CUBA
One of the punitive measures the US Government uses to influence governments to change their undesirable behavior is to sanction offending officials from that nation. The Cuban government has shown itself to be such an offending country in a number of cases. Most recently the State Department announced that Cuba is engaging in “exploitative and coercive labor practices while it earns money on the backs of its citizens through its overseas medical missions program.”
To address this labor abuse, the Trump Administration has imposed visa restrictions on certain Cuban officials and other individuals responsible for these coercive labor practices under the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 212(a)(3)(C).
The US State Department has documented numerous cases where Cuban citizens are forced to work long hours and are housed in unsafe areas. In addition, reports indicate the Cuban government is “compelling Cuban medical professionals to advance the regime’s political agenda.”
NORTH KOREA
When questioned about recent missiles by North Korea the State Department spokesperson said that the US is aware of the launches, and that what would be most productive is for “Chairman Kim and his staff and for President Trump and all of his staff to continue upon the path that was laid out for us both in Vietnam and at the DMZ, and that is a diplomatic resolution and the end of North Korea’s nuclear weapons.”
Sanctions are to remain in place, according to the State Department, until the Trump Administration has determined that the goal of ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons program is achieved. The goal in US negotiations with the North Korean regime is to fully denuclearize the North and to bring it into the international community as a normal state. At that time, the spokesperson said, sanctions could be removed and there could be economic cooperation.
TURKEY
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The Trump Administration’s goals in Syria remain to prevent a security vacuum that destabilizes the area. The plan to accomplish this goal is to address Turkey’s legitimate security concerns while also protecting American partners in the fight against ISIS.
STRAIT OF HORMUZ
In addressing international shipping concerns in the Strait of Hormuz Secretary of State Michael Pompeo spoke with Bret Baier of Fox News, saying “We are at the beginning stages of developing our maritime security initiative. We’ll be a part of that, but so will nations from all across the world.” The United States is working with its partners and Allies to protect civilian shipping and ensure international commerce through the Strait of Hormuz. The Maritime Security Initiative, known as “Operation Sentinel” has a goal of safeguarding freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Middle East by promoting the safe passage of vessels and increasing surveillance capabilities. To that end on July 25, US Central Command hosted senior representatives from allies and US partner nations to discuss this new maritime security initiative at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. This is an ongoing diplomatic initiative in response to recent Iranian actions in the Strait in which it seized two foreign oil tankers.
Washington is conducting its “maximum pressure” campaign to tr to force Iran to change its belligerent behavior. According to Pompeo, Washington has a two-pronged approach which is designed to put economic pressure on the regime in Tehran and also to convince the Iranian leadership that the cost of engaging in their behavior is too high to continue it. Washington hopes the approach will cause Iran to sit down and negotiate in a joint effort to stop terrorism in the region.
DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media Inc., which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government. Each Saturday, she presents key updates on U.S. foreign policy from the State Department.
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