{"id":1483,"date":"2020-04-21T21:56:52","date_gmt":"2020-04-21T21:56:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg"},"modified":"2020-07-26T22:24:57","modified_gmt":"2020-07-26T22:24:57","slug":"cuba_under_siege","status":"inherit","type":"attachment","link":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/cuba_under_siege\/","title":{"rendered":"Cuba_Under_Siege"},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_jetpack_social_image_focal_point":{"x":0.5,"y":0.5}},"class_list":["post-1483","attachment","type-attachment","status-inherit","hentry"],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/a3xdTY-nV","description":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Cuba Under Siege expertly explores how Cuban society has been affected by 50 years of \u201cnonstop hostility from the world\u2019s most powerful nation\u201d through extensive historical analysis, first-hand interviews with Cubans \u2013 from average citizens to the President of the Nacional Assembly \u2013 and expert comment.<\/p>\n

Bolender\u2019s insightful study is accessibly written and is essential reading for all those interested in the insidious reach of US imperialism. It definitively demonstrates that U.S. foreign policy has failed on its own terms and helps illustrate the importance of international solidarity.<\/p>\n

The work considers the concept of siege and how it has affected other societies, particularly post 9\/11 United States which has seen an increase in surveillance, indefinite detention, rendition and enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding. Bolender skilfully exposes the hypocrisy of US policy \u2013 both vis-\u00e0-vis its championing of civil liberties and its policy toward Cuba.<\/p>\n

America\u2019s encirclement of Cuba has manifested itself in the form of military, economic, propaganda and psychological warfare whilst a deadly history of terrorism orchestrated from the United States \u2013 claiming the lives of over 3,500 Cubans \u2013 is \u201calmost completely unknown in the international community\u201d.<\/p>\n

As well as providing a comprehensive investigation of the \u201cunknown history\u201d of terrorism against Cuba \u2013 including biological attacks, invasions, assassination attempts, covert operations and over 700 acts of terrorism \u2013 the book provides a systematic analysis of the economic blockade. Bolender considers how 50 years of siege has defined the history of Cuba, including pushing the Caribbean nation to a relationship with the Soviet Union. Finally, the book examines ongoing economic changes in Cuba and considers whether America policy against the Revolution is also changing and how the siege can end.<\/p>\n

Cuban loyalists may take issue with Bolender\u2019s analysis of besiegement within Cuba \u2013 including civil restrictions and social limitations \u2013 but the discussion is necessary to avoid accusations of bias and bring America\u2019s \u2018dirty war\u2019 against Cuba to a broader audience. Furthermore, it is an important weapon against those that accuse Cuba of violating human rights. As Bolender demonstrates, Cuba\u2019s reaction to siege is no different to other countries:<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery action Cuba has taken to combat siege warfare can be seen in the mirror of America\u2019s response to 9\/11 and its historiography of the past 200 years when under threat of war\u201d.<\/p>\n

Since losing hegemony over its neighbour in 1959, the Cuban people have received no respite from U.S. intervention. As Bolender demonstrates, Cuba faces rigorous international criticism whilst the besieger diminishes and denies the very existence of its actions. This study provides a robust and academic catalogue of those actions and is a vital counter-attack to the dominant US narrative.<\/p>\n

Dan Smith for CubaSi Summer 2013<\/p>\n"},"caption":{"rendered":"

Cuba Under Siege expertly explores how Cuban society has been affected by 50 years of \u201cnonstop hostility from the world\u2019s most powerful nation\u201d through extensive […]<\/a><\/p>\n"},"alt_text":"","media_type":"image","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","media_details":{"width":288,"height":445,"file":"Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg","sizes":{"medium":{"file":"Cuba_Under_Siege-194x300.jpg","width":194,"height":300,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg?fit=194%2C300&ssl=1"},"thumbnail":{"file":"Cuba_Under_Siege-150x150.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1"},"featured-slider":{"file":"Cuba_Under_Siege-288x440.jpg","width":288,"height":440,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg?resize=288%2C440&ssl=1"},"featured":{"file":"Cuba_Under_Siege-288x220.jpg","width":288,"height":220,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg?resize=288%2C220&ssl=1"},"small-thumb":{"file":"Cuba_Under_Siege-120x85.jpg","width":120,"height":85,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg?resize=120%2C85&ssl=1"},"full":{"file":"Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg?fit=288%2C445&ssl=1","width":288,"height":445,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg?fit=288%2C445&ssl=1"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":null,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg","filename":"Cuba_Under_Siege.jpg","filesize":21725,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/attachment"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1483"}]}}