When Cubans are involved, it’s disgraceful. When it comes to the U.S., it’s a different matter.

Last month, the Miami Herald reported that “more than a thousand Cubans have signed contracts to fight for Russia against Ukraine, and 39 have been confirmed dead.” It was written in a way that appears to report the news. The fact is that the reason for that article is to throw shade on Cuba, as the Herald loves to do. In other words, making them look bad for fighting for the hated Russians. 

Hated, though, by whom?

Because the thing is that they forgot to mention that right now, we (and by ‘we,’ I mean the American people) are unsure which side of the Russia-Ukraine war our own president supports. 

President Trump has repeatedly praised Vladimir Putin in the past and continues to do so. U.S. News & World Report, for example, in an article earlier this year, wrote, “One thing that is clear from their relationship is that Trump has a history of complimenting the Russian leader, calling him ‘smart,’ a ‘strong leader.’”   

And if you want to go back even further, Trump told Larry King in an October 2007 interview: “Look at Putin – what he’s doing with Russia – I mean, you know, what’s going on over there. I mean this guy has done – whether you like him or don’t like him – he’s doing a great job in rebuilding the image of Russia and also rebuilding Russia period.”

However, it’s the Cuban mercenaries who get dragged through the coals, while the U.S. president, who has obvious, strange ties to Putin and Russia, and nobody finds that odd. 

Also, what about mercenaries from the U.S. fighting for both Ukraine and Russia? And not a word is mentioned about the thousands who have participated in the ongoing illegal destruction of Gaza and the Palestinians…

It’s impossible to give an exact number of U.S. citizens fighting for other countries. There is no official record or registry of these individuals. But let me show you three examples:

1. In February 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) estimated that 23,380 American citizens were serving in its ranks. A study noted that, historically, about 1,200 Americans have served in the IDF at any given time. Why don’t they call THEM mercenaries, and especially in this case, involved in a genocide?
2. Following the 2022 invasion, estimates of American volunteers fighting for Ukraine have ranged from “more than 1,000 to several thousand.” Many joined the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine, a formal part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. 
3. Then there’s a March 2024 report citing Russian figures that states 1,113 Americans had fought for Russia since the 2022 invasion, with at least 491 killed.

It’s the same old story. When the U.S. does it, it’s okay. But the Cubans fighting for Russia? Shameful! Here’s another example: When the U.S. invaded Iraq under false pretenses, we were supposedly bringing democracy to the Middle East. Hell, we were told that the Iraqi people would welcome U.S. forces with flowers. How’d that work out? 

But then Russia invades Ukraine (detestable), and what was our reaction? President Joe Biden described the invasion as “unprovoked and unjustified” and a “brutal assault.” I guess he forgot what we’ve done in Vietnam, Iraq, and many other places. 

Where’s the evidence? Why the Herald stands alone on Cuban money theft allegations.

Recently we’ve been blowing people out of the water in the Caribbean Sea as part of what the Trump administration calls an “armed conflict” with Venezuelan drug cartels. We have yet to see any evidence of this. In fact, Felipe Pagliery recently wrote that, in his opinion, Trump might be provoking the Venezuelans to react against the U.S. for their illegalities against alleged Venezuelan citizens, and seeking a reason to invade Venezuela.  

Smells like Marco Rubio and his people, by the way.

All this to say that I have no idea why Cubans would fight for Russia, and why U.S. citizens would fight for any other country. The question, though, is why it is that when Cubans do it, they’re wrong. When Americans do it, well, it’s the U.S. and we’re always right.

Even when we are wrong.