Thanks!
Did JFK and RFK diss Castro? I recall some invitation to the White House, where he was treated as a Little Brown Brother rather than a Head of State.
Those of us on the right will probably fulminate loudly about Obama’s supposed “commie-lovin’” proclivities, but in private will admit that there really is no reason to keep the embargo going (it hasn’t exactly accomplished its goals) – and besides, we might make a buck selling them stuff.
couple of things
one, cool as long as the cuban government does not fuck this up like they did the last time
two, the cubans are fucked
They are going to be like lambs to the slaughter when the money boys start rolling in
Declan
What ‘embargo’. Been a popular vacation destination for decades from the UK - friends honeymooned there 20 years ago and loved it.
Lets hope the Cubans can inform the US healthcare system …
I agree - came to say this same thing. Pretty much how the Mob wanted to exploit pre-Castro Cuba in the '50’s. In ten years (maybe less), there’ll be dozens of casinos. The coastline will be split between gated resorts like Sandals, and rich people havens like Palm Beach, with inland golf courses.
Yes, economic development is a terrible thing. Better leave those sanctions in place, so the Cuban people can prosper!
There are plenty of respectable American businesses who would welcome the opening of this market. If casinos spring up, they don’t have to be run by the mob. Let’s open things up and see how it goes, the embargo was a dismal failure.
So one of the benefits seen is the opening tourism by Americans in Cuba again. Will Cuban citizens have the freedom to travel to the US?
Could they afford to?
I’m sure many could with money sent from family members in the US.
Dear Fidel:
Yeah, offically your dim brother is the nominal president, but we all know he doesn’t wipe his backside without asking you first. So, let’s deal directly.
You're a communist, right? A Leninist-Marxist? Well, it just so happens that at most elite American colleges, we have to read a lot of Marx and Lenin. Mind-numbingly boring stuuff, but what're you gonna do?
Anyway, Lenin told us in no uncertain terms that when industrialized nations trade with small nations, they invariably exploit those smaller nations and drive them deeper into abject poverrty. You read that part too? Cool. So, you know where I’m coming from- imperialism being the highest form of capitalism and all.
So, why do you and your sympathizers evern WANT to trade with the imperialist USA? Don’t you know we’d only use you and drive your people to starvation? Nobody wants that. Multi-national corporations would destroy the socialist utopia you have created for your people.
For YOUR own good, we must maintain the embargo. You’re much better off not trading with us. Lenin said so, and he would know.
I knew you’d understand.
-AstorianSomewhat surprisingly to me, the Washington Post editorializes that the administration’s action yesterday is “naïve” and an “undeserved bailout.” I guess I see the argument that regardless of how one feels about whether the embargo should have been imposed, what is the rationale for ending it now – nothing has changed about the regime or its human-rights policies, for instance. Certainly, though, the embargo wasn’t achieving any useful goals for us, so I don’t see any problem with it getting chipped away.
I often hear the argument that American money will transform the island, but I guess I don’t really see why this would necessarily occur. Cuba has only been cut off from trade with the US, not the entire world. If trade and investment from other Western nations hasn’t altered the Cuban government or society over fifty years, it’s not clear to me why adding the US into the mix would make a material difference.
Here’s the TLDR version of the Washington Post editorial: Sure, sanctions didn’t work for the last 53 years… but success was JUST around the corner!
I don’t know that American investment has been the one missing element to improving conditions in Cuba. But from many perspectives, the current policy simply makes no sense. First, the only reason the embargo exists to to try to force change on Cuba. It has failed, and the idea that we just need to let the embargo work a little while longer is nonsense.
Second, the embargo makes no sense on principle. We don’t forbid Americans from going to see the sights in Pyongyang, the government of which is much, much worse than Cuba. What is the logic of telling Americans that they need to get U.S. government permission to sit on a beach in Cuba? How does embracing Communist-style travel limits on our citizens make us the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Third, if you’re at all concerned about poverty in Cuba, then increasing trade with them is simply a no-brainer.
I’m glad Obama’s taken steps to end the embargo, sometimes momentum’s a bitch to go against
Separate issues. There’s a higher level of scrutiny for unilateral action. The point, though, was in support of BobLibDem. He said that we had relations with all sorts of disreputable countries. I just pointed out that the US is not an exception, but that we could also be considered a disreputable country. That doesn’t stop us, or Russia, or Vietnam, from joining the international community on certain issues. Hypocrisy is an important component of realpolitik!
Because we’re right next door, the largest economy in the Western Hemisphere, and if things open up there will be an enormous amount of travel both ways – cheaper for a Cuban to visit Florida than Britain or whatever.
Si.
In this matter, I have to agree. We must stop doing business with ourselves! Perhaps a boycott on our products until we do what we want.
So all you people saying that the death of Castro is the reset button: what’s your reasoning? Is it because that’s theonly way for the US to save face? Or do you think it’s really going to be a game changer when the former president dies?