All americans doing business visiting other countries know there is risk involved in doing so. He was there of his own free will and anyone who has been alive in the past 60 years know there is risk in going to cuba and especially bringing something like bringing high tech satellite transmission equipment into Cuba.

I can sympathize with his situation except for one minor detail-he was smuggling satellite stuff into the country which is against the law. You play, you pay.

All I see is a law breaker that didnt follow the law. I am tired of lawbreakers wanting special treatment. We should do nothing but let him do his time. He was not SENT to Cuba as a soldier he went and broke the law.

The hell with him.

This whole 'contractor' thing is fraught with implications.

When I hear "contractor" on this level, I think Blackwater. I think shock doctors. I think government money being siphoned off into corporatist pockets.

Sometimes illegally, but other times legally -- legal only because of the laws passed by legislators in those same pockets. It is a system gone terribly wrong. It's where our tax money is going.

I do not know if Alan Gross was -- knowingly or unknowingly -- a part of that scam. I am sure that there are lots of people who are doing their jobs and are unknowingly being used as "pawns" by the military-corporate-security complex.

Just as we need to look at requirements making Wall Street more accountable, we need to hold corporate contactors responsible for the effective use of our tax money!

tim-1296967 - i agree 100%.

this guy accepted US government funding to promote 'regime change' through circumventing existing telecommunications infrastructure by giving satellite communications equipment to specific groups in Cuba.... he smuggled it in pieces using numerous people and didn't reveal he was an agent paid by the US government... he was basically a private contractor spy....

he previously did it in Afghanistan and Iraq.....

he's lucky they didn't charge him with espionage and shoot him....

and he's demanding that the US change it's policy toward Cuba to gain his release?

proof that stupid people who blame everyone else for their stupidity can get government grants too....

people better start sending him snacks... cause he isn't getting out

Roosterboy! You should do a little more research before throwing statistics like infant mortality rate around. The USA is one of the only countries that figures a REAL infant mortality rate. Here, we count every conceived child who dies, excluding abortions. If a woman has miscarriage, it is counted, baby is stillborn, it is counted. Other countries(including Cuba) "pad their stats" if you will. They put all kinds of conditions on it, like it has to be born alive and live for so long. In Cuba, if it is still born they do NOT count it in their records. Infant Mortality rates in other countries are a complete joke. And since no one outside the country tracks this information, there is no way to know how bad it actually is.

Responsibility is the key, he broke their laws so he has to deal with it, there is a BIG difference between Theirs and Ours, check it in the Dictionary. What We may or may not think has nothing to do with their country's Laws.

I've lost track of why the U.S. still has not normalized relations with Cuba. They are not a threat. They have nothing we need. They are moving away from communism. If the U.S. normalized relations it would do nothing but help both countries. I suspect it's all about ego now.

@ John McAuliff

Well since the Senate is Democrat controlled and so is the Presidency, I guess we know where the inability to lead stems from as well as the "I don't care attitude"...

Not surprising.

When he was arrested, he was carrying a high-tech chip,^[15] intended to keep satellite phone transmissions from being located within 250 miles (400 kilometres). The chip is not available on the open market - from Wiki

Why would you do something like that without clearing it through appropriate government channels violating Cuban sovereignty?

The Cuban missile crisis is over.

They have a right not to have their sovereignty disrespected and their rules violated.

I say prisoner swap with the Cuban 5 and call it even.

They are not even real spies. Neither Gross nor the Cuban 5. There is no Cold War. Without a Cold War there are no spies.

Cuba has been beaten senseless by the U.S. for decades. As I have pointed out, the CIA has spent an average of $50 million a year to destabilize or destroy Cuba for decades. Of course, they hate us. But, at some point, it is time to grow up and start talking to them. I am not saying we should embrace them and be best friends, but at least, we should start talking. They distrust us, and for good reason. But, put yourselves in their shoes. At some point, it is time to be the good people that we say we are. There is no good reason not to talk.

@ pullmyfinger13

I guess you don't read very much do you? You probably voted for the same idiot in chief who continues to ignore the threat and situation...

Russia Seeks Naval Bases in Cold War Allies Cuba, Vietnam

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-07-27/russia-seeks-naval-supply-bases-in-cold-war-allies-cuba-vietnam

Russia is in talks to set up naval bases in former Cold War allies Cuba and Vietnam as President Vladimir Putin undertakes the country’s biggest military overhaul since the Soviet era.

“We are working on establishing navy bases outside Russia,” Vice-Admiral Viktor Chirkov, the navy’s commander-in- chief since May, said in an interview with the state-run RIA Novosti news service and confirmed by the navy. “We aim to set up resupply bases in Cuba, the Seychelles and Vietnam.”

Russia’s intentions for overseas military expansion threaten to further strain relations with the U.S. when the former superpower rivals are at loggerheads over American missile-shield plans and how to respond to the fighting in Syria. Putin’s government plans to spend 23 trillion rubles ($712 billion) this decade on defense spending, including 4.4 trillion rubles next year, an increase of 19 percent.

“There’s a lot of tension between Washington and Moscow right now as Syria is creating a lot of bad feeling between them,” said Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent defense analyst in Moscow. “This will be seen by some in the U.S. as the Russian bear growling in its lair.”

Pentagon spokesman George Little said Russia has “a right to enter into military agreements and relationships” with other nations, just as the U.S. does. He didn’t raise concern about Russia seeking military access to Cuba, which lies near the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico and is 145 kilometers (90 miles) south of the Florida Keys.

“I’m aware of the reports, but I don’t know that an agreement has been reached between the Russians and Cubans on a base,” Little told reporters at the Pentagon today.

‘Red Line’

U.S. Air Force General Norton Schwartz in 2008 warned Russia not to cross a “red line” by stationing bombers in Cuba, where the deployment of Soviet missiles brought Moscow and Washington close to nuclear conflict in 1962. Schwartz commented after the newspaper Izvestia said Russia planned to build a refueling base for strategic aircraft in the Communist island state in response to U.S. plans to deploy elements of a missile- defense system in Europe. The Russian Defense Ministry later denied the report.

Under the deal that ended the 1962 Cuban crisis, the Soviet Union withdrew its missiles and pledged not to station offensive weapons on the island. Russian military cooperation with Cuba ended in 2002 after Russia closed its radar base at Lourdes, Russia’s only intelligence-gathering center in the Western hemisphere, which had been operating since the 1960s.

Obama Ignores Russian Plans for Naval Base in Cuba

If things go as planned, Russia could soon have a naval base just over 90 miles away from the continental U.S. Our former Cold War foe has been in talks with Cuba for some time, and is now making it known that a deal between the two nations is closer to happening.

Russian Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov says Russia is "studying the creation of points for assistance and technical maintenance" not only in Cuba, but in "the Republic of Seychelles and Vietnam" as well. In short, this means that while Obama continues to dismiss Russia as any real threat to American interests or American security, Russia is looking for ways to expand its Navy's global reach.

It's worth noting that if the base in Cuba does come to fruition, ships armed with Russian cruise missiles and more could sitting less than a hundred miles from our shore. Yet neither the Obama administration nor the Pentagon have expressed concern over the potential naval base. Instead, they've issued statements that sound somewhat supportive of Russia in this endeavor.

Whether the base is built or not, this whole issue brings Gov. Romney's comment from April back into focus: "[Russia is] our number one geopolitical foe."

This got got the money he wanted his wife got the money he got caught now she is complaining she cant enjoy her money with him well he knew what he was doing now he must pay the price for his crime

If we had normalized relations with Cuba when the old USSR broke up, the Cubans would have probably kicked the Castros out years ago. But no, they still have the US boogie man to keep the nationalist pro Castro anti-US ferver going. Truth be known, Fidel and brother Raul need the US so they can stay in power.

Carl, do your homework.........Iran's president this past summer was rocket launch shopping, (guised as a good will tour), with US as it's target, in strategic places in south america and one of his stops was cuba. as long as cuba is talking with iran???? No way.

He was on some US.GOV assignment so he didn't just "wing it" on his own. He's toast now and lucky he wasn't sent to Benghazi.

A good old big one, or a big old good one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYDfwUJzYQg

Let me see, you go to Cuba and get in trouble, they put you in prison and now you want us to KISS A**
because your stupid. I'll pass thank you!!

Roosterboy is a good example of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. To add to comments by Kurt990, another reason why Cuba's infant mortality rate might appear to be lower than ours is that they are using abortion as a form of birth control even more than we are.

Regarding why he have no relations with Cuba, it has to do with Castro threatening us for 50 years, saying that Cuba and the Soviet Union would destroy us. That's why we will have nothing to do with him. His people are suffering because of that. We have tried to get rid of Castro and the trade restrictions would then be lifted. That is what is needed to help the Cuban people. People should stop trying to blame the US, especially US citizens who have no idea what they are talking about. Either that, or move to Cuba and see how much you like it.

Yeee hee-hee, hee hee. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYDfwUJzYQg

I disagree with Carl's tone and comments about our President, but I agree with him that Russia does pose or at least is trying to pose a threat to the US. I know for a fact that Russian nuclear subs have been located in the waters around Cuba for years, and that includes recently.

Damn right I'd be demanding his release! I'd have had extradition papers served long ago. The criminal needs to be brought back to the states and tried for violation of every sanction laws he broke trying to make a fast buck in Cuba. I'd let him serve his sentence for the laws he broke there and extradite him back into a jail cell here once he is released. His wife should have thought about what would happen should he get caught and done more to prevent him from smuggling anything into the banned Cuba.

I would really make him suffer by working at Walmart with no health-care benefits. He would surely die a horrible death for his sins. And, all the fat chicks at Walmart with their Diabetes problems would surely make him want to die. You talk about ugly--that boy is going to suffer.

I feel bad that this guy got caught doing something against the law in a foreign country but if someone comes to the USA and commits a crime do we just shrug our shoulders and send them home? Nope this guy did something he knew was dangerous and not allowed and now he and his wife are suing for money and he wants to come home. Well maybe he should have thought of missing his wife, his mother and his family before he entered a foreign country and broke thier laws.
Don't do the crime and then whine about being unfairly jailed.

I would like to see the US and Cuba establish friendly trade relations again. As long as Gross or any other American is not guilty of a sex crime or murder or a child related crime, I think the US should act in a way that effectively brings about any American's release from a foreign prison. I hope we make the deal for his release.

Cuba is a beautiful country. The Cubans are a lovely intelligent and civil people who have shown themself to be patient and industrious under circumstances which have left them with no political power. With the highly sensitive use of Gitmo for detaining terrorist, it is unlikely that the US will be willingly to change our policies toward Cuba.

While I hate to see any American held in prison over violating laws that are somewhat absurd and repressive, Gross new what he was doing and he took his chances. The US government may see Gross as a hostage, but the fact is that in distributing the satellite equipment he was in violation of Cuban law. He was smuggling the equipment into the country and enlisted others to help him smuggle in equipment. Gross clearly knew that what he was doing was illegal under Cuban law and did it anyway. Americans who travel to a foreign country need to understand that they are subject to the laws of that country. If you violate them you should expect to be arrested and possibly imprisoned. While we may not agree with the laws in other countries, that does not give any American the right to go to another country and ignore their laws. Gross is paying the price for his own arrogance in trying to circumvent Cuban law. The US government should not start making concessions to the Cuban government to gain his release. Gross was well aware of the risks he was taking and was very well paid for taking them. If the risks were not there he would not have been paid the large amounts he was paid. He and his wife need to stop whining because he got caught and accept the fact that he knowingly and willingly took the risks and now is paying for getting caught. It should also be pointed out that on his last trip, the one which resulted in him being arrested, he did not identify himself as working for USAID and was smuggling in at least one piece of equipment, a SIM chip designed to prevent detection and tracking of signals from satellite phones, that was not provided to him by USAID.

If the company is so determined to save their employee, seems the company CEO should be willing to trade places. Cuba doesn't really care "who" it is - as long as they have a warm US body to hold in jail. And where's all those brave Jewish folk he was "trying to help"??? Does this dude really think we are all so stupid to believe that he didn't know???

He stuff is on the back burner because he tried to skirt US AND Cuban laws to make a fast buck. Nasty break for him.

It seems this nation (including me) were under a democrat presidential administration when the US got into this mess with Cuba in the first place. Why would anything change from this democrat administration and that one 50 years ago?

Wait. What? PublicSpeech - you're seriously blaming the Cuban revolution and/or the missile crisis on the DEMOCRATS? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Thanks, I needed that laugh. Now move your tin foil hat a bit to the right, you're obvious;ly not getting the proper coverage.

wall-mart could use him for a greeter...the people of wall-mart would just love for him to say howdy...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2Q8kx0Tdm8

Roosterboy...why not move to cuba, since you support & like socialism aka communism. what infant mortality are you spewing. infant mortality in america has everything to do with personal responsibility. do you expect, a pregnant woman giving a normal birth, after abusing alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, etc during her gestational period?

I may move to Cuba and eat black beans with rice, infused with the Holy Trinity of garlic, onions and green bell peppers. Salsa optional.

say howdy to fidel...if ya go...and send us some cigars...

As far as I know, Cuba has that nice Miami weather, and it has chicks with big Kim-Kardashian curvy butts. So, either way, it's a win-win.

Roosterboy

Yeee hee-hee, hee hee. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYDfwUJzYQg

What are you, 5?

Chris, your Goth avatar is simply adorable. Want a crucifix, you big lug?

Actually Rooster Boy is correct about Cuba's Infant Mortality Rate - they have excellent doctors and have put the appropiate guidelines in place versus the United States

We rank 34th world wide much to our shame - pre-natal care is a key to infants survival

FOR the last four years Cuba has
achieved an infant mortality rate of below 5.0 per 1,000 live births, the
lowest in the Americas together with Canada – sustained by the revolutionary
government’s health policies which guarantee equality of access to medical
services for mothers and children.

With all of the Republican Governors' attempts to shut down Planned Parenthood our rates will certainly increase How sad!

Barbara is so right. Oh, Barbara. Oooh, baby. I like it like that.

Barbara? the only way to lower that number in the US is to give your rights over to the US government..

Sound good?

Eat what they say, drink what they say, dont worry about legal time off from work, because you will do what they say right?

wow! just say no

PublicSpeech, Castro took over Cuba in '59, under Ike's watch. The difference between this Democrat Administration and the one under Jack Kennedy who stood up to Fidel Castro is John Fitzgerald Kennedy was more conservative than Mitt Romney! JFK had intel that Russia was building ICBM launch pads in Cuba and sent Sen Adlai Stevenson to call out that fact on Nikita Khruschev in a meeting at the U.N. Had Obama been President during the "Bay Of Pigs, Missile Crisis", he would have coached Adlai Stevenson to cut a deal with Fidel. Then invited him to the White House for a few beers to discuss ways of best controlling the masses! Obama and Castro would see totally eye to eye. JFK was a real Democrat unlike the Liberal turned Socialist, demise of democracy as POTUS we have now. Cuba is Cuba's problem. The Cuban's raised up and overthrew their Gov't in the 50's,OK, do it again,get rid of the Castro's and then we can sit down at the table. Same way the line was drawn 50 yrs ago. Until then go f^^k yourselves

First of all, Cuba and Russia have been number one good buddies since the beginning. If Russia wanted a naval base there they could have it, they wanted one, but then kruestieve and Kennedy had a little disagreement.

For him to have traveled to Cuba, didn't he need special permission? some kind of visa? Would not our gov. tell him what he could not bring to Cuba? Would anyone reading this, if they where going to cuba, not check what was ok or not? Maybe this guy was looking for some controversy, maybe he wanted a spotlight on his Jewish friends? I make no judgment on this guy, cause I cant help thinking that this is not the whole story.

Unfortunately he doesn't look like he could be the son of anyone in the White House so he might as well get comfortable where he is. Actually Barbara the key to infant survival in the US is not killing them before birth. Gee no abortion would've meant 55 million more children since 1973 quite a few of whom would now be taxpayers and Social Security wouldn't have major funding problems

Kurt990

let me ask you this........ are you Cuban? have you lived in Cuba? who do you know that is from Cuba? Well my wife is Cuban and from what I found out when it comes to kids they do not pad anything and for a fact the US leaves out Cuba from most things like rank in education and the funny thing is that Cubans are higher Ranked then the US and you can check that out as you have internet. Is a country so bad when it requires you to go to school, and pregnant mothers MUST go for their checkups, Bans steroids and hormones in their livestock for food?? My stepson at the age of 21 already had all his degrees for for designing water and oil pipelines and when he comes here he already has a high paying job!! I am not saying that Cuba is perfect but all governments have their good and bad points and their are not a true third world country like the news and government want you to believe. My stepdaughter was help 3 days without a lawyer for questioning and during that she said their was a lady officer present the whole time and the questioned her not interrogated her as in talking and she ate steak for dinner not prison food does the US do that??? try researching before you talk and yes the US pads numbers as well!

The idiot goes to a Marxist-dictatorial requiem and now complains about how bad it is??!! .REALY1!!

Hundreds of Cubans die every year trying to get to the USA & freedom and escape Cuba's tyrant, ....let him die there!!

interesting. Child mortality somehow relates to a man being held for doing something illegal that he ADMITS he did. Figured he'd "improve" Cuba on his own somehow and circumvent the gov't. When anyone gets a passport, there's actually a clause in the request that puts the responsibility on the requestor of looking up the laws of the countries they are planning to visit. It behooves ALL traveller's to pay great attention to that which is illegal bearing in mind that some things HIGHLY simple (such as spitting in public) can land you in jail AND get you physical punishment as according to the laws of that country. I dearly recall a boy who was held for spitting on the ground in Singapore and who demanded, then begged the U.S. to get him off the caning that was coming to him in jail. As SO many belligerent Americans state over and over: If you're coming here, then learn our language and obey our laws! Why would anyone be so unintelligent as to think that any other country doesn't feel that very same way? When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

It seems strange to me that Mr. Gross is not apologizing for his actions. He's demanding that the U.S. take a responsibility for his actions. Mind you, whether or not he'd been asked to transport what he transported to Cuba by any gov't entity, seems to me that he personally chose to agree. I haven't seen a PERSONAL responsibility admitted here. ( I don't have the whole story, going off the article here so I might be off.)

For those who are disputing the infant mortality rate. Well, there are actually "rules" that are followed by those collecting the information. They don't exactly run up to an average Joe on the street and ask how many kids died last year. The information isn't collected based on one person's word. The data are collected and combed over and the numbers are put forth by the SAME people who put the information in the World Book. Not to say of course that all data are carefully kept in war-torn countries, or by governments that don't have communication regularly with outlying provinces, but Cuba isn't so big that it can't keep track of it's information and the agency collecting the information isn't going to let Cuba dictate what numbers are used. CERTAINLY abortions and miscarriages are NOT part of the included information when it comes to infant mortality. There is a STRICT definition of what is considered an infant. It is a child BORN, not a fetus, not a conception. A child born after however many months is considered an infant.

As for the 55 million supposed babies that would have been born in the U.S. There's a severe lack of medical proof that all of those fetuses would be viable, that none would have died in infancy, childhood or early adulthood and mind you, a grand majority of those would have been born to single women NOT making them contributors to the tax base of the SS base, but actually making more who NEEDED helpl from welfare. Mind you, that would mean the anti-abortionists would have to suddenly realize they've created a no-win situation in their demand that all babies be born, all while screaming at the MOTHERS for giving birth without being married and for the rest of the child's life, calling the family welfare ho's, welfare hogs, entitlement suckers, etc and never once realizing that THAT more than anything, is what causes the want/need for abortion. Acceptance of childbirth no matter what goes a LONG way. Stop penalizing women for the whole birth thing. Stop blaming and shaming women for pregnancy, support the financial needs of a mother struggling her hardest (be it even to give her a job and daycare) to raise her family and you'll see wonders. You can't have it all ways. Damned for the abortion and damned for giving birth to a child. Lose-lose. The lifetime stigma for being a single mom is not worth it for some.

As for "democrats" not caring about Mr. Gross. wow, that too came out of nowhere. Let's cover some more facts here: The company gross was working for was contracted by the USAID. It was a company that came out of the BUSH era from the controversial government edict of the "democracy promotion program." The plan was SPECIFICALLY set up to break Cuba's government controlled information programs. That right there is its own HUGE red flag. Gross knew VERY well what he was getting into, it was the PURPOSE of his job and he was doing it for a PRIVATE contractor. NOT for the U.S. gov't. It was set up by the Republicans by GAWD, and let's heave this all onto the shoulders of the democrats and an entire Congress with limited information about the whole thing. If you HONESTLY believe this is a democrat thing, why are the republicans not screaming to get their man out of there and blaming the dems? Lord knows it would distract from the whole "higher taxes for the middle classes" debacle. The repubs are tiptoeing because they too are VERY aware that what was being done was HIGHLY illegal, and because lo and behold the U.S. has arrested Cubans for "spying" as well. Well gee, giant conundrum. Gross, you ran a risk, bet too heavily and lost. You're going to have to give the gov't time to figure out how they can do something without egg on their face. YOU sir, need to apologize for doing what the bully boss paid you to do. You can't say the bully forced you to do it or you would die. You set up your very own company that stood to profit from the work you were doing. Selling satellites and digitalware to your contractor, who hired you to go put it in place. Nice. Yup. U.S. to blame there. Sure. Democrats more than all. Uh huh. And all of this has to do with infant mortality for sure.

It's unfortunate that he is in that position, but unless the US gov't specifically contracted him as a spy to violate Cuban sovereignty then the US has no obligation to sign a non-bellligerency pact to secure his release.

Now if the US gov't did, then they have an obligation to secure his release through any means necessary.

It's simple logic. You don't ignore other nations sovereignty unless you are contracted to as a legal spy operating for the US gov't and expect to not serve jail time.

Chris, your Goth avatar is simply adorable. Want a crucifix, you big lug?

:) LOL

See when an American has that GOP arrogant attitude and thinks America owns the world and every country has to bow to us, now no matter how high up that mountain he climbs and how hard he pounds his chest he will remain there, the last time I checked Cuba was still a very little country with their own government. Let him see if BONER can help him out.

I would like to know WHY after the fall of the Soviet Union, we have deployed our military all over the world EXCEPT the closest enemy we have Cuba? As soon as the fall of the USSR everybody decided to close military bases, shrink the military, abandon many of our Missile Silo's as if we would never ever see a resurgent of Russia back to their old way. I said it then and I will say it now, Russia is not going to settle for not being a major global power, if not THE biggest. We still send them aide, which is used to bolster their Military, and we see who has the real power in the former USSR...Putin. Former KGB Officer.

Why have the best and brightest not made sure that Cuba is not an option for any of our enemies with significant capabilities. It seems that since 2001 Russia has been building militarily. Forget Libya, and those areas that are under quick NATO response and at least deny anyone the option of a military base in close proximity of the USA.

Why is Cuba still a Communist regime? I would have thought they would have been dealt with by now? China is NOT the country to watch, for they need our trade. That leaves Russia to keep an eye on. The biggest mistake this country can make is to be distracted into some false sense of security.

Cuba the enemy as in "Ideologically"...yes I know we have GITMO, but nothing else...Russia made sure of that.

He knew what he did was illegal or he would have done it openly instead of smugling. Instead of asking what the US government will do I'd ask "What was he thinking?" I don't understand this story at all nor do I understand why it even happened. You do not go to another country and break their laws knowingly for goodness sake!

I bet this guy is actually an Israeli spy, setting up a network of Jewish sayanims (secret Mossad helpers) in Cuba.

Ya deal with commies, this is what happens. Cuba can keep him.

Somehow I don't see our government trading five spies for one common American. I am also concerned about his statement he, "Wanted to increase Internet access to the island." It worries me that he was pushing the boundaries in not getting permission to get this high tech equipment to the tiny Jewish people, I am guessing, he had a particular affinity for.Who goes to a foreign Communist country blocked to regular American travelers, with the intention to increase their Internet for a tiny community? Sounds like going behind that government's back, you think? And he gets caught red handed.That, I believe, is the real reason he ended up being arrested. As most know, there is a block put on Americans traveling to Cuba and special permission must be granted. Working for a private company, without that government's permission, you are taking the full risk yourself.

This looks like one situation in which a person made some poor choices and now, demands America bail him out, or pay for it. Personally, as a taxpayer, I don't understand why I or you should have to pay for his mistake. I do feel sorry for him and hope negotiations will work out so he can return home soon.

But like so many other U.S. citizens who have found themselves in the wrong country behind bars for doing things they should not, there is a price to be paid for poor judgment. I fear he might be in for the long hall.

Last, no matter what he says, as a veteran myself, he is no soldier left behind. His country has not abandoned him. He went there on his own and never signed nor pledged to give his life for this nation during his time there.There's always consequences to every decision we make.Most times good ones, but sometimes negative. I do pray his mother will get better meanwhile.

Did you read the article? He was working for a company contracted by the U.S. Agency for International Development, part of the State Department. It was the U.S. government that sent him there, so it's their responsibility.

jh, blah, blah, blah, freaking blah. What "foreign policy" are you talking about? The US has been mindlessly going around the world throwing its weight just because it can without any thoughts about the consequences. From Latin America where every rightwing dictatorship supported by the US has been vanquished, to Asia where over 58,000 us soldiers failed miserably to prevent Vietnam from going communist and where the US is now kissing Communist China's behind so the US economy doesn't crumble and US corporations can make the most money at the expense of their own countrymen, to the Middle East where the US has lost most of its dictators, and even to Russia where the US has managed to make the Russians an enemy all over again despite the Soviet Union's collapse, the US "foreign policy" has been nothing but irrational and full of itself.

Americans like to act as if they know what they're doing when in fact they just love power for the sake of power even if it makes life miserable for millions of people around the world and the US and even if it bankrupts the country. What a bunch of clueless fools.

The US can't even fess up on what happened to an ambassador in Libya and you think they give a crap about this guy? Vayas con dios senor Gross

No trade, no way, the hell with him, let him pay for what he has done.

@arithehun, Thank you! I was beginning to think I read a different article than the rest of these people. It would seem that reading comprehension isn't a strong point with this group!

I've delivered health care materials to Cuba through an international agency in the '80s and '90s and only a couple of times after 2000. I was given directions by the agency concerning what to do and what NOT to do while on the ground in Cuba. I followed those rules to the letter.... kind of like going to any foreign country, get with the ways of the country you are visiting and don't be a stupid american.....

I say this guy went well beyond the point of stepping on Cuba's toes, not to mention we had and I assume HE had a good idea that he should not do anything beyond bring his materials and get out.

He made his bed. Decided to do things HIS WAY and is getting what he should have expected. I think it's beyond hubris that his wife thinks the U S needs to do what ever it takes to spring him. He's a clueless idiot and needs to just take his punishment and deal.

They choose to not acknowledge the facts because their "American Exceptionalism" world view colors everything for them. FACT: Gross was working for the US Gov't. FACT: The Cuban 5 were not spying on the US Gov't. FACT: The US embargo of Cuba is antiquated. FACT: Gross and family are asking for the US to negotiate a non-belligerency pact, not curry favors from the US gov't.

let the tiny Jewish get him out...who did they need to contact so badly that it put one mans life in a crap hole? If you ask me, its the people who disobeyed their government and allowed a foreign operation to override the law...sorry too bad. If you are in America, and you are a part of a crime even if you didn't know, you are still responsible. If there is one thing this nation agrees on, its you play you pay...end of story. If you break the law in a foreign nation, even under the US government, you are still breaking the law.

That is just great. And I don't believe that this is the first time our Government has screwed someone over, when hiring people to "help" other countries, for whatever needs they need help with. It sounds to me like he was framed by our own Government. Our government obviously knows the law. We need to get him out, and our Government needs to apologize to their Dictator.

now there's and idea. Let Netenyahoo send the idf to build settlements in Cuba, then they can use drones to kill the terrorists. Then they can steal cuba's water instead of the Water from the west bank. Hey, this could work out very well. A New annex for the chosen people, yay, freedoms on the march.

to free an American they've basically taken hostage.

They haven't taken him hostage. He had no business in that country with that chip designed to scramble location attempts, unless he was contracted by the US gov't to spy in Cuba, or cleared the presence of the chip through proper Cuban authorities.

Whether he is a spy for the US gov't or not, they have LEGALLY detained him.

If he is not a spy he has no one to blame but himself for his detention.

He worked for USAID a cover up for our CIA, so he can be considered an agent. There are several US government sponsored multimillion dollar programs to (bring democracy) destroy the Cuban communist government, those include bringing telecommunication equipment to circumvent the state controlled communications and transmit the opposition views out of the country, which is of course illegal in Cuba.

Did you read the article? He was working for a company contracted by the U.S. Agency for International Development, part of the State Department. It was the U.S. government that sent him there, so it's their responsibility.

AYE-YI-YI, Seeniorrrr! GRINGO!!! Ustedes muy simpatico, .... but a real fool too!!! Believed our GOV't wen they toll'um they wudd be a' lookin oud fer im uno. IFF'n he wud snoop fer uzz over there! Paid'um bigggggg bukkarooos too I bet'cha - - - lottssa Pesos-dinero!!! Mucho gusto!!

so if you work for an American agency you have immunity from others laws? no that is wrong. He had to be working with locals that new it was wrong...I hope he is asking them for his release too.

Dawg, I agree 100%. He was in Cuba for 1 thing & that's the almighty dollar.He worked for a company who was contracted by the government to make money!The US didn't send him anywhere we have no responsibility whatsoever to risk a single life trying to get Mr Gross out of Cuba.It was his choice to go into harms way & now it's up to him to deal with it.

Gross didn't go there on his own. He was sent by the US government. So, the US government is responsible for releasing him. The only way to do so, is by doing a swap with 5 Cubans who have NOT been proven guilty of anything besides acting as unregistered agents. They were sent to the US to PREVENT VIOLENCE against their own country.

Who really gives a @!$%#, I don't. Life is full of tough luck Charlie, situations, you win some you loose some. America has no power to @!$%# anymore, lay-off be a super power and negotiate. That entitlement fell short right after the Vietnam War. Going to be a third world country soon, the rich, elite, and corporations have made sure of that one.

He went there as a contractor for the State Department, as noted in the article.

YU sirrrr sound like a Dim-Witted FOOL orrr a WANNNNNABEE one.

Let his wife join him there if she is unhappy in the U.S.

I think that there is personal responsibility but I think that This Administration cows down to special interest groups and I'm willing to bet that they will (at a minimum) send a "representative" to negotiate..... to use this as some political leverage and to "pay back" votes given... Hope I'm wrong.

flame, >>> YU sound like yur alllll BURNED out like a MOTH!!!

Your right.... "Life in the fast lane..." (Flame sings off key)

If anyone feels threatened by a possible presence of Russia near the US, then the more reason to engage with Cuba, and quickly. What are we waiting for exactly? Cuba has asked again and again for a dialogue that is respectful of its sovereignty. Is there anything in this demand that is unacceptable to US foreign policy?

Notice the guy that met with him? Another Jew. Could he be a mossad agent or represent Israel? Netanyhoo interfered with are elections, is he at it again? He will get out, mark my words.

This appears to be a good point.

I don't recall the US supporting Castro against Batista...IIRC Batista was the despot who received US aid and support.

MDH Batista was also supported by the mafia. Myer Lansky paid him handsomely for their casinos there.

He doesn't even know [Fulgencio] Batista's first name, much less whether the US supported him or Castro bach then.

You, denko are a moron.

The tiny Jewish community in Cuba denies that the equipment Gross installed was for their use. In fact, Gross knew that this was just an excuse to install forbidden equipment. Each trip, he asked travelers to hide the equipment in their suitcases. After each of his five trips to Cuba, he reported that his mission was getting more and more dangerous, and that the people on the ground were extremely worried. As a subcontractor of USAID, he knew he was on a secret mission. If the US government really wants to help Cuba receive advanced technology, there is no need to act secretly. The US should drop the embargo. It will then be able to export all the sophisticated equipment it wishes Cubans to have. Drop the embargo already, and there will be no longer any need for secret, subversive, dangerous and expensive missions.

Denko, as you have made no other useful or intelligent comments, you make pitiful attempts to denigrate other posters, obviously have difficulty spelling, and don't know how to use a spell check function you sure are qualified to judge others. We can see you certainly know your stuff as well! Nooottttt!

There are Cuban Jews..not saying there isn't. But I can count them on all ten fingers and half my toes.

The U.S. State Dept was worried about Cuban Jews?.....LOL!

Yeah! As stated earlier, the Obama state department didn't give a damn about an Ambassador and three other Americans in Benghazi, what ever makes you think they care about this microbe!

@Eric:

That is f**kin' bulls**t!

Who failed to pass the bill that included $200,000,000 for embassy/consulate security and might be said to "not give a damn" for any US consulate staff?

Why does the Benghazi consulate attack suddenly become significant when the 12 consulate/embassy attacks between 2001 and 2008 were forgotten?

Could it be that you've been sucking at the hind teat of False News/Fox Noice/Faux Noise and have fallen for another pseudo controversy/conspiracy theory?

really? so if no money for security, why the benghazi, libya was allowed to remain open. the commander in chief should have close an embassy sitting in a very dangerous, unstable ground. taxpayers monies are sent to pakistan, egypt, countries acting more like foes of the USA.

@ Mike277: "Those five jerks" were on a mission to stop incredible violence against Cuba by the right-wing Cuban-American community in Miami. Because of their mission, they stopped over a 100 terrorist missions against their people. This is why they are considered heroes in Cuba. They never spied on the US government. The judge at their trial admitted that they sent no documents back to Cuba. They only spied on terrorists in Miami that were responsible for the downing of a civilian airplane where all 73 people on board perished, for the bombing of hotels during tourist seasons, and for many more atrocities with over 3,000 victims. The only thing they were proven guilty of was to act as unregistered agent in the US. For this, most unregistered agents get at most 3 years of prison. These five individuals are political prisoners, and the only right thing to do is to release them. The sooner the better. Do your research. Countless Nobel prize winners, governments the world over have asked for their release. The longer we keep them in prison, the more we lose our face.

It brings back remembrances of some little hippie chickie from the liberal evergreen college in the seattle area who got run over by an Israeli bulldozer while trying to interfere with a 2000 year old war. Perhaps liberal mommy and daddy should have said to their little darling, "honey, this is a really dangerous war zone and they may not put up with your little pouty Amercian mouth". Way to go mom and dad. You didn't do your job now, did you?

Learn to spell moron.

If he were a contractor for the State Dept. or CIA and was instructed to do the things which led to his arrest, then maybe the US government should expend some effort to get him released. Their efforts would be invisible to the news media. However, a lawsuit and public statements from his wife would not improve his chances of US government help. The fact that these noises have happened seems to prove that his actions were not approved, encouraged, or instructed by the US government.

That said, he is pretty much on his own. Private parties like his wife and Kornbluh can attempt various strategies to influence the Cubans, but they will not control US policy.

A sixty 63 year old man, going to another country should know to check out the laws and customs of the country prior to departing. Even if he felt he did not break Cuban law, he should of checked prior to leaving, now he wants our government to negotiate with Cuba to swap convicted spies and the Gross' have filed a lawsuit against our government for 60 million and the company he worked for. Are we being bullied by the Cuban government or the Gross'. If I were to smuggle drugs into this country, do you think the country that supplied me with the drugs is at fault or did I let Greed and money dictate my actions. My question is, what happened to the equipment that he illegally brout into their country. Probably tracking our military satellites and being used against us. Do we stand to be bullied by foreign policy or international criminals that cry to government when they do wrong.

denko95 said: "YUR NUTS profredummm-BOYeee, whut an iddiot yu apppear to be too."

Thanks for the laugh as you make light to everyone your own idiocy... BOYeee! What a loser!

Duhhh huh huh huh! Duhhh huh huh huh! Which are you: Beavis or Butthead? LMAO!!!

Look, it's denko95 again with his unintelligible rantings. Take a break there Butthead and stop spewing your ignorant drivel for people to laugh at.

Yep, that is why Obama has deported more illegals on a month-to-month basis than any other president in our history. I don't think the voters knew that...

csm9, you are absolutely correct. On a month to month basis, The current Presidents administration has deported approximately 12,000 more per month than his predecessor.

Obama plays a deportation numbers game. Under his administration when one is turned back at the boarder prior even to entry it is now listed as a deportation. Hence Higher Numbers lower actual deportees.

BUT what about all the ones he let stay on the taxpayers dime?????????????????????????????????????

Everyday

Grant Amnesty, Problem Solved??????????????????????

roc, that is also true! deportations, those with an actual arrest and conviction, are known as "removed". Those apprehended by the border patrol, but with no actual arrest, and sent back, are listed as "returned". But add all those deported, returned, removed, whatever, under Bush, and the figure is about 12,000 less per month than now.

When one is Denied Entry they are not returned or removed but denied. Only difference now is under current administration they are counted under Deportation statistics. Whereas in past they were not. Again numbers game for now higher statistics.

Intersting factoid about the current WH occupant. Yet he still got the hispanic vote by 72 to 23 margin. I guess immigration isn't such a big deal with the ones here legally. IMO, DHS is doing their job.

L I P

Would the promise of the "Dream Act" had something to do with it? Now those voters are rallying/protesting "For Obama Owes Us"

Owes them What?

dream act is another form of welfare, to fund the college education of illegal aliens. americans should be enraged with this dream act. first, where will the money come from? america is in 16 trillion plus debt, there is no money, america is broke period, so obama will be borrowing more from china, to keep up with his spending spree, financing the dream act? second of all, why are these liberal lefty politicians are so focus on this dream act, when millions of american born cannot even afford to go to college. dream act must be thrown in the garbage, every citizens must tell their representatives to trash this dream act.

As long as their (sic) at the table...

Mr. Warden - try "they're", a contraction of "they are", not "their", a possessive pronoun.

Who cares? Read the sentence, pronounce the words, it all makes sense.

Atticus, we are not all as educated as you. And this is not a classroom. But we don't have to go around rubbing what we know in each others faces. But please explain the (sic) as I used to know, but am now to lazy to look up.

Learn to speak, and spell English! Hooray for Atticus Rules!

...but unfortunately for him he didn't breal (sic) the law and sneak in satellite equipment into a democratic country...

That's his story, but how can we be certain that he is revealing everything?

Atticus,

Anybody who corrects spelling on a blog is a complete prick.

That would be you.

Complete.

Prick.

arsenikk, YU shore gottz thaa right on spotttt!!! GOOD post!

I agre toadily wit uou dank!

He belongs right where he is.

Atticus, Retired English teacher with a Vendetta.

Arsenic-2609663 - correcting English on a discussion group is certainly much more appropriate than using gutter language. It's unfortunate that you are not educated enough to find terms other than gutter slang to insult posters. You are a prime example of what is wrong with this country and why we are falling behind other nations. You care nothing about obtaining a good education, are unable to pay attention to detail and what's worse, you don't care. Would you mind if your surgeon cut off the wrong leg? What a waste of a mind!

Atticus, it is more unfortunate that you are arrogant, patronizing, judgmental, pompous, condescending, haughty, supercilious, demanding and pretentious. You presuppose that Arsenic's forgiveness of Tim's misspellings means that he cares nothing about obtaining a good education, is unable to pay attention to detail and what's worse, he just doesn't care if a surgeon removes the wrong leg. Before you made that leap, did you consider that Tim may be dyslexic and therefore all your spelling corrections are for naught? Dyslexia is a neurological problem, not an intellectual one, and it can't be corrected. What a waste of a heart, if you have one.

Dyslexia Sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Used to be that the government wasn't run by friends, but by statesmen. NOBODY should have to live by the rules of 'what will make you friends.'

You also don't spit in the face of someone who is in a position to possibly help you, when your butt is in a Cuban jail.

Don't get mad at Atticus for correcting my spelling. I meant to type "break" and instead typed "breal"...the L is next to the K on the keyboard. It's a typo, not a misspelling because I can't spell the word "break". I didn't take it bad.

As for your question Atticus, the answer is simple really. Whether or not that is the whole story is irrelevant. Whether he went there as a private citizen or as a government employee (or anywhere in between the two) doesn't change the fact that he broke the rules and now he is paying the price. He knew the score, or should have bothered to find out, before he went there. His problem.

There is a time to make peace.. would you spy on your neighbor if they invaded your house with guns.. does anyone remember bay of pigs.. I would be shaken to the bone. Peace is now .. the crime is a nonviolent one for the 5 and for this man- nobody was harmed. I am ashamed at all the haters calling for life sentence.

people are so bored thats all they can do is hate I am ashamed for our once great country

Mr. President, What are you doing here?, I thought you was dead!

How about we get some Russian Missiles and trade them for him?

So far, on this entire page, 2 people actually read and COMPREHENDED the article! The rest of you need to go back and actually read it, not just skim through! If that's beyond your comprehension level, might I suggest you move to MSN Now, where the stories are much simpler. And denko95, you might want to reconsider going back and finishing third grade!

I didn't read it, I admit that! I'm here only for the fun of making silly, sometimes witty, usually stupid comments to these responders.

So far, on this entire page, 2 people actually read and COMPREHENDED the article!

So, OldDog, if your intelligence and comprehension are so superior to the rest of us, then why don't you enlighten us one what exactly we are not comprehending.

Abe - do you know how long ago the Bay of Pigs occurred? It happenedover a half century ago. Do you have a clue about the Cuban Missile Crisis? I hate to tell you this, but an attempt to plant nuclear warheads 90 miles from the USA trumps the US government trying to over throw a dictator. The USA has always had much greater reason to be suspicious of Cuba than vice versa.

Bay of Pigs actually happened the missiles never reached Cuba... And the Bay of Pigs happened a year before.. you rattle the saber you get what you deserve and America spends sooo much on Department of Defense it has been renamed the Department of Offense