HISTORICALLY ADVERSARIES HAVE TURNED INTO FRIENDS TO REBUILD NATIONS -- CUBA SHOULD DO THE SAME

     Through the history books, we can find hundreds of instances in which adversaries have learned to join forces in order to heal the wounds of war or forget political differences so that their respective nations can be rebuilt.

      From 1861 to 1865, during the American Civil War between the Union Government and 11 Southern Confederate states, over 600,000 Americans died on both sides. Yet, in April 1865 as General Ulysses S. Grant and the Union Army pursued General Robert E. Lee’s men to Appomattox Court House, Virginia, General Lee recognized that further bloodshed would not alter the outcome of the war and he laid down the flag of surrender. Following this bloodiest war in American history, both heroic generals, as well as men and women from both sides, worked together to make possible the great democratic nation that we are proud to live in today.

     On Nov. 17, 2006, in response to an invitation by Vietnamese State President Nguyen Minh Triet, President George W. Bush arrived in Hanoi to ease the bitter memories of the war that the United States had waged with this Asian country decades ago. "History has a long march to it," Bush said when asked how he felt about being hosted by a former U.S. enemy. "Societies change, and relationships can constantly be altered to the good." The President said he fully understood Vietnam's heart-breaking past caused by the United States and was moved to know that its leaders had put aside the past and looked forward to the future.

     Cuba will not be an exception. After the Castro brothers disappear from Cuba’s political landscape, Cubans from both inside and outside the island, will learn to embrace each other again and work together to build a truly democratic and free nation. We are convinced that the time of dictatorship in Cuba is coming to an end. The Cuban people cannot suffer more misery, violations of their human rights and sacrifices imposed first by Fidel and now by Raul. There should be no succession after Fidel Castro, no cosmetic changes of a totalitarian system after he is gone, but rather, without bloodshed or violence, there should be a genuine return of Cuba to the family of world democracies. We are certain that there are many men and women within the armed forces of Cuba that would very much like to place the Castro brothers on a Cubana Airline plane for a no return trip to the People's Republic of China... or Russia. The brothers must go because as long as they remain in power there will be no solution to the long Cuban tragedy. And when they are gone, we all must review and learn from the lessons of democratic and economic transition implemented in Eastern Europe and apply them to CUBA’S REBIRTH.