Time to lift embargo on Cuba?

[Mavrick]

I spent the last week in Cuba to enjoy the sun and beaches. I also visited a few places, including Havana. After a few hours of observation, I could immediately notice that the Cubans are in a position where they don't like the USA because of the embargo and all the threats, but on the other hand, they ache to live the american way. They get American TV, and absorb a lot of US culture by it, and they crave for things like NFL/Baseball T-Shirts, Caps or Nike equipement because it is seen as extremely cool there.

Since all the decades of embargo really did not weaken Castro's power, and that Cuba really is not a rogue/terrorist state (people there are far from extremist, they have a mentality really close to our own), why not lift the embargo and restore commerce with them?

I honestly think that a few months without the embargo would to more to weaken the communist regime than all the past decades. People there adhere to Castros's regime because they never had a better government in place. Why not open to them, and offer them the possibility to dream of a better tomorrow? When all these people will see that the USA is finally respecting them, the days of communism in Cuba will be counted!

So, do you think the embargo should be lifted?

 

[SuperTool]

It's a no brainer.

 

[Dari]

Yes, but I'd have no problem with seeing Castro sent to Camp X-Ray for all the stress he's caused us. At least beat him with a banana before he dies.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Damn that's lame.

 

[TheBDB]

What is the argument FOR keeping the embargo? I mean is Cuba some sort of threat? We obviously don't embargo all communist countries (China).

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: Mavrick
I honestly think that a few months without the embargo would to more to weaken the communist regime than all the past decades. People there adhere to Castros's regime because they never had a better government in place. Why not open to them, and offer them the possibility to dream of a better tomorrow? When all these people will see that the USA is finally respecting them, the days of communism in Cuba will be counted!

I think you're right, no one can claim China is the same state it was before it opened up to commerce. But it won't happen, since it'll be seen as backing down or being weak or something of the sort.

 

[replicator]

Originally posted by: Dari
Yes, but I'd have no problem with seeing Castro sent to Camp X-Ray for all the stress he's caused us. At least beat him with a banana before he dies.

What stress in particular?

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: replicator

Originally posted by: Dari
Yes, but I'd have no problem with seeing Castro sent to Camp X-Ray for all the stress he's caused us. At least beat him with a banana before he dies.

What stress in particular?

Surviving the sneer of Dari's "America".

 

[DragonMasterAlex]

My guess is that the embargo *will* be dropped once Castro croaks off, which hopefully will be soon. I also suspect that removing the embargo would do more to foment anti-communist sentiment among Cubans than the embargo has, at least at this point. The idea of "infecting" a communist culture with the ideas of freedom and commerce is the key reason why I support free trade with China. In all of China's history it has *NEVER* been a free nation, and I suspect that the best way to convince them to change their ways is to show them the wealth and improved quality of life that comes from free trade. The Chinese have a *lot* of culture to overcome, and the Cubans have markedly less.

Jason

 

[BDawg]

Originally posted by: TheBDB
What is the argument FOR keeping the embargo? I mean is Cuba some sort of threat? We obviously don't embargo all communist countries (China).

We beat up on Cuba because we can. We'd have an embargo against China if they weren't so big and powerful.

 

[xxxxxJohnGaltxxxxx]

Yes...sick of paying a premium for my cigars.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: TheBDB
What is the argument FOR keeping the embargo? I mean is Cuba some sort of threat? We obviously don't embargo all communist countries (China).

To keep North Cuba seperate from Cuba.

 

[Zebo]

It is quite amazing China gets MFN while Cuba suffers an embargo. But you have over 2 million cubans in USA many of whom lost a lot of land/assets some 50 years ago and want those who took it to suffer so I understand.

 

[dmcowen674]

The Embargo will be lifted after we get a chance to increase the forces at Gitmo and take over Cuba like Iraq and then find Castro in some rat hole too. All Dictators must go, we'll get them one at a time or they'll buckle like Qadafi before we send our forces in.

 

[Drift3r]

The embargo is there because of U.S. Cubans who hold power in Florida which is a major electoral state. You better believe that U.S. big business has been jumping up and down to get the embargo lifted. Yet no one wants to suffer the wraith of the U.S. Cuban population at the polls. The anti-Castro or anti-Cuba lobby as some of you might call it is very strong and well funded in terms of keeping this embargo in place to spite one person namely Castro.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Drift3r
The embargo is there because of U.S. Cubans who hold power in Florida which is a major electoral state. You better believe that U.S. big business has been jumping up and down to get the embargo lifted. Yet no one wants to suffer the wraith of the U.S. Cuban population at the polls. The anti-Castro or anti-Cuba lobby as some of you might call it is very strong and well funded in terms of keeping this embargo in place to spite one person namely Castro.

Castro was responsible for the confiscation of their lands & businesses. They are in no mood to forgive. The US will not guarentee the return of their property; partly becuase some of it was given/sold to foriegn countries. A tangled web of ownership exists.

 

[DragonMasterAlex]

Look at the bright side. Castro is a bastard of a dictator (I really enjoyed how he threw those 70-odd journalists in prison last year for...reporting the truth...

His reign is not likely to be followed by a similar dictator, however. I suspect that when Castro dies the Cubans will throw off Communism so fast it will create a tsunami when it hits the water and drown half of Florida

Jason

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: Drift3r
The embargo is there because of U.S. Cubans who hold power in Florida which is a major electoral state. You better believe that U.S. big business has been jumping up and down to get the embargo lifted. Yet no one wants to suffer the wraith of the U.S. Cuban population at the polls. The anti-Castro or anti-Cuba lobby as some of you might call it is very strong and well funded in terms of keeping this embargo in place to spite one person namely Castro.

Castro was responsible for the confiscation of their lands & businesses. They are in no mood to forgive. The US will not guarentee the return of their property; partly becuase some of it was given/sold to foriegn countries. A tangled web of ownership exists.

Thank Christ at least one person in here knows why there is an embargo. (sorry, I'm going to vent here) You people make me sick! Is there a REASON for the embargo?! How about the fact that Castro parked nukes right off our shoreline?? If Khruschev was still in power, do you think we'd be trading with Russia? Heck no! Or how about the fact that Castro took away land and property (as stated above) from businesses based in Cuba and claimed them as his own only to sell them later?

But the big businesses want the embargo lifted, right? Why? Cigar companies I'm sure would be happy, but you can already get Cuban cigars into America, you just have to have a person that can legally bring them in (though I'm not sure how they get this status, there are a decent number of people that can do this, I assure you) and then they can be sold here. The shipping isn't as efficient, but it is considered a premium cigar after all.

It's not a market they want to sell to. While Cubans do generally like American things and watch American television shows and would probably buy American goods, they don't exactly have a ton of money to blow. The only argument would be for getting cheaper labor there, but then you run into the trouble of Castro or his successor taking your business and not giving it back.

The one "industry" that does want the embargo to end is baseball. Half the freaking baseball players are Cuban, and Cubans would actually watch and support the sport, unlike many Americans (like myself) who would much rather watch Arena-league football or even golf (and I really don't like golf).

BTW, I'm one fo the "idiots" who gets a lot of my news from sites like CNN and Foxnews, but amazingly I actually know my history. Maybe instead of everyone in these forums complaining about how nobody but themselves reads the REAL news, they should pick up a history book.

Jesus, I'm tired of typing.

 

[kage69]

I suspect that when Castro dies the Cubans will throw off Communism so fast it will create a tsunami when it hits the water and drown half of Florida

I'm not so sure about that, Cubans have been fed so much propaganda over how superior their system is they actually believe it, despite the island being a dump. Not to say it's up to a North Korea level, but I don't see Cuban communism totally collapsing upon Castro's death. Eventually though, maybe with an additional generation or two. Then again, who can say for sure? Before the war, Iraqis piled on the plaudits of Saddam, calling him the true face of Iraq and a benevolent and kind ruler. Then they were rejoicing at his downfall and pummeling his likenesses with thier shoes.

 

[DragonMasterAlex]

Possible, possible. It's hard to throw off a pattern you've known your whole life, that's for sure. We should snuffed Castro 40 years ago, truth be told.

I don't know if Cubans really believe in their system's syperiority though; after all, you can't go more than a couple of months without hearing a news story about refugees in boats (or remember that guy who stole an airplane to fly a bunch of Cubans to the US a couple of years ago?) dying trying to escape Cuba to come to America.

Ah, Communism. Is there anything more fun? What I really enjoy are people who say things like, "Communism is a great idea, it just doesn't work in practice!"

News flash! If it were a good idea it WOULD work in practice.

Jason

 

[Genesys]

bah, i just want to go to Cuba so i can partake in Cuban culture and perhaps get a few Cubans to sell me their old cars!

 

[kage69]

Not that I would condone political assassination, but had it happened something tells me we wouldn't have Cubans using anything that floats to brave the straights, sometimes even being attacked by their own military in the process. Yeah, great guy that Castro. I went to High School in the Florida Keys, and have spent a good amount of time throughout South Florida. Parents of Cuban friends have told me some crazy sh!t, although given the frothy attitude of the majority of Cuban Americans down there, who knows if it's on the money.

 

[kage69]

bah, i just want to go to Cuba so i can partake in Cuban culture and perhaps get a few Cubans to sell me their old cars!

You want to buy a goat-drawn carrige? Those refurb'ed Chevys are the new cars dude!


jk!

 

[DragonMasterAlex]

Well if you won't do it, then *I* will come right out and condone political assassination. If you're a tyrant who uses force to subjugate the people of your country, I'm perfectly OK with sending snipers to take your ass out of the picture and then lend whatever aid is necessary to help the people realize FREEDOM.

Jason

 

[johnjosh]

only after we take castro and his goverment out.