The Hill News

As Americans, we should be outraged by the story of Alan Gross. Mr. Gross is an American citizen and USAID subcontractor. He was arrested nearly two years ago in Havana as he prepared to return home to the United States. In March of 2011, he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on trumped-up charges of subversive activities. Gross was helping members of the Jewish community in Cuba connect to the Internet with computers and satellite phones. Despite numerous appeals and attempted intervention by US officials, his 15-year sentence has been upheld.

Over the last two years, President Obama has attempted a conciliatory approach to Cuba. He has negotiated with a country that has clearly demonstrated an aggressive animosity toward America. As regards the case of Alan Gross, the Obama Administration offered concessions to free a prisoner who had committed no crime. He has softened America’s policy toward our southern neighbor, only to discover that Castro’s Cuba is n! ot interested in working with America any more than it has been for the last half century.

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