Staff Reports
What is one to make of President Joe Biden’s latest act of leniency towards the Castro regime? In a move that has left many scratching their heads, Biden announced the removal of Cuba from the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. It seems the standard for such a designation has been dropped to an impressive six-month clean slate—just enough time for the administration to ignore decades of history.
Cuba had been quite the fixture on that notorious list since 1982, it’s practically a family member by now. However, under the fleeting influence of former President Barack Obama’s administration—which Biden lauds—Cuba had a brief hiatus from 2015 to 2021. This lapse, heralded as a chance for peace and engagement, instead emboldened a regime notorious for heavy-handed oppression. Reports indicate it didn’t just sit idly; Cuba was busy forging ever-deeper connections with terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, which is essentially like inviting a pack of wolves into your sheep pen and expecting them to keep the peace.
President Trump, recognizing the danger posed by those connections, restored Cuba’s rogue status in 2021 after enduring policies that can only be described as naive. His reasoning? A country that plays footsie with jihadists, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), shouldn’t be getting a free pass, especially when that very same regime has done nothing to reassure the world it has shed its relationship with terror.
Sanctions and diplomatic limitations follow that grim “state sponsor of terrorism” label. These restrictions—such as bans on military exports and certain financial transactions—serve as a deterrent for countries that are cozying up to global terror networks. Yet, here stands Biden, waving a magic wand and proclaiming that Cuba won’t be supporting terrorism again, as if penmanship on a piece of paper could change decades of terrorist collaboration.
The timing of Biden’s decision screams irony louder than a malfunctioning air horn. Chosen right before Trump’s anticipated second inauguration and mere days ahead of Senator Marco Rubio’s confirmation hearing for Secretary of State, this decision isn’t just a bold choice; it’s a final flourish of defiance to conservative policies. Reports indicate that significant pushback has existed, notably assisted by the Vatican, which has shown more than a casual interest in bolstering the Castro regime rather than aiding its many victims.
🚨BREAKING: Biden Removes Pro-Hamas, Hezbollah-Tied Cuba from State Sponsor of Terror List
Cuba this week joined South Africa's case against Israel at the ICJ, accusing it of genocide.
I hope Trump and Rubio reverse this decision as soon as they get in!https://t.co/lmM5yYBW81
— Shelley G (@ShelleyGldschmt) January 14, 2025
Cuba’s well-documented ties to Iran, especially in light of recent events, are also troubling. After the terror attacks in Israel, the regime’s quick leap to support groups like Hamas and hostility toward Israel raises serious questions. Cuba has a history of intelligence-sharing with Hamas and has shown a pattern of veiled aggression toward the West, which paints a far bleaker picture than Biden’s assertions would have one believe.
With President Trump set to take the helm once more, one can only hope that he will swiftly correct this misguided notion that Cuba somehow deserves a clean slate. The stakes are high, and the implications of such leniency could ripple dangerously, further elevating a regime that has proven itself to be both reckless and unrepentant.
