Sen Bob Menendez D-NJ) Slams Naive Barack Obama on Cuba … “Fallacy to Believe Cuba Will Reform Because an American President Opens His Hands & the Castro Brothers Will Suddenly Unclench Their Fists”

BARACK OBAMA: THE NAIVE, UNICORN RIDING COMMANDER IN CHIEF

Democrat  New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, a Cuban-American whose parents immigrated to Union City, NJ in the 1950s, blasted President Barack Obama’s motions toward normalization of relations with Raul and Fidel Castro’s government in Cuba. Menedez saidhe was disappointed in the president and “I think it stinks”.Menedez was also none too happy that the Obama administration had been negotiating with Cuba for more than a year and he was never consulted.

“I think it stinks,” Menendez, the son of Cuban immigrants and the outgoing Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, said at a press conference on new financial help for Hurricane Sandy residents. “I think it’s wrong. I am deeply disappointed in the president.”

Angry over Obama’s failure to consult him on the talks involving Cuba, which lasted more than a year, Menendez said he would not approve easing the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba, which can only be done by Congress, and called on the incoming chairman of the committee, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) to hold hearings when the new Congress convenes in January.

Sen. Menendez: One-sided deal rewards Cuba regime:

By releasing Mr. Gross in exchange for three convicted Cuban spies who conspired to commit espionage against our nation, this administration has wrongly rewarded a totalitarian regime and thrown the Cuban regime an economic lifeline.

For compromising on bedrock U.S. values, we received zero commitments from the regime to change its ways, to hold free elections, permit dissent, halt censorship and free all political prisoners. We abandoned U.S. policy, while the Castro brothers’ stranglehold on power just got tighter.

This swap sets an extremely dangerous precedent and invites dictatorial and rogue regimes to use Americans serving overseas as bargaining chips.

Most concerning is that the decision to open relations with Cuba fails to understand the nature of the Castro regime that has exerted its authoritarian control over the Cuban people for 55 years.

There is no reason that Cuba will reform just because the American president believes that, if he extends his hand in peace, the Castro brothers will suddenly unclench their fists.