The balancing act of diplomacy
The U.S. has sanctioned Cuba longer than any other country in American diplomatic history. Despite a decades-long blockade, measurable results are scant. The U.S. has expended an incredible amount of resources to change Cuba, but Cuba has hardly budged.
There are many motives behind the U.S. embargo of Cuba. Some are ideological, others simply emotional. But none of them are practical. After 60 years of little success, it may be time to give practicality a chance.
That's what the Obama administration thought anyway. Five years ago this month, the U.S. began to restore diplomatic relations with the Cuban government. But the détente was cut short: the Trump administration rolled back nearly every policy from the Obama era.
In a recent op-ed in the Miami Herald, former Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis reviews his time leading the U.S. embassy in Cuba. He recounts the victories of diplomatic engagement and warns against the perils of hostility. I am a fan of DeLaurentis because he carefully threads the needle on U.S.-Cuban diplomacy. He is both highly principled and refreshingly practical, which requires balancing many competing interests. From my point of view, some of those competing interests include:
Challenging the U.S. approach without weakening its bold call for basic human rights in Cuba.
Supporting the Cuban people in their unique political culture without overlooking the failings and abuses of the Cuban system of government.
Engaging willingly while maintaining high expectations for the other side.
Looking to the future without condoning the past.
The Trump administration has made its stance clear: it will increase sanctions and decrease diplomatic engagement until certain conditions are met. Cuba will respond to ultimatums as it always has—with intransigence. I hope that in the future, perhaps after November, we see a return to practicality in America's diplomatic approach to Cuba. Meanwhile, I highly recommend giving Ambassador DeLaurentis' op-ed a read:
Five years later, diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba are a mess
By Jeffrey DeLaurentis
Five years ago, on July 1, I walked into the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs and exchanged letters with my Cuban counterpart from our respective heads of state, setting in motion the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Havana and Washington. A heavy page was turned, weighted down by 55 years of pain, suffering, regrets and recriminations.
A new chapter in relations had begun — or so I thought. Read more...