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Fifth Column | ||
Kerryâs pandering for votes Beginning to Alarm Hemisphere Leftists | ||
2004-04-03 | ||
EFL - From Venezuelaanalysis.com home of the Chavistas⢠In a series of foreign policy formulations in recent days, the presumptive Democratic party presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry, has issued a number of statements on Latin American-related subjects which, if anything, appear to outflank on the right the Bush administrationâs extremist regional policymakers, as he shamelessly panders to the anti-Castro paranoia of a group of aging but wealthy Cuban-American ideologues in South Florida, and rich Venezuelan expatriates in Coral Gables. His two primary targets have been President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and Cubaâs Fidel Castro. While commendably finding fault with Bush policy regarding Secretary of State Powellâs failure to protect the Aristide government in Haiti, Kerryâs rhetoric regarding Cuba and Venezuela is reminiscent of barren Cold War strictures which, for all purposes, places him in the same extremist ideological bracket as the administrationâs two chief Latin American policy makers; the State Departmentâs Roger Noriega and the Bush White Houseâs Otto Reich. Regarding Haiti, Kerry has said, âThis administration has been engaged in very manipulative and wrongful ways. They have a theological and an ideological hatred for Aristide. They always have. They approached this so the [anti-Aristide] insurgents were empowered by this administration.â He also has observed in reference to Haiti, âPeople will know Iâm tough and Iâm prepared to do what is necessary to defend the United States of America, and that includes the unilateral deployment of troops if necessary.â Such declarations have raised hopes that a Kerry administration will take a more forceful stand in favor of Haitian democracy and commit the resources needed to stabilize the countryâs battered institutions and uphold its constitution, which has been all but ignored by Powell.
Having endeavored throughout the Democratic primaries to establish his credentials as an advocate of a more principled and professional method of international engagement, in contrast to the interventionist and unilateralist blunderings of the current administration when it came to the Iraq war, the senator is now in danger of tarnishing that reputation through his reckless endorsement of the White Houseâs long discredited Latin America policies that are now even opposed by conservative farm state Republican legislators and businessmen.... By so flagrantly tacking to the prevailing political winds in South Florida, Kerry risks alienating voters from elsewhere in the country who want not a reprise of Bush and Powellâs tainted foreign policy, but a bold and visionary alternative. Kerryâs statements could also potentially deal a heavy blow against Democratic efforts to mobilize some of the more disaffected members of its party base in a year where the drop out of even a handful of previously committed Democratic dissidents could prove deadly to his electoral prospects. Kerryâs regrettable baiting of Bush on being soft on Castro and Chávez borders on the irresponsible and could have dangerous implications for peace in the region. In 1989, when the first President Bush was confronting deteriorating relations between the U.S. and Manuel Noriegaâs Panama, the president admirably attempted to contain the situation without having to resort to military force against the Panamanian dictatorship. At the same time, Bush was being mercilessly attacked by Senate liberals, including Leahy, Dodd and Kennedy, for being too soft on Manual Noriega. Since there appeared to be no defined constituency supporting a peaceful settlement of the conflict with Panama... it can be argued that it was the U.S. Senate liberals who helped to bring on the conflict, because there were few political costs to initiating a conflict, while there were many not to. The same could be said of Kerryâs provocative attacks against Cuba and Venezuela at a time when Roger Noriega has been warning Castro that âheâs playing with fire,â and both he and Reich... are publicly denouncing Chávez and Castro for working to destabilize the rest of Latin America. Kerryâs tilt to the right when it comes to Latin American policy may be attributable to confusion, given the clarity of his charges against the Bush administrationâs controversial Haiti policy. While this may account for his resorting to aimless babble concerning Venezuela, and pandering for donations and Floridaâs votes when it comes to Castro, it doesnât entirely explain the inevitably heavy domestic political costs he seems prepared to risk, given the fund raising harangues he is apparently prepared to make to Cuban-American audiences and his eagerness to submit to South Floridaâs political calculus. If his recent statements are any guide, it is obvious that the Kerry campaign has not given any serious consideration to the issues at stake in Washingtonâs relations with Cuba or Venezuela... Having stated in a newspaper interview in 2000 that the embargo was a product only of the âpolitics of Floridaâ and should be reconsidered, Kerry recently reversed himself and declared in favor of a tough line against Castro after meeting with prominent Cuban-American exile leaders in Miami six months ago. This reversal only helps to confirm the Bush campaignâs damaging accusations that Kerry is a political dandy who is deft at flip-flopping when such an action is to his benefit... Over the past week, he has sweetened his stance toward Cuban community leaders, perhaps driven by the desire not to repeat Goreâs Palm Beach County election debacle, as well as buoyed by polls stating that only 60% of Cuban-Americans in Miami-Dade and Broward counties plan to vote for Bush this November, reflecting the growing conviction among older Cubans that while Bush regularly bashes Castro, he does little to bring him down.
Nor does the spirit of Kerryâs rhetoric take into account the practical basis of Chávezâs relationship with Castro, with the latter providing subsidized oil deliveries to Cuba and the former providing thousands of badly needed doctors and -snip- transparent posturing as a Nader advocate slightly more believable than a pro-Kucinich we plant to waste our vote to show you rant. Drafted by Larry Birns, Director of the Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs, and COHA Research Fellow Jessica Leight. Leftists take heart - if you donât like Kerryâs stance on any, just wait 24 hour hours. His rhetoric will rebound by 180 degrees. | ||
Posted by:Super Hose |
#2 They praised Bush #41???? In 1989, when the first President Bush was confronting deteriorating relations between the U.S. and Manuel Noriegaâs Panama, the president admirably attempted to contain the situation without having to resort to military force against the Panamanian dictatorship. |
Posted by: Anonymous2U 2004-04-03 8:40:29 PM |
#1 The Democrates obviously remember how much Elian Gonzalez costed them. |
Posted by: Bernardz 2004-04-03 10:14:16 AM |