Obama: A Whirlwind of Ideas and Unfulfilled Promises

It is not a matter of undermining the current president’s credibility but rather of putting on the table some of the things that he promised when he became the forty-fourth occupant of the White House.

To take only three examples: the closing of the prison at Guantánamo, authorized in an executive order by Obama on his second day at work, the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and aid to people in poor countries.

After two months and a day in the Oval Office, the news could not be more discouraging for those who believed in his ideas.

Just this week, an article in Democracy Now stated that the White House had abandoned its plans to close Guantanamo prison. This was in agreement with statements made by “administration officials” who said they “do not expect to secure congressional funding to close the prison and transfer remaining prisoners to the United States . . . Gitmo is going to remain open for the foreseeable future.”

Sitting at his desk in the Oval Office, Obama signed two orders: one that prohibited torture and cruel treatment during the interrogation and imprisonment of criminals, and a second that created a work group to draw up recommendations about the matter. Can you believe this?

Not even to mention his fight against terrorism. The U.S. policy speaks volumes: a double standard. Like the phrase coined years ago in Cuba: “Do as I say, not as I do,” designed to expose those who use misleading language derived from the “ethics” of lying.

The United States has included Cuba in their list of countries that support terrorism. There is no other way to refute this degrading statement than to write in capital letters that IT IS COMPLETELY FALSE.

Barack Obama has not said a word about his government’s position on the trial of Luis Posada Carriles, a genuine international terrorist who enjoys his freedom in the United States, while five Cuban men who are truly fighting against terrorism are kept in North American prisons.

A few hours ago, Ricardo Alarcón, the president of Cuba’s parliament, sent a message to the participants in the IV International Colloquium calling on Obama to order the immediate and unconditional release of the five [Cuban prisoners].

“This demand must be pursued relentlessly, day and night,” said Alarcón, adding that the growing wave of solidarity may have an effect on the conscience of the president of the United States until he is forced to correct this injustice.

Finally, there is Obama’s famous thought expressed at his inauguration:

“To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world´s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.”

Obama’s meeting in Seoul, against the background of the currency war, could not have been more discouraging. I quote from an article by Fidel Castro Ruz published on Nov. 14 under the title: “The G-20, APEC and the Extreme Unction of Credibility.”

“More than enough reasons for Obama to visit the statue of the Great Buddha of Kamakura, now that the fascist right-wing is rapidly gaining ground in the Europe of reformist trends, including Sweden, and in Yankee consumer society too many people are unaware of almost everything, and they believe that social justice, health, education, solidarity and peace are Communist ideas.”

In his inaugural speech on Jan. 20, 2009, Obama made many promises that have stirred up a whirlwind: an abundance of things occurring at the same time that produces a sensation of confusion or dizziness from which one cannot escape. Amid so many unfulfilled promises this reinforces a lack of credibility in public opinion.