5 THINGS AMERICA HAS LOST IN CUBA

Today the Obama administration raised the American flag above the U.S. embassy in Cuba. It is unclear what, if anything, the U.S. has won in exchange for normalizing relations with the Castro regime–one of the world’s most  oppressive tyrannies. It is clearer what we have lost.

1. We lost the struggle with Castro. The U.S. won the Cold War, but lost the battle against Fidel Castro, who sided with the Soviet Union and who has opposed the U.S. in Latin America and around the world. The ailing dictator will die knowing that he won, and America lost.

2. We lost an opportunity to free Cubans. Isolating Cuba failed because other countries retained links to the regime. But ties with the U.S. were always a bargaining chip to be offered in exchange for progress on human rights and democracy. Now that leverage is almost gone.

3. We lost an important deterrent against future enemies. From Russia to Iran, our enemies–who are often Cuba’s allies–tell each other America is too cowardly to fight for long. We confirmed that in Havana: every foe knows all they have to do is resist us for long enough.

4. We lost our self-respect. It is beyond stomach-churning to hear Secretary of State John Kerry say he feels “very much at home” in a place thousands cannot leave. It is beyond offensive to hear him talk about “GPS” in a country where people cannot even use the Internet.

5. We lost our place as leaders of the free world. Obama has helped consolidate the Cuban dictatorship–just as he is doing in Iran. We did not even invite Cuban dissidents to the ceremony, even as Kerry claimed “Cuba’s future is for Cubans to shape.” A shameful day.

Via: Breitbart

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State Department sets up 24-hour monitoring team for embassy crisis

The State Department has gone into full-blown crisis mode, organizing a round-the-clock effort to coordinate the U.S. government's response to the expanding attacks on U.S. embassies in the Middle East and North Africa.

"The State Department has stood up a 24-hr monitoring team to insure appropriate coordination of information and our response. In addition, our consular team is working with missions around the world to protect American citizens and issue appropriate public warden information," a senior State Department official told reporters Friday afternoon.

"We have been monitoring events in the Middle East and North Africa intensively today, and working with our personnel and missions overseas and host governments to strengthen security in all locations and to respond effectively where protests have turned violent," the official said.

The official noted that U.S. embassies in Libya and Yemen have been reinforced with Marine FAST teams and noted that other unspecified measures are being taken to strengthen embassy security around the region. The State Department is working with the governments in Tunisia and Sudan to increase security at the U.S. embassies there as well, the official said.

The U.S. Embassy in Tunis was breached by rioters who replaced the American flag with the black banner of al Qaeda. According to Tunisian state television, at least three Tunisians died when security forces open fire in an effort to disperse the crowd; another rioter was killed in Sudan, Reuters reported.

"The secretary, other department principals, and our ambassadors and charges in the field have been in constant contact with regional leaders, and we appreciate the many public statements that leaders have made in recent days condemning the attack in Benghazi, denouncing violence and calling for calm," the official said

Via: Foreign Policy

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Pentagon Denies Reports of No Live Ammo for Marines

A Marine spokesperson at the Pentagon denied reports that U.S. Marines defending the American embassy in Egypt were not permitted by the State Department to carry live ammunition in a statement to Fox News Thursday.

Pentagon Lt. Col. Chris Hughes told the outlet: “The ambassador and RSO (Regional Security Officer) have been completely and appropriately engaged with the security situation. No restrictions on weapons or weapons status have been imposed. This information comes from the Det Commander at AMEMB (American Embassy) Cairo.”

The statement came in response to open-source reporting that U.S. Marines defending the American embassy in Egypt were not permitted by the State Department to carry live ammunition.

Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson “did not permit U.S. Marine guards to carry live ammunition,” according to multiple reports on U.S. Marine Corps blogs spotted by Nightwatch. “She neutralized any U.S. military capability that was dedicated to preserve her life and protect the US Embassy.”

Time magazine’s Battleland blog also reported Thursday that “senior U.S. officials late Wednesday declined to discuss in detail the security at either Cairo or Benghazi, so answers may be slow in coming.”

If true, the reports indicate that Patterson shirked her obligation to protect U.S. interests, Nightwatch states.

“She did not defend U.S. sovereign territory and betrayed her oath of office,” the report states. “She neutered the Marines posted to defend the embassy, trusting the Egyptians over the Marines.”

Via: WFB

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