Fidel Castro’s recent illness reminds us that no matter how this particular health crisis turns out, before long the Castro dictatorship in Cuba will be over. Its end will be a tremendous opportunity for a rebirth of freedom and justice there. But when the Bush administration sticks its nose in, I fear they’re going to blow this opportunity. Hold on, Fidel! Just a little longer!
This administration has screwed things up so badly in so many places that even a good idea is poisoned by their support.
The problem is that the Bush administration so thoroughly exhausted its credibility by insulting old allies and mishandling Iraq that countries do not want to be seen as kowtowing to Bush’s Cuba policy, even when his administration makes proposals that are eminently sensible.
Remember the Axis of Evil?
Nearly five years after President Bush introduced the concept of an “axis of evil” comprising Iraq, Iran and North Korea, the administration has reached a crisis point with each nation: North Korea has claimed it conducted its first nuclear test, Iran refuses to halt its uranium-enrichment program, and Iraq appears to be tipping into a civil war 3 1/2 years after the U.S.-led invasion.
Each problem appears to feed on the others, making the stakes higher and requiring Bush and his advisers to make difficult calculations, analysts and U.S. officials said. The deteriorating situation in Iraq has undermined U.S. diplomatic credibility and limited the administration’s military options, making rogue countries increasingly confident that they can act without serious consequences. Iran, meanwhile, will be watching closely the diplomatic fallout from North Korea’s apparent test as a clue to how far it might go with its own nuclear program.
Heckuva job, Bushie.
Bush and the rubber-stamp Republicans in Congress say only they can keep America safe. But, honestly — could Bush do a worse job if he were actively trying to fail?
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