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Controversy over Cuba

Clinton handled situation wisely

In a scene eerily reminiscent of the Cold War era, Cuba shot down two U.S. civilian planes Saturday, sending shock waves throughout the world. Immediately, President Clinton and top officials of his administration began investigating exactly what happened and how to respond, while Congress worked to toughen sanctions against the communist country.

Clinton has agreed to sign a version of this bill. The president gave a mature and measured response to the incident -- a more hot-headed approach could have increased tensions between the United States and Cuba.

Three civilian aircrafts, piloted by anti-Castro Cuban Americans, were flying near the Cuban air border Saturday. The pilots often flew around the area -- they would look for rafts of Cubans in the ocean who were escaping from the country. Often, the pilots would drop food and other supplies to help the escapees.

The United States maintains that the Cuban airforce failed to warn the planes before shooting and killing four people. The Cuban government claims that the pilots flew into Cuban airspace from bordering international airspace. But the truth is unclear. The U.S. government said at least two of the planes -- the two that were shot down -- had not flown into the Cuban airspace that day, but were over international waters; the Cubans' actions were illegal. Eye witnesses reported that none of the planes were in Cuban airspace. Regardless of where the planes actually were, the Cubans' actions were hasty and unwarranted. The United States should press ahead with tough sanctions to punish Cuba for its act of aggression, which U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher described as not only illegal, but as a violation of "the norms of civilized behavior."

On Wednesday, the House and Senate each passed slightly different forms of legislation. Both would punish Cuba several ways. Clinton promised to sign it, although he claimed some reservations. The bill would toughen sanctions on Cuba. For example, it would allow Cuban Americans and other citizens to sue foreign investors -- who used land that the Cuban government confiscated from the sovereign throughout Fidel Castro's rule -- in U.S. courts.

Although Clinton first opposed the bill, Congress granted him the right to waive the implementation of it for an unlimited amount of six-month intervals if the delay is vital to national security interests or if it will help bring democracy to Cuba. Clinton's compromise was important: Congress had enough votes to override a veto. Instead, the United States will send a strong unified message to Cuba, condemning the country for its grievous actions.

Fidel Castro has been a thorn in the side of every U.S. president throughout his 37-year regime. Each has tried to be both tough yet diplomatic, strict but fair. President Clinton, with Congress' help, has accomplished a balance. Until Castro steps aside and democracy steps in, the president and lawmakers should keep handling the situation in the best possible way.