Politics may be the art of compromise, but is compromise always possible?

Cuba

THEODORE ROOSEVELT BLAMED Cuba's failure to succeed at self-rule on their inability to compromise. He sent a detachment of Marines to guard the island's national treasury while the government sorted itself out. Thus, began another thirty years of American paternalism in the Caribbean.

President Theodore Roosevelt

Cuba's first President, Tomas Estrada Palma, attempted to lead the island through the transition from a Spanish colony to independence. However, he would begin a pattern that repeated itself through the decades up to and including the presidency of Fidel Castro. Once in power, they all wanted to remain in power. The people, more comfortable following a strong man than governing themselves, were inclined to allow them. However, others wanted the power and refused to accept the will of the people, threatening revolution if they didn't get their way.

As Palma's first term in office drew to an end, two other parties advanced candidates: The National and the Republican. When Palma announced that he was going to seek a second term, these two coalesced into a Liberal alliance and announced that they would not accept Palma's reelection. They proclaimed that they would not accept the results of an election that favored Palma and would resort to revolution to overthrow his government.

Cuban President Tomas Estrada Palma

The Liberals made good on their threat when Palma was reelected and the President employed the military to break the revolt. The Liberals responded with accusations that Palma had pilfered public funds to finance his campaign and, since reelection, hiring guerrilla assassins.

Theodore Roosevelt saw this as a failure of the Cubans to compromise which he held as essential to the effective functioning of government. Is it, really? He urged the Cuban Congress to intervene, but this only caused Palma to resign. As he left office, every member of his cabinet, the ones that were part of the succession of power in Cuba, resigned with him. Moderate supporters of Palma in the Congress refused to attend sessions and, thus, a quorum was prevented. The island was left without a government.

Thus, all of America's efforts to prepare the islanders for self-rule failed. Roosevelt blamed the failure on their inability to compromise. Is that why America's efforts to build new nations in Iraq and Afghanistan failed? Is it possible that compromise just isn't possible in some places or situations?