More Obama Delusion. As Obama Cozies Up to Communist Cuba, Crackdown on Democracy Activists Increases

New crackdown is the very opposite of what Obama intended by opening relations with Cuba!

Remember apartheid South Africa? The left insisted that the only way to change the regime that segregated blacks from society was to impose ironclad economic sanctions. Leftists lobbied to have institutions disinvest from companies that did business in South Africa and insisted on federal legislation to put in place a total ban on trade.

Similar efforts were aimed at changing the repression of the Cuban people through decades of aU.S. economic boycott of Cuba. Until Obama decided to change tactics. He insisted that the best way to get Cuba to be more respectful of human rights was to open economic and political ties.

In a White House document titled "Charting a New Course on Cuba," which states: "a critical focus of these actions will include continued strong support for improved human rights conditions and democratic reforms in Cuba."

Just one problem. Since Obama announced this new policy human rights in Cuba have gotten worse not better. The Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami documented 178 political detentions in January, 492 in February and 610 in March. In 2014 there were four times as many detentions than there were in 2010 according to the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation.

And after earlier insisting that there would be "no formal bilateral meeting" between Obama and Castro at the Summit of the Americas in Panama, the two leaders did find time for a formal photo op. All smiles!

Obama and Castro in Panama. But don't call it a "formal" meeting.
Obama isn't this happy meeting with Congressional Democrats let alone Republicans!

Once again, Obama believes he can change decades of hardened brutality towards the Cuban people by the Communist regime with a smile. It's as delusional and immoral as thinking that the Iranian government really wants normalization with the West more than a nuclear weapon.

While Obama pats himself on the back it will be the little people of Cuba who will pay. Those who dared to ask for the right of free expression or free communications will continue to be beaten and oppressed. Here's just a sample of the Castro-Communist handiwork since 2012:

warning, graphic image: