December 11, 2004

In Cuba, U.S. Interests Section Chief James Cason, marking International Human Rights Day, says even Castro "supporters are preparing for a transition to democracy," as Andrea Rodriguez reports for the Associated Press ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4666765,
00.html ). Castro’s government "is on its last legs,'’ Cason told dissidents in Havana on December 10.

By now we should understand what Bush functionaries mean when they use the word "democracy," for instance the "democracy" currently underway in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For some reason Cason did not mention the "democracy" Cuba endured before Castro’s revolution. The United States had no problem with General Fulgencio Batista—in fact, it preferred the rule of such dictators—who staged a military coup and overthrew the democratically elected government of Carlos Prio Socarras. "He was President Roosevelt’s handpicked dictator to counteract leftists," writes Third World Traveler ( http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/US_ThirdWorld/dictators.ht
ml ). Batista’s regime was notoriously corrupt and repressive, but this was OK with the United States, corporations, and the Mafia. "Freedom of speech was curtailed and subversive teachers, lawyers and public officials were fired from their jobs. Death squads tortured and killed thousands of 'communists,’" in other words, those who opposed Batista’s military dictatorship. Under Batista, Havana became known as "the Latin Las Vegas" where mobsters such as Frank Costello, Vito Genovese, Santo Trafficante Jr., Moe Dalitz, and others operated. "Batista was assisted in his crackdown [on dissidents] by Lansky and other members of organized crime who believed Castro would jeopardize their gambling and drug trade."

"U.S. rulers never explained why they were so suddenly concerned about the freedoms of the Cuban people" after Castro’s revolution, writes Michael Parenti ( http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Caribbean/US_Aggression_Cu
ba.html ) "In the two decades before the Revolution, successive Administrations in Washington manifested no opposition to the brutally repressive autocracy headed by General Fulgencio Batista. Quite the contrary, they sent him military aid, did a vigorous business with him, and treated him well in every other way. The significant but unspoken difference between Castro and Batista was that Batista, a comprador ruler, left Cuba wide open to U.S. capital penetration. In contrast, Castro and his revolutionary movement did away with private corporate control of the economy, nationalized U.S. holdings, and renovated the class structure toward a more collectivized and egalitarian mode."

None of this is now mentioned, as James Cason ironically talks about Cuban "democracy" on International Human Rights Day.

"Official statistics, backed by United Nations specialists working here, illustrate the transformation that has taken place," Reuters reported from Havana for the London Times on Dec. 30, 1983 ( http://www.geocities.com/youth4sa/siegel1.html ). "The average life expectancy of a Cuban born in the 1950s was around 50 compared with 75 today, while infant mortality has been slashed from about 60 per 1000 births to 16." Castro’s "revolutionary government set about providing access to education and health care for all," writes Hannah Caller. ( http://www.ratb.org.uk/frfi/158_healthcare.html )"In 1984, the family doctor program was set up and primary health care and community health promotion declared as priority targets."

Compare this with "democratic" Iraq. "Since the US military invasion and occupation of Iraq, Iraq’s health care system has deteriorated as a result of deliberate destruction by the US administration. The most vulnerable victims of this destruction are the Iraqi children, particularly children under the age of five," writes Ghali Hassan. ( http://www.uruknet.info/?p=7731 ) A recent UNICEF report shows that, "[b]efore 1990 and the imposition of sanctions, Iraq had one of the highest standards of living in the Middle East." Now UNICEF reports, "at least 200 children are dying every day. They are dying from malnutrition, a lack of clean water and a lack of medical equipment and drugs to cure easily treatable diseases."

In short, "democracy," Bush style, translates into more death, disease, privation, misery—except, of course, for corporations such as Halliburton.

In May, 2002, Under Secretary of State, John Bolton, gave a speech at the neocon "think tank," the Heritage Foundation, entitled "Beyond the Axis of Evil." ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1971852.stm ) Said Bolton, "[Cuba] has at least a limited offensive biological warfare research and development effort [and has] provided dual-use technology to other rogue states." In other words, Cuba is now on the list of countries Bush wants to "liberate," that is reduce to ruin and then "privatize."