Obama Administration and Dissidents, Pt. 2

Last week, an article in The Daily Caller revealed how Cuban dissidents feel snubbed by the Obama Administration -- in particular by the U.S. Interests Section in Havana.

This week, there have been two thoughtful suggestions in follow-up columns.

One by Guillermo Martinez in the Sun-Sentinel:

Now it is obvious that Obama has decided to ignore the 1996 act of Congress. The House Foreign Relations Committee, headed by Ros-Lehtinen, should subpoena Farrar and other State Department officials and ask them under oath why they have decided to ignore and mistreat dissidents in the island.

And another by Rick Robinson also in The Daily Caller:

When Barack Obama was running for president, he stated that his policy towards Cuba would be guided by one word — "libertad." While stumping for votes in southern Florida he said, "The road to freedom for all Cubans must begin with justice for Cuba's political prisoners, the right of free speech, a free press, freedom of assembly, and it must lead to elections that are free and fair."

It is unclear how Obama's decision to appease Castro at the expense of those most needing his support meets his goal of supporting "libertad" [...]

President Obama needs to dust off that tough guy campaign speech and give it at the Southernmost Point in Key West. He should point to the island 90 miles away and demand freedom for political prisoners. Call for free and fair elections. Let Castro know that nothing will change in relations with the United States until people under his grip are free to simply assemble and speak openly.