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I wasn’t surprised to hear that Cuban television ran the President Bush speech given at the State Department on Wednesday (Oct. 25, 2007). Any person who has watched the ongoing and dynamic Cuban process (and read Progreso Weekly who has covered it) would understand that things are changing in Cuba and that the move, at least politically speaking, was a smart one.

The Miami Herald ran a six-column headline today (Oct. 26, 2007) which read: “Surprise! Cuba shows Bush speech on TV.” The article under the headline was written by Pablo Bachelet and Frances Robles.

If you read the report carefully you will note they term as “highly unusual” that the Bush speech was shown on Cuban television. “Veteran Cuba watchers,” they wrote, said the step surprised them.

I don’t believe the reporters were surprised that the Cubans, in the unusual move, showed a large segment of the Bush speech given at the State Department on Wednesday (October 24). Why should they be? Both Bachelet and Robles are astute reporters and for years have kept a keen eye on the U.S.-Cuba relationship. And Bush’s words on Wednesday were more of the same hegemonic nonsense we should be used to by now. So the fact that the Cubans did show Bush spewing vile threats on TV was not surprising. Politically speaking, it was a smart move.

No self-respecting Cuban would ever accept Bush’s approach, his delivery and, most definitely, his message. Or has King George (I am of the belief that he’d love to be crowned king and vice president Cheney would appreciate it even more) forgotten that the Platt Amendment (which held Cuba under the U.S. boot for three decades) was derogated in 1934?

Sadly, but to be expected in part, is that those most responsible for the president’s remarks were born in Cuba – people like our members of Congress, several Miami radio personalities, and a few business executives. Their names were reported in The Miami Herald. I say sadly although I recognize that there will always by “Plattistas” amongst our ranks…

Bush and those closest to him continue to demonstrate a total disregard for the foundations this country was built on. They keep pushing the envelope in terms of breaking the law and placing this country on a slippery slope towards unknown territory.

Finally, I find most interesting that still today people expect Bush to take a step back and rethink his approach. I don’t; this man and his cadre of neo-cons have little respect for anything, unless it is for their own good (mostly their pockets). And that goes for his Cuban advisers.

Alvaro F. Fernandez