So, as you probably know America is stopping all fuel from reaching Cuba. They’ll be out in days. Tomorrow the jet fuel runs out, so no more international flights.
But the real issue is that no fuel means no diesel tractors, no distribution of food, not enough refridgeration: in a word, famine.
This is deliberate US policy. Mexico has a sent a couple of ships full of food with a military escort, but that’s irrelevant: without fuel the food will not get where it needs to go and cannot be preserved. She doesn’t have the guts to send oil, which is understandable.
This is the problem with the fall of the USSR. No one these days has the balls, desire and ability to stand up to the US when it pulls shit like this. Russia’s busy and a lot weaker than it used to be, plus they’re basically just off-brand capitalists now, China doesn’t care and doesn’t have a navy with enough projection power yet, and the EU are spineless (that may be changing somewhat, but not fast enough.) Everyone else is too weak and too scared.
An international convoy system, with each convoy guarded by military ships from multiple countries might work, but I see no sign anyone is even talking about it, let alone organizing.
So Cubans will starve if Trump keeps this up and Cuba doesn’t capitulate and let America choose its government.
This is a direct result of Trump getting away with his naval blockade on Venezuela: in that case not letting them send oil out. No one did anything to stop America or to even impose a cost, so on to Cuba.
China could simply cut off all access to some key manufactured goods like magnets or any of hundreds of other goods where they’re the only supplier, including goods that the US has to have to make weapons. But this doesn’t really matter to them, so they aren’t. Or a coalition of other countries could all sanction the US at the same time, but again, no.
Perhaps your question is “why should they?”
I’m glad you asked, imaginary but helpful reader.
Because Trump started with Venezuela, then went to Cuba. Who will he go to next? There are four strategies for dealing with bullies:
- Join them and beat up their victims. (We’ll call this the NATO strategy.) If you help them, and kiss their ass enough, maybe they won’t attack you. Works surprisingly well, until it doesn’t. Ask Denmark about that. Or Canada. Or, well, the EU as a whole.
- Fight back. If you’re too weak, get together with your friends. Even if you lose, make them hurt. And you might win (Vietnam says “Hi! America still cringes every time they hear our name!”)
- Scurry like rats into corners and hope they don’t pick you as their next victim.
- Ignore them if you’re as strong or stronger than them. Bullies only attack those weaker than them. You aren’t. Who cares who they beat up as long as it isn’t you?
Most of the world is picking #3: “scurry like rats!” China isn’t, they’re picking #4 “Who cares if they beat someone else up, they can’t do it to us!”
There’s a lot to be said for #4, as long as you’re sure you’ll never be weaker than the bully (a safe bet for China right now) and don’t give a damn about anybody but yourself.
But #3, “scurry like rats, hoping you aren’t the next victim” is stupid. Each successful victimization just whets the bully’s appetite and the more cowardice he sees, the more he pushes people around. Victims multiply.
Don’t want America, under Trump or another President to revisit the Greenland situation with an amphibious assault one fine morning?
Send those convoys to Cuba or find some other way to hurt America in general and Trump in specific. Not because you care about Cubans or, heck, human welfare. Gaza has revealed you don’t give a shit. But because you’re protecting yourself by protecting others, setting the precedent that the powerful can’t just pick you off one by one.
But that would require statesmen with guts, wouldn’t it?
Ain’t none of them in the EU with any power.
So I guess the Cubans will starve, just like the Palestinians, in a 100% manmade famine which the US either caused (Cuba) or which couldn’t have happened without American assistance (Palestine.)
Remember, the Athenians in the Melian dialogue were right “The powerful do what they will, the weak suffer what they must” but so were the Melians when they pointed out that with every atrocity the Athenians were alienating others, and that they, too, would suffer.
This site is only viable due to reader donations. If you value it and can, please subscribe or donate.