Comments on: Obama and flawed logic on Cuba

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:35:02 +0000

The reason is simple. Die-hard anti-Castro exiles have driven U.S. policy towards Cuba for the last five decades. The Cuban community in Miami is crucial now in electing U.S. presidents, who bow to their whims. Also there is a hypocricy argument behind U.S. policy towards China and Saudi Arabia. China is the world’s biggest market for U.S. products and holds billions of dollars in U.S. Treasury bonds. The Saudis are major oil exporters. So, human rights are just shift under the rug.

By: Michael Ham

Michael Ham — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:44:28 +0000

Zondo,
Maybe I made the mistake of exaggerating but to think there’s the same number of people who want to suicide bomb the united states in 2001 as there is now would be silly and ignorant. This past regime has set us back decades in foreign affairs. This current regime won’t do anything to fix it either, it’s just as awful. There’s no difference in Republican or Democrat, they all do the same thing they just spit different lies during their campaigns. I agree he’ll take the same stance on everything and every country except Cuba, since as the other poster pointed out they found a big supply of oil.

By: Zondo

Zondo — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:02:27 +0000

Thank you ER Johnson & Frank Castle for being somewhat the voice of reason here.

To Michael Ham I would like to say that in the Middle East there have always been millions of people who wanted to fly their planes into our buildings, you obviously just didn’t know it. Some of us are better informed about world affairs BEFORE the catastrophe hits. You obviously only started paying attention recently. I think your mistakes on Cuba are the same…Look back at why we are at this point today. We are not just over paranoid about a long past cold war. And the reason Cuba is not aiming missiles at us today is because of the policies set in place 50 years ago.

As someone who does not support the ideals of our current president I am anxious to see how the country will respond to the results from his plans after they realize that he will take much the same stance on these issues (Cuba, Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran) as the previous 8 – 10 presidencies. I think Obama’s and your naivety will be obvious.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:41:24 +0000

I hope the US eventually gets its head out of the Cold-War hole it’s stuck in with regards to relations with Cuba. This isolation, trade embargo policy has not worked for 50 years! No reason to continue something that DOES NOT WORK. The only reason seems to have been, and continue to be POLITICAL. Let’s look at China before Nixon started the process of opening it up. Yes, it’s still communist now, but it’s slowly changing. It will never be a western-style democracy, but I believe China will eventually find its own balance between people’s rights and a strong central government. And there is no question the China of today is much more improved than the China of 30 or 40 years ago. Why not try same approach to Cuba? Open things up, start some trade. They will not become a democracy overnight, but things will slowly improve. For crying out loud the Cold-War is OVER. So time for the US to end a Cold-War era embargo. It won’t just help Cuba…it’ll give US businesses a whole new bunch of customers right in their backyard!

By: B.Free

B.Free — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:48:48 +0000

I you want to know why the US is now seriously talking to Cuba the answer is very simple:

20bn barrel oil discovery puts Cuba in the big league
The Guardian, Saturday 18 October 2008

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct /18/cuban-oil

Go read for yourself.

This would put Cuba in the top 20. It would make Cuba independent. They US now is looking at getting a piece if the Cuban pie. Or, should I say the international oil companies that own the US government are looking at getting a piece of the Cuban pie.

By: Rej

Rej — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:57:57 +0000

why not put an embargo on the USA.. bunch of bullies who think that everyone in the world should be their slaves. Their capitalist structure is crumbling, yet they still want everyone else to do the same as they do. They elect some thieves and thugs who can steal all they want to and make war on some strange reasons but everything is fine.. 10% of the US population is in jail, heath care is for the rich unless you want to be robbed by some insurance companies. Kids at school are more preoccupied by the spring break than learning something meaningful. A LOT of Americans don’t know anything outside of their state. Yet those same people are judging Cuba as being a menace and old a grudge against it for having seized the properties of some of the worst mafia gang in the world. Mr Dupont never shed a tear for loosing his ranch in Cuba, he has plenty of others. And the story goes on, General Food still pay the least possible for his coffee and fruits, keeping the people in poverty all over Latin America. So, who is the bad guy ?

By: Michael Ham

Michael Ham — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:53:04 +0000

There you go ER Johnson, that tough approach has worked for us perfectly in the middle east. In 2001 we had a few dozen people willing to fly planes into our buildings now we have millions in the middle east.

Wouldn’t a government be more willing to want to side with us if we’re nice to them and be less likely to allow our enemies to have missiles on their land if we’re in good relations? Is that asking for too much common sense out of this government? Probably so

By: ER Johnson

ER Johnson — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:06:53 +0000

China and Saudi Arabia are not 90 miles from the United States, have not sought to point nuclear weapons at us with a flight time of less than 5 minutes with a regime that is STILL in power. Easing the economic morass of Cuba will do little to change the power. Whatever the US can do to foment a revolution (and let’s do something a bit better than Kennedy a la Bay of Pigs) is the best kind of policy we can have.

Change our policy? Absolutely — crank it up and make it more difficult on Castro.

By: Michael Ham

Michael Ham — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:54:19 +0000

I just wanna make sure I’m hearing Frank Castle correctly, cuz I know he doesn’t wanna be hypocritical. We should cut off all economic relations with China/India/Saudi Arabia/Egypt, why not Mexico they have a ton of murderers who side with the drug cartels in their government, far worse than Cuba.

With the way your republicans spent from 2000-2006 would you have preferred that Bush and his cronies had up’d your income taxes 10,20,30% or were you happy with him sending Hank Paulsen over to get on his knees and beg the Chinese for money?

Ron Paul baby, no one who can look themselves in the mirror and says they’re a fiscal conservative would ever vote Republican (I know Paul ran as one, but we all know he isn’t one).

By: Alma G.

Alma G. — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:18:47 +0000

It’s clear to anyone with any knowledge of Cuba and with any common sense that the only reason Fidel and now his brother stayed in power is that they could blame economic mismanagement and misery on the gringos and their embargo. Had it been lifted, the whole house of cards would have collapsed decades ago. It’s a pity that Obama does not push for the boycott to be lifted. Rolling back Bush’s idiotic family travel restrictions doesn’t require a lot of guts.