What’s the difference between sitting down and talking with people that imprison their citizens like Russia and China and not talking with countries because they imprison their people like Cuba and Iran?
Sitting down with these countries, according to the President and others, lends a status to these countries and gives enemies a boost and can undermine the efforts of our allies. Why some and not others (other than money, of course)?
Because this is our hemisphere, damnit.
I think U.S. policy toward Cuba has been counterproductive and hypocritical, and I hate that my government does not allow it’s own law-abiding citizens the right to travel freely. However, in the '50s and '60s, the fear of communist aggression was very real and having what was a Soviet outpost less than 100 miles off our shores was a grave concern.
I think what keeps us clinging to the failed policy of isolating Cuba is a stubborn refusal to admit failure and the importance of Florida in national politics.
Because the president of Uzbekistan is a vital ally in the war on terror?
Russia and China are major powers with full nuclear capabilities…and HUGE markets to boot. So, it makes good sense to talk to both of them for reasons across the board. Cuba? Meh. They aren’t a huge market for us. There is really no (politically) compelling reason to talk to them until and unless they change.
Personally, from my own perspective? Sure, I’d like to see some dialogs with Cuba…if for no other reason than so I can buy some fine Cuban cigars. 
But for the most part nothing has been done in Cuba because by and large our citizens don’t care…except for a small vocal minority that DO care, and definitely don’t want to have the government talk except about surrendering so that those old Cuban ex-pats can go back home…or whatever.
Not going to happen any time soon on either count. The US isn’t going to talk to Cuba unless there are some big changes under Fidel Lite. And the Cuban’s are probably not going to surrender either…so, don’t hold your breath.
-XT
But again, you’re talking in size of markets. There’s fundamentally no difference between Russia and China and Cuba and Iran.
We should talk to everyone. It is possible to solve things that way. Declaring them enemies and refusing to talk to them puts them in that status forever. What does that accomplish.?
Obviously our 50 year policy against Cuba did not work. I am thrilled Obama will finally try something else for a change.
I don’t know if I could agree here. China dn Russia do have a long way to go… but they are more or less moving in the right direction. (Maybe not Russia these days, but it was untl recently). Cuba and Iran have made not the slightest move in the right direction.
There are very big differences between China, Russia, Cuba and Iran. Two are superpowers, one is a rogue state and one is only a small notch better. Economically there are worlds of difference between, say, China and Cuba/Iran. Politically Russia and China are on the UNSC, so dialog is necessary on that level if for nothing else.
Really, there is no comparison between China/Russia and Iran/Cuba. It’s night and day.
-XT
With Cuba, a big issue is that there is a rapid anti-Castro lobby centered in an important state for presidential elections. They are able to push a lop-sided policy towards Cuba.