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Dear John,
When you elect someone to represent you in congress, you have every right to expect that they can distinguish between good and evil. In the realm of foreign policy, you should expect your elected representative to build on relationships with our allies, rather than our adversaries.
Two weeks ago, a delegation of the U.S. Congressional Progressive Caucus traveled to Cuba, led by Reps Ilhan Omar and Pramila Jayapal. The stealth trip was not disclosed by the lawmakers, nor was it coordinated with the U.S. State Department, in contradiction to how such a trip would usually be handled.
Only after the secret meeting was reported on by The Miami Herald, did the Congressional Progressive Caucus confirm the trip.
Mia Jacobs, a Caucus spokesperson claimed, “they met with people from across Cuban civil society and government officials to discuss human rights and the U.S.-Cuba bilateral relationship.” However, it’s clear they were acting to boost international trade with the island that remains on the U.S. List of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
And Cuba has earned that designation. The regime supports communist China, Russia, and Iran, and it jails, abuses, and murders their citizens.
A 2022 Biden State Department report found Cuba committed a wide range of human rights offenses, including arbitrary killings, torture and “cruel,” inhumane and “degrading” treatment of political dissidents, detainees and prisoners.
There is a reason so many Cubans risk their lives on makeshift rafts to flee communist Cuba and come to America.
Yet under the guise of supporting human rights, Ilhan Omar and the Progressive Caucus have a habit of supporting terrorist states who excel at the suppression of human rights.
- In 2021, both Rep. Omar and Rep. Jayapal voted against a resolution supporting protests of the Cuban government. The filing condemned Cuba’s repressive actions and demanded the immediate release of arbitrarily detained citizens.
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On Valentine’s Day this year, Jayapal and many of the Progressive Caucus sent their love to the Syrian dictator and mass-murderer, Bashar Assad, who is responsible for killing more than half a million Syrians. They did so with their February 14 votes against the “Assad Regime Anti-Normalization Act.” Despite their votes, it passed the U.S. House with 389 votes for and 32 against.
As Joel Rayburn, the former U.S. Special Envoy for Syria and current Director of the American Center for Levant Studies pointed out, “Not many other foreign policy bills could get 389 votes now.” While Ilhan Omar skipped the Valentine’s Day vote, the rest of the expanded Squad voted against the resolution.
It’s clear why Ilhan would have joined her fellow progressives if she had come to work that day. Among one of the bill’s provisions was stopping the Arab gas pipeline initially championed by President Biden that would cross Syrian territory and bring the regime of the Syrian state-sponsor of terrorism a huge cash windfall.
Ilhan Omar and President Biden only favor oil pipelines that benefit America’s adversaries like Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline or the Arab gas pipeline, while they oppose those that would benefit America like the Keystone XL pipeline and Line 3 in northern Minnesota.
As someone who has fought against tyranny and terrorism for my entire life, you’ll always know where I stand. When Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists carried out the horrific massacres of October 7, I immediately traveled to Israel to show my support and that of Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District for America’s longstanding ally.
When Ilhan Omar has a break, she stealth-travels to Cuba to drum up business for the communist regime. The difference between us couldn’t be starker.
- A sensible foreign policy is one where America's interests are safeguarded first and includes standing with our allies and pushing back against our adversaries.
- The right economic policy should benefit Americans and the residents of this district, not evil dictators on foreign soil.
Join me and let's boot Ilhan Omar from office in November and return to sensible policies that help the residents of this district.
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