[NYTr] Historic Failure: The US Embargo of Cuba
 
Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 14:36:13 -0600 (CST)

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The Republican (Massachusetts) - Nov 4, 2007
http://www.masslive.com/editorials/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1194074556142750.xml&coll=1

Editorial

Embargo of Cuba a historic failure

The United States has its hands full with the war in Iraq, the
continued threat of terrorism and Iran's nuclear ambitions.

So what did President Bush want to talk about recently when he spoke at
the State Department in Washington?

Fidel Castro and democracy in Cuba.

Bush repeated his support of the U.S. embargo against Cuba, which has
been in place since 1961.

He appealed to the nations of the world to stand with the United States
against the oppressive Castro regime.

And he asked the international community to contribute to a Freedom
Fund for Cuba to promote democratic reform in the island nation.

Given his low popularity ratings in the world and the failure of U.S.
policies in Iraq, it is unlikely that many nations will rush to help
Bush in this cause.

In fact, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on
Tuesday calling for an end to the embargo, as it has done each year for
the past 16 years. The vote was 184 in favor and four opposed.

The next administration, whether it is Democratic or Republican, should
end the embargo and lift travel restrictions.

The Bush administration and eight other administrations before it have
argued that the embargo would force Fidel Castro to change his evil
ways and allow economic reforms that would eventually lead to a more
democratic government. This policy has failed for more than four
decades, and it's time for the U.S. to show that it has learned from
its mistakes.

Castro has felt no pain, at least not pain caused by U.S. policy. In
fact, he has used the embargo to demonize Bush and other presidents, to
distract his own people from the abuses and failures of his oppressive
government and to strengthen his hold on power.

Castro and his brother Raul, in charge while Fidel continues to recover
from gastrointestinal surgery last year, probably wish Bush would talk
about Cuba every week.

If the U.S. wants to see change in Cuba, it will first have to make
some changes itself.

                             ***

TPM Cafe - Nov 3, 2007
http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2007/nov/03/americas_self_damaging_embargo_of_cuba

America's Self-Damaging Embargo of Cuba

By Steve Clemons

In all of the noise about Iraq, Iran, Mukasey, FISA, and the upcoming
Annapolis Peace Summit on Israel/Palestine, I neglected to mention that
a vote was taken in the UN General Assembly condeming America's embargo
against Cuba.

The vote was 184-4. The four were the United States, Israel, Marshall
Islands, and Palau. Micronesia didn't even vote with the U.S. and
abstained.

Japan voted against us. Germany voted against us. The Philippines voted
against us. Poland voted against us. Mexico and Canada voted against
us. The UK, Iceland, Brazil, and Singapore voted against us.

And while Israel voted with us, Israeli firms are nonetheless managing
citrus groves in Cuba.

Hillary Clinton has unfortunately said that she would continue the Bush
administration's policies on Cuba -- and that there are more
differences between her and Barack Obama on the family-damaging
restrictions on travel and trade than between her and George W. Bush.

I hope that she finds a way to change her mind -- because we need a NEW
direction in US foreign policy not hug-sessions with the past,
particularly policies that have clearly failed not only recently but
over four decades.

[Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington
Note.]
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