19 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

If the Wiki Leaks diplomatic cables related to Thailand illustrated anything it was more about observation, analysis of intel and events which would inform positions and responses.

 

I don't remember reading any cables about meddling in anything? I did not read all the cables.

 

https://search.wikileaks.org/plusd/?qproject[]=ps&qproject[]=cc&qproject[]=fp&qproject[]=ee&qproject[]=cg&q=Thailand#result

Thx for Wiki link.  I took a quick look.  Sorting the data shows the most recent articles as 2010.

I am no political expert, hold no US national security clearances, and cannot tie complicated knots so take this with as much salt as is warranted;

 

Its easy I guess if you grew up on a steady diet of 'US AND THEM' movies. music, tv, media, and a national narrative to suspect nefarious intent even in the most benign and humanitarian of outreach.

If all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.

 

The US and my home nation Australia gave free election-observers in the Thai elections as part of the UN initiative to support freedom of all peoples.

One can, if one is so inclined, to say this is part of a plan to control the other, on some levels this has a degree of credence.

 

Wanting peace (however hypocritical this may seem on face value) and promoting relationships through 'help' is not at all strange to do. The short circuit between help and interference is a fine line it seems given man's inability to maintain his integrity in his altruistic intentions.  

 

Withstanding this existential truth and looking squarely at historical fact, not interpretation and convenient censorship, but facts the following is true.

 

The US and other powerful players on the world stage since the beginnings of European colonial expansion in the 1500's beginning with the e.g. Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, relational connections (both overt and covert) had from humanitarian aid with no-strings attached shared expressions of compassion and humanity to genocide, to the raping whole continents, assassination (individually, directly and through third parties) of those they dislike ideologically and the overthrowing of foreign governments and everything in between. 

 

I find the relationship with Cuba particularly inane, indigent, hateful, and adversarial.

It would seem to me to be of great benefit to embrace an open and accepting relationship with Communist Cuba rather than cling to war-like memories and policies that was relevant in the 60's.

 

The Cuban issue seems nothing like that of say North Korea (which is a dangerous one) as since the Missile Crisis of Kennedy's tenure posed zero threat to the US, other than that of a convenient US and THEM labelling. 

 

Acknowledging and honouring the Cuban system of agrarian collective lifestyle and not seemingly needing to oppose and describe same as backward, oppressive etc doesn't help detente. 

 

The interstellar levels of hypocrisy in US rhetoric is plain to see with the oppression, open persecution, and oppression of segments of their own citizenry being well known to all who are reasonably read, think critically, hold a healthy level of scepticism. Those who listen to a balanced, wide ranging, and dare I say sane commentary that is. 

 

We now see the Chinese (as very long term strategic as they are) making overtures towards Cuba. As they have in Thailand.

If the USA had an open trading and non-embargo (which could be described as a spiteful, resentment driven, punitive and nasty non military waging of war against Cuba) then would this have ever arisen?

If this were not policy, a policy I believe driven by a national paranoia and xenophobia then perhaps there would be no need to entertain the money that China offers here on elsewhere.

 

It would seem real that whatever is given is rarely free, rarely without some degree of agenda. This is also an existential truth whether it be in one to one relationships or between nations.

 

Edited June 29, 20233 yr by Tropposurfer