Viewed in isolation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress last week was masterful. It projected superficial respect for President Obama (if you overlook his trashing the negotiation process to date and speaking to Congress in the midst of the Iranian talks) and expressed appreciation for everything the Obama Administration has done in Israel's …
Continue reading Iran – another “red line” in Obama foreign policy?
The Republicans may be in a snit about President Obama's initiative on Cuba, but polls show that 55-60 percent of Americans favor his efforts to create a new beginning in our relationship. And that makes sense. But normalization won't happen quickly. Since 2009, scholars in both countries have been exploring ways to normalize relations. Some call …
Continue reading Cuban impressions, pt. 5 – Normalizing U.S. / Cuban relations
As I process my brief experience in Cuba, I am left with many questions, especially about the Cuban health care system and the status of religion. Mostly, I can convey what we were told by guides and academics. I pass this along without the benefit of direct experience. Health care: Periodically the international media have covered the …
Continue reading Cuban impressions, pt. 4 – health care and religion, how much is spin?
Sports is a hot topic in Cuba. In Havana's central park, there's a "hot corner," not unlike Hyde Park in London. But, instead of debating politics, the participants are intensely arguing about baseball, and the minutiae of each game. Why did the favored Industriales lose to Pinar del Rio? With men in the street, my Red Sox cap, despite my …
Continue reading Impressions of Cuba, pt. 3 – sports and the arts are signatures
The end of the U.S. embargo of Cuba is long overdue. It serves no purpose today. The goal was to bring Fidel Castro to his knees, but it hasn't worked for 55 years. Now the torch has been passed to his brother, Raul, perceived both in the United States and in Cuba to be a pragmatist. His …
Continue reading Impressions of Cuba, pt. 2 – Cuban embargo is just one problem
As Sun Country's flight 8830 touched down in Havana the morning of February 25th, the flight attendant announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to Havana." A cheer went up, people clapped, and some eyes misted over. It was an inexplicably emotional moment, but it speaks to the fact that Cuba and the United States, just a 49-minute flight separating …
Continue reading Impressions of Cuba, pt. 1- life in a time warp
Forty years ago, Italian postal workers faced a backlog of 20 million pieces of mail following a series of strikes. Unlike London, which faced a similar problem and simply took a couple of weeks to eliminate the backlog, the Italians burned some of the letters, sold off others for pulp and dumped others into the …
Continue reading Backlog of complaints? Hit the delete button!
Will Marty Walsh become the next Michael Bilandic? Bilandic was the first Chicago Mayor to try to fill the large shoes left when Mayor-for-life Richard Daley died in 1976. Walsh, of course, replaced our own Mayor-for-Life, Tom Menino and is working to make the job his own. Bilandic's first challenges were negotiating the shoals of …
Continue reading Will Marty Walsh become another Michael Bilandic?
Bob Simon was the kind of journalist whom Brian Williams could only dream of being. There was no finer writer or story teller, no more courageous correspondent, no better example of the highest achievements of reporting, than Simon, described by so many in the last few days as a giant of broadcast journalism. In today's world of …
In Mumbai, train service was once so slow passengers rioted and burned train stations. In Bangkok, a one-way commute can take four hours. Manila's public transport relies on Jeepneys, modeled on WW II jeeps and hazardous to passenger comfort and safety. But the performance of the MBTA of late shows Greater Boston has the best Third World transit system …
Continue reading T troubles from the can kicked down the road
Marjorie Arons-Barron 