The Tribune

What is RonDeSantis’ problem with The Bahamas?

The Florida Governor continues to repeat his clumsy analogy comparing the United States and The Bahamas with Israel and Gaza.

In case you have not been following his ridiculous rhetoric, then yes, you read that right – he thinks that the US and The Bahamas are an adequate comparison with the situation in the Middle East.

The entire basis of his theory seems to be that we are nearby – neglecting to take into consideration the long, long history between Israel and Gaza, and the generations that have grown up with the conflict there, now a full-blown war.

Quite what group in The Bahamas he considers to be the equivalent of Hamas is beyond us.

Of course, if proximity was his only criteria, there are lots of other places he could have suggested. Perhaps rivals in nearby Georgia? Perhaps Cuba? No, that would not work well with the Cuban population in Florida he might rely on for votes. Instead, he chooses a nearby country with a majority black population, be that coincidental or not.

Even with all of that, to what end? He wants to boast about how quickly the US would decimate The Bahamas if ever our nation launched missiles at Fort Lauderdale. Never mind the fact the closest we have to a missile is the water tower, what is his boast? That the US is better equipped to take out a nearby country with fewer military resources? Is this supposed to be belittling Israel for not concluding its assault on Gaza quicker?

Mr DeSantis is a presidential candidate in the current race to be the Republican pick – one would think he would have plenty of other things to be talking about rather than a potential war only going on in his own head.

Interestingly, though, when Hurricane Dorian hit The Bahamas, he was quick to be hands-off, passing the buck to the federal government for any assistance, saying it wasn’t up to officials at the state level. He also was reluctant to comment on the prospect of accommodating any Bahamians who needed shelter in Florida after the storm.

So when it comes to help for those in need, he thinks that is up to the national government. But when it comes to carpet bombing your neighbours, he is all in for flattening a country without an arsenal capable of his imagined attack.

Quite what he gets out of this is a mystery, except perhaps deflecting scrutiny away from policies that might actually affect voters in the US.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy here has given the equivalent of a diplomatic sigh to say his comments are nothing to do with US policy, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has said the comments are misguided, and Mr DeSantis has united the current Foreign Affairs Minister, Fred Mitchell, and predecessor Darren Henfield against his comments.

The trouble is, of course, that it is a ludicrous statement – but if the last few years of politics have taught us anything, it is that there will be those who will believe and amplify such statements.

The nuance of it being an analogy for the Middle East will be lost on some, or ignored by others, for their own benefit. All it takes is one person to believe it enough to be willing to harm a Bahamian. Words can have consequences, even ridiculous words, sometimes especially those ones.

In no world, Mr DeSantis, is The Bahamas going to be firing rockets at Florida – and in no world should you be suggesting such a thing could be the case. Smarten up your speeches, Mr DeSantis, your words are making you look like a fool.