. Of course not!

Our President would never let domestic political considerations influence his judgment as Commander-In-Chief.

Fidel Castro, wrote in a newspaper that the storm hit Cuba like a "nuclear blast" and that the damage reminded him of what he saw when he visited Hiroshima, Japan, after World War II.

"Now the battle is to feed the victims," Castro wrote, estimating that it would take $3 billion to $4 billion to finance basic recovery efforts on an island where the average state salary is only about $20 per month. Gustav damaged 100,000 homes on Cuba. No one knows how many lives and homes Ike will destroy.

Apparently Russian President Dmitry Medvedev saw the "wisdom" of sending aid to Cuba. Urgent medical aid and supplies from Russia are already being unloaded from large transport planes.

The Russians also promised to upgrade and rebuild a shattered electrical power system.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has also taken a personal interest in the aftermath of the powerful hurricanes and has expressed offers of massive aid.

In fact many other near and faraway countries are offering aid for this tragedy including Columbia, China, Bolivia, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, the Cayman Islands, Peru, Saint Lucia and Timor.

In 2004, when the US offered $35 million worth of aid to the victims of the Tsunami 9,000 miles away, the administration was so ridiculed that it eventually upped the offer to $350 million.

More recently the US offered 1 billion dollars to rearm and aid Georgia, which is also some 9,000 miles from the US mainland.

In contrast, Cuba is 90 miles away from the Florida Keys.

The administration, eventually after the criticism, offered $100,000 worth of aid through humanitarian relief organizations to Cuba, but this is but a pittance compared to what is needed by one of our closest neighbors.

Significantly, in 2005, when New Orleans was in need, Cuba offered to send doctors to the United States to help treat victims of Hurricane Katrina. The White House declined the offer.

Maybe someone should remind Bush that there are no Soviet missiles in Cuba anymore.

The Cold War is over.

We should have Navy hospital and disaster relief ships -- with water, food and medical supplies --steaming to Cuba right away. What is so complicated (or more American) about helping neighbors in need?

Why can't we be the good guys again?

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Follow Blake Fleetwood on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Blakefleet

Comments

[cybertoothcat]

Show the world that the USA still has a heart. Any beef Bush has is with the Cuban government, not the people of Cuba. Cubans are suffering while we are only 90 miles away.

[oscartucker]

Hit by 4 storms, Haiti needs some help too.

[bdaved]

George Bush could ask himself if there was any wisdom in it when his favorite philosopher told the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and when he said "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you". He didn't say do it when it's easy, or when it suits you, or when it's politically advisable. But I guess he never won any elective office either. Is it that why the Bush Administration sees "no wisdom" in this?

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

I have a question, are the Evil country that GW was talking about? I mean the Axis of evil appears least to be more Humanitarian than we, I'm a proud American who is ashamed of my country, SMH

[Obama-mama]

I can't believe a country as rich as the United States is refusing to reach it's long arm out to help FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS. It breaks my heart to think that some many children and the sick are now homeless without food and water. But then again when Katrina hit the states, Bush looked the other way. So I really shouldn't be amazed. And to think a lot of Americans want 4 more years of that. Now i'm amazed !!!

[Thoraseya]

HuffPost's Pick

An excellent piece. Your prose is well crafted and succinct.
I do not mean to glorify Castro or his chaotic and despotic Communist government, but he has shown himself to be a thoughtful humanitarian time and again. We, the United States, cannot let Castro or the Russians have the high road in a situation like this. We need to show that we are the good guys who believe in and live up to the ideals of the Judeo-Christian tradition once again. So much for Bush's professions of being a Christian.

[schatsie]

HuffPost's Pick

what is so wild is that here we are embargoing CUBA, but sending a trillion dollars to China each and every year......

[Blake Fleetwood - Huffpost Blogger]

China has what we want cheap goods and lends us money, and being nice to Cuba can turn Florida against the Republicans.

Its crazy that we can't help our neighbors and yet we can send money to far off places around the world.

[BARRISTER]

Sir, you are so right. The Cubans would be so grateful and would see that Americans care for them, while not liking their political/economic system. In any event, it is Christian to help those in need. the republicans like to say that they are Christians. We will now see.

[cbeenthere]

And while we are on the subject of being human, I remember a years ago interview of Castro by Barbara Walters in which he talked about AIDS in Africa, and that he himself had gone to Africa to warn them of the dangers, and sent doctors to help with the problem. This was long before it was acknowledged here.

[cbeenthere]

AND while I'm at it , I believe this was the same interview where Castro admitted to Walters that during the missle crisis the Russians came to Cuba and told him NOT to dare hit the US. Someone ought to unearth this from the archives. So much for history!

[cbeenthere]

And I do remember when Castro offered doctors. Shame on us.

[cbeenthere]

I remember a couple of years ago when Bush offered $50,000.00 after Cuba was battered by a storm. I was aghast at this pittance offered to our neighbor. Castro turned it down with dignity. What a world!