Friends of jailed
USAID contractor Alan Gross who are pulling for his release want the Obama
Administration to consider negotiating for his release, perhaps with some
concessions regarding the Cuban Five that would fall short of a five-for-one
swap.
That message emerged
after Gross used his weekly phone call to speak with Washington-area Jewish
leaders. See stories from the Jewish
Telegraphic Agency and the Baltimore
Sun.
The Administration continues
to assert that Gross’ arrest and conviction were unfounded, the Cuban legal
system is a sham, he should be released unconditionally, and there will be no
negotiation because his activities in Cuba and those of the Cuban agents here
are not comparable.
Ronald Halber of
Washington’s Jewish Community Relations Council says the Administration should act
in our “national interest.” He is starting a good debate; even if one buys
all the Administration’s arguments, it’s hard to see how its position helps get
Mr. Gross out of jail.
Meanwhile, the Jewish
Exponent reports on the visit to the United States of Mayra Levy, head of
Havana’s Sephardic synagogue, who encourages American Jews to visit. From the story: “Levy said the
community received Gross warmly. ‘But he broke the Cuban laws,’ she said,
adding that members of the community visit Gross from time to time.”
The obvious solution is not a one for five swap but a more even one, say five or seven for five where the imprisoned Alan Gross and CIA agents and political prisoners are exchanged for the five Cuban spies.
ReplyDeleteThe Obama administration's problem is how and when to do it so that it would have the most beneficial effect on the November Presidential election.
The problem is that the swaps that free Gross and benefits the Jewish vote run the danger of hurting the Cuban American vote in the crucial swing state of Florida.
One should not put too much weight on State Dept. press releases stating that no swap is possible.
There are probable back channel negotiations going on as we speak.
The most probable time frame for the announcement of an agreement would be in MHO two or three months before the November election.
A possible solution would be a two stage swap with a more favorable swap for the US before elections followed by a Presidential Amnesty and deportation for several Cuban spies after November.
That way the administration could get Jewish electoral vote credit for Gross's return and avoid Cuban American vote loss.
A continuation of the status quo till November would be very harmful for Obama's reelection.
Jewish activists in the US should press for a rapid practical viable solution.
Cantaclaro