Alan Gross's Family Asks the Pope for Help

In the short term, the only way for Alan Gross to be released is for both the US and Cuba to indicate to the Pope that they would respond positively to an appeal on his part that Alan and the Cuban Five be released for humanitarian reasons.

Neither government believes that its agent or agents were doing wrong or were treated fairly.

The bottom line is that the US feels it has the right to intervene in Cuba and other countries if it disagrees with their political systems, in this case to create an independent satellite linked encryptable internet node that was accessible to anyone in the vicinity, not just the announced recipients in the Jewish community.

In the case of Cuba the presumption of a right to intervene is a problem that has plagued our relationship for more than a century and is exacerbated by the agenda of exiles.

Judy Gross and her lawyer have unfortunately linked her husband’s fate to supporting US policy and spin rather than challenging it. They ignore the lesson of Gilad Shalit’s case where the pressure of his family and supporters on Israel’s government was responsible for his exchange in an even more asymmetric bargain than the Cubans want. http://thehavananote.com/2011/10/one_five

Alan will not win release by denial of the serious illegality of his actions under Cuban law, or for that matter under US law had he been an unregistered agent of a hostile foreign power operating covertly here.

John McAuliff
Fund for Reconciliation and Development

2 thoughts on “Alan Gross’s Family Asks the Pope for Help”

Lindsey

March 15, 2012 at 11:10 am

Please tell Pope Benedict XVI to help Free Alan Gross by signing the official petition here: http://www.freealangrossnow.com.
John McAuliff

March 9, 2012 at 12:59 pm

In the short term, the only way for Alan Gross to be released is for both the US and Cuba to indicate to the Pope that they would respond positively to an appeal on his part that Alan and the Cuban Five be released for humanitarian reasons.

Neither government believes that its agent or agents were doing wrong or were treated fairly.

The bottom line is that the US feels it has the right to intervene in Cuba and other countries if it disagrees with their political systems, in this case to create an independent satellite linked encryptable internet node that was accessible to anyone in the vicinity, not just the announced recipients in the Jewish community.

In the case of Cuba the presumption of a right to intervene is a problem that has plagued our relationship for more than a century and is exacerbated by the agenda of exiles.

Judy Gross and her lawyer have unfortunately linked her husband’s fate to supporting US policy and spin rather than challenging it. They ignore the lesson of Gilad Shalit’s case where the pressure of his family and supporters on Israel’s government was responsible for his exchange in an even more asymmetric bargain than the Cubans want. http://thehavananote.com/2011/10/one_five

Alan will not win release by denial of the serious illegality of his actions under Cuban law, or for that matter under US law had he been an unregistered agent of a hostile foreign power operating covertly here.

John McAuliff
Fund for Reconciliation and Development

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