Following President Obama’s decision to reopen the United States embassy in Cuba, GOP presidential candidates Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) – expected to announce later this month – both said they disapprove of the president’s move.
“As president, I would not honor this decision with Cuba and I would close the embassy until the Castro brothers actually change their behavior,” Graham said. “By suggesting the dictatorship in Cuba is an acceptable or normal government, we are sending the worst possible message at the most critical time.”
Walker agrees with Graham;
“President Obama’s decision to establish full diplomatic relations with Cuba and open an embassy there is yet another example of his appeasement of dictators. He is foolishly rewarding the brutal Castro dictatorship and selling out the Cuban people,” stated Walker.
Walker mocked that an embassy in Iran may be next on Obama’s radar.
“Given his track record of retreat, should we expect an embassy in Iran next? Instead of supporting our close ally Israel with an embassy in Jerusalem, President Obama is accommodating an enemy, the Castro regime, without forcing it to turn over its terrorist and criminal fugitives,” Walker said.
Graham agrees that Obama’s foreign policy move with Cuba could impact the deal with Iran.
“Today’s announcement makes it harder for us to get a good deal with the Iranians and harder for the next president to reset world order. I fear Assad, Putin, the Chinese, and terrorists who wish to do us harm take this as yet another sign of continued American weakness,” Graham said. “President Obama is truly writing new chapters in American foreign policy. Unfortunately, these latest chapters are ones of America and the values we stand for — human rights, freedom, and democracy — in retreat and decline.”