Blueprint for democracy

If you try to enter the Radio Free Europe building in central Prague without official business, the guard posted outside will turn you away. Cement roadblocks surrounding the facility emphasize the work being done inside needs protection.\nRadio Free Europe broadcasts objective media reports into autocratic nations in which people cannot trust local news sources. \nThe organization played a key role in the overthrow of communism in Eastern Europe. You cannot enter the building today because the organization still broadcasts into such autocratic states as Russia and Iran, and the agents of such regimes threaten the organization. \nIn many ways, Radio Free Europe represents the Czech struggle against autocracy. The Czech people battled communism in their own country throughout the Cold War and continue the fight today for other nations still under the thrall of dictators. Last week, they proved their devotion to freedom.\nThe European Union wanted to ban democratic dissidents from its embassies in Cuba. But, after joining the European Union just last year, the Czech Republic stood in the way of such appeasement. Vaclav Havel, former Czech president and the most famous Czech dissident, wrote letters in newspapers across the continent lambasting the European Union for its heartless policy. Most critically, the Czech government threatened to veto the policy. In the EU's foreign policy body, any country can derail a measure by using its veto.\nThe Czech government and people know the plight of dissidents. During the 40-plus years of communist rule in the country, Czech democrats wrote underground literature and organized demonstrations against the regime. Indeed, Soviet tanks invaded Prague in 1968 to crush a short-lived liberal government supported by dissidents.\nCzechs learned then the crucial importance of outside support. With secret police hounding their every move, foreign embassies provided one of the few environments in which Czech dissidents could meet and spread the truth about happenings in the country abroad. Such foreign support, for example, helped make the world aware of the plight of Czechs during the 1968 invasion. \nThe United States could learn much from the Czech Republic through dealing with Cuba. Rather than shutting off an entire nation, as the current U.S. embargo policy does, we could dramatically show support for a democratic opposition and target the regime. \nIndeed, the current American representative in Cuba does just that. James Cason, chief of mission at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, promotes democracy whenever possible. He undermines the Fidel Castro dictatorship by continually pointing out its faults through the popularization of the plight of political prisoners and other methods.\nLike the Czechs, he knows democrats critically need logistic and symbolic support. He continually invites dissidents to his home and loudly protests the terrible conditions of Cuba's political prisoners. According to a Feb. 7 Weekly Standard article that highlights his work, Cason also provides foreign media clippings to grateful Cubans he meets inside and outside Havana.\nYet little support seems to come from Washington for his actions. Our economic embargo continues to conflict our interests in Cuba by damaging the whole population, rather than just those who politically oppress the people. We cannot expect a policy that has failed for 40 years to succeed now; it is time for more nuanced action to bring about a democratic Cuba.\nIn his inaugural address, President Bush mentioned the need to aid dissidents in autocratic nations. He needs to follow up his rhetoric by giving individuals such as Cason all the resources they need to combat dictatorship. \nWest of the Radio Free Europe building stands the Prague Castle, where President Bush once met former dissident Havel. When the president returns to Europe later this month, he should return to the Castle to hash out a policy that truly promotes democracy in Cuba.