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Open diplomatic door to a new U.S. policy on Cuba, 12/20

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published December 20, 2006

I'm a lifelong Republican who has been thoroughly embarrassed by my party's stand on Cuba policy regarding normalization of relations. I am so frustrated with the many years of hurtful rhetoric by self-serving politicians and the many lives that have been torn apart by this policy. Cuban diplomat Oscar Espinosa isn't the only one who thinks "it's absurd what the Americans are doing." Cuban Defense Minister Raul Castro is attempting to start some sort of dialogue. Maybe he's sincere, maybe he's not. But for the State Department to reject his overtures by insisting Cuba embrace democracy first is absurd. How many other communist countries have we held talks with that haven't embraced democracy?

Americans are tired of the politicians who stick out their chests proudly proclaiming they'll stick with their failed policies until hell freezes over. Does the current situation in Iraq ring a bell? You don't force democracy on a country. It has to be achieved from within.

I commend the congressional delegation that just returned from an exploratory trip to Cuba for making an effort. Some politicians are starting to get the message. The American people want change in the Cuba policy. The door is ajar. It's time to walk through. Enough with the rhetoric already! Get on with the negotiations!

J. Larry McElveen, Safety Harbor

Senators are right to get involved 

Four letters critical of Sen. Bill Nelson's visit to Syria appeared in the Dec. 16 St. Petersburg Times. Yet an Associated Press story on the same date indicated that 26-year veteran Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania also plans to visit Syria. Others are planning to follow. It is good to see senators from both parties are finally taking seriously their oversight responsibilities with regard to the conduct of U.S. foreign policy.

For far too long the Senate has accepted without much question the secrecy, distortions and ineptitudes of the administration in its dealings with other nations. If the Senate is to effectively exercise its watchdog responsibilities over our foreign relations, it has little choice but to take a firsthand look at the individuals and conditions impacting these relations.

These trips are not mere "showboating" but, as Sen. Specter noted, "Lawmakers could conduct fact-finding trips that could help inform discussions and still leave foreign policy negotiations up to the White House."

Don Hehir, Tampa

Nelson's leadership

I was irritated (but not surprised) to see all the negative letters on Saturday's opinion page about Bill Nelson's trip to Syria. I congratulate Sen. Nelson for being a man of conviction and courage.

This country has to engage in dialogue with all the players in that region of the world to bring about a successful conclusion to the war. We all learned in grade school that you sometimes have to deal with people who are different from you, or that you don't really like.

The Iraq Study Group has made 79 recommendations on what to do in Iraq. Dialogue with Syria and Iran is one of them. The group made its recommendations a few weeks ago. Since then the Bush administration has dithered around and offered no leadership.

Bill Nelson has shown leadership for trying to speed up the process toward peace. I wish more of the people representing us in Washington would do the same. It takes courage.

Jeff Cutting, Seminole

15 Serbs face questions about past Dec. 13, story

Leave Serbs alone

Our Department of Homeland Security has decided that the best way to keep America safe is by arresting 15 Christian Serbs from St. Petersburg. But the last time I checked, no Serb has ever flown a jetliner into an American building or decapitated or mutilated an American soldier or Western journalist.

When is the United States going to realize that the Serbs are not their enemies? The Serbs have never harmed a single American citizen or soldier despite 10 years of past economic sanctions on Serbia, 78 days of NATO bombing, and the continued destruction by Albanian Muslim terrorists of ancient Serbian churches, monasteries and shrines in Kosovo.

I suggest Homeland Security focus its attentions on capturing Osama bin Laden and his operatives before they conduct another terrorist attack here in the United States and leave alone insignificant Serbian refugees who have done nothing to America but come to this country and work hard to pursue the American dream.

Aleksandar Petrovic, Odessa

Looking to get a pet? Go to a shelter Dec. 17, letter

Wait to adopt

I agree with the letter writer who suggested adopting animals from a shelter, versus a pet store, due to their use of puppy mills. However, the holidays are not the time to adopt any pet.

People are too busy and there are many items around that are dangerous to animals, young and old, who have a new environment. For a successful adoption, the owner and animal need time to bond, train and play, free from the hectic pace of the holidays.

If more people waited until after Christmas to get a pet, perhaps fewer animals would be dropped off at the shelters after the holidays are over.

Joyce Lindsey, Tarpon Springs

"Grouper" is on everyone's lips Dec. 8, story

A matter of taste

With all the publicity concerning whether restaurants are really serving grouper instead of some less expensive fish, it should be obvious that average customers cannot tell grouper from anything else served to them. They are just ordering the "name" and not the taste.

If they cannot tell the difference, then what difference does it make? Just serve them the cheaper fish. The customer will be happy, the restaurant is satisfied, and it will surely help our grouper population.

David S. Swan Jr., Clearwater

Florida was missing

On Friday, the largest congressional delegation in recent years arrived in Havana to push for an end to more than 40 years of hostility between Cuba and the United States.

There was not a single member from Florida, a state only 90 miles away, which would stand to benefit the most from an end to a failed and flawed U.S. policy. Christians and Jews in Florida should be ashamed of Sen. Bill Nelson's political showboating in Syria when our only ally in the Mideast is Israel.

Both Sens. Nelson and Mel Martinez should have been in Cuba! A huge economic boom to the Port of Tampa and the state of Florida is at stake!

Roderic A. Johnson, St. Pete Beach

[Last modified December 20, 2006, 01:28:00]