Imagining the Unimaginable
Carlos E. Martínez, Brigadier General, USAF, Retired
As an aircraft pilot one of the things I learned early in my career was to always think about potentially dangerous situations to figure how best to respond if they occur. I have always applied the same approach to other aspects of my professional and personal life. There are some examples, that I’d rather not mention that have sometimes scared my wife.
Shortly after the 2016 election I saw a Norwegian TV series “Occupied” that I found chilling. (Those who are interested can find it on Netflix.) The major premise of the show was that the new Green Party government in Norway decides to shut down its oil fields and then offer free nuclear-based electricity to all the countries in Europe. But, the European Union, accustomed to using oil, asks Russia to take over the Norwegian oil fields and resume oil production. In the end, Norway ends up facing a Russian military occupation. Watching that show made me wonder if something similar could ever happen in this country. Let me tell you the scenario that I came up with.
Consider the possibility that another strong a hurricane hits Puerto Rico resulting in a much greater disaster than in 2017. And, because of multiple other hurricane that had just hit the U.S. Gulf Coast that year, like the four that have recently occurred, FEMA’s capabilities were overstretched and was in no position to respond. By chance, a Russian naval force happened to be near Puerto Rico. Vladimir Putin offers the U.S government to send military forces to the island to distribute water and food. Our president, who has demonstrated more confidence in Putin than some of his own government experts, welcomes the Russian offer. Soon, Russian ships are anchored in San Juan and Russian troops are spread over the entire island. While Putin promised they would be there only long enough to help with the disaster, weeks turn into months, and the Russians do not leave. Like the fictional Norwegian series, Puerto Rico finds itself “occupied.”
You might say that such a scenario is not possible, that our government would never allow something as unimaginable as that to happen. But, this is the same government that has already done many unimaginable things such as separating infant children from their mothers and putting them in cages like animals and sending armed forces to American cities to suppress protesters under the guise of controlling crime. The unimaginable has already happened and if this administration continues in power, it will happen again.
That is why to save the future of this nation it is imperative that you join me this election season in electing Joe Biden to be the next president of the United States. Joe Biden knows the importance of keeping FEMA’s capabilities at sufficient levels to deal with multiple disasters at a time. He also respects the Puerto Rican people — he will give them all the help they need to survive any disaster, not throw rolls of paper towels at them like our president did after Hurricane Maria. He would not wait over 1000 days to provide the financial assistance the island needed. Biden also knows which countries that are our true friends and can be counted on to help, and which ones to be wary of. Biden knows that Russia may not be our best friend as the current president apparently believes.
So, I ask two things of you. First, I ask my Cuban countrymen who fled the Russian occupation of Cuba to remember what can happen if one lets a despot take over the country. And, keeping that in mind, vote for Joe Biden this fall. Second, I ask our Puerto Rican brothers, particularly those who have temporarily settled in Florida, to register to vote in Florida and to vote in this fall’s election. We need you both to vote as if your future and the future of our children depends on it. Because, as President Obama said at this past summer’s Democratic convention, this is the most important election of our life, and if Joe Biden does not win, it may possibly be the end of the nation we know and love.