LOL Because that has worked so well for the last 50 yrs.
I think we need relations with Cuba based on proximity to our borders alone. Not to mention our Cuban immigrants.
Opening foreign relations with a country is not the same as telling them what govt to have or demand they give their people more freedom.
We didnt do that with China. And we dont do it with Saudi Arabia.
And the rest of your post is too silly to consider. It seems like we should invade....:doh
Because we didn't do it with those countries is not a reason to repeat the mistake. I don't have a problem with opening relations with Cuba. But I think we could have and should have made it contingent upon some concessions on rights and democracy in that country.Opening foreign relations with a country is not the same as telling them what govt to have or demand they give their people more freedom.
We didnt do that with China. And we dont do it with Saudi Arabia.
Why? Btw, the so-called Cuban immigrants don't agree with ending the embargo either.
Why not?
The policy for 9 presidents of both parties has been to keep cuba in the dark until the regime reforms.
so not only does Obama end that policy, he rewards the Cubans for not reforming by handing over several Cuban spies complicit in the deaths of US citizens in international airspace by Cuban military authorities.
(and not only that, we even allowed one of them to provide some sperm in advance of the announcement so his wifey could artificially inseminate herself) just maddening. and we get nothing in return. The Cubans are not driving 56 buicks because no one will sell them subarus, they don't have money to buy subarus because of their economic policy. they have open trade with every other country on the planet. we were doing just fine without them.
so my proposal is to correct the stupid way this was done, by providing them a hardline choice, reform your way or ours, you have 15 days to decide, but either way reform will happen. and the president who threatens that must be serious.
Saudi is a different story, it's home to the most violent religion on the planet , you invade Saudi and you declare war with a billion and a half people, and they lucked out and found 5 huge oil fields which makes them very powerful in that any political instability in Saudi crashes the world economy. you think the Saudi King and princes flying out to Bangkok every Saturday for drinks and hookers care about Sharia law? they don't but they have to maintain the façade to keep their own religious right in check. different scenario.
China I think was a mistake to open trade with, but we didn't just open trade by giving them stuff, we got commerce in return. arguably benefitting both parties.
what does cuba have that they can offer us? I don't there's any shortage of sugar and tobacco in Estados Unidos we wanted reform from them, right or wrong, that's what they can provide us, because they produce nothing else worth trading for.
How has it not worked? It works just fine for us and continues to. What's your great need to enable Cuba?
Are you questioning their status or origin with your statement?
And why didn't you address our proximity to another nation as a reason to have relations?
There are cubans who are pro and anti embargo.
The real question to me is why continue an embargo on Cuba? I am going to assume any reason you give could be applied to another country that we do not have a current embargo on.
We weren't embargoing China.
Let the embargo continue until Cuba changes it's government.
For one thng, it's hypocritical and useless to do so.
And second, we look weak because we've been trying to 'use' our might thru isolation for decades and failed.
You sure about this?
American Experience . Nixon's China Game . Timeline | PBS
Look at December 8th, 1950. Tell me what happened in 1971 and then 1972. When you're done with that, you're welcome to continue spewing nonsense devoid of any historical accuracy.
Did we ask China to change its government before we lifted the US trade embargo?
So it's not about right or wrong, just what's convenient? And screw them if they dont have anything to offer us? Fine...then lift the artificial, useless restrictions that make us look even more weak (since they didnt work) and hypocritical.
Because we didn't do it with those countries is not a reason to repeat the mistake. I don't have a problem with opening relations with Cuba. But I think we could have and should have made it contingent upon some concessions on rights and democracy in that country.
China is not sitting off our shores, nor does Cuba have a sizeable market we were trying to break in to.
How is it at all hypocritical? All the examples you've given to support that reflection have been debunked. And secondly, no. The only failure in that would be ending the embargo now and with absolutely no reason to do so.
Our Sanctions have worked just fine,
Look, you just got caught making history up. Quite literally. You claimed we weren't embargoing China. We most definitely were. All you needed to do was pick up a history book to know that. However, you didn't and now you're looking REALLY bad trying to segway into another ridiculous argument. I've done my job, can you do yours and admit you REALLY didn't know what you were talking about?
Didnt see a single, 'debunk.' LOL
People can write stuff, doesnt mean it's true.
And having a more open, prosperous country off our borders is certainly a greater advantage than the current situation.
We have failed for 50 yrs, now we can look magnanimous and make some moves that enable Cuba to open up economically and in terms of human rights. We arent forcing regime change, but making efforts that will enable it.
Exactly what have the sanctions accomplished?
What bounty has the USofA reaped? Besides looking like idiots.
Flip side of that is, open trade and travel with Cuba and jobs get created, money flows, and capitalism works. Isn't that what so many of you want?
People in the USofA can start importing and exporting stuff to Cuba. More business.
Win-win.
Looking like idiots to whom?Exactly what have the sanctions accomplished?
What bounty has the USofA reaped? Besides looking like idiots.
Flip side of that is, open trade and travel with Cuba and jobs get created, money flows, and capitalism works. Isn't that what so many of you want?
People in the USofA can start importing and exporting stuff to Cuba. More business.
Win-win.
It's their business what freedoms they give their citizens. Not up to us. We dont dictate to China or Saudi Arabia, for ex, how to treat their citizens. We huff and puff but do little of substance. Our attempts at changes to human rights have taken years and have made no inroads in SA.
that doesnt mean I like the system in Cuba, just that it's hypocritical to consider it our business, both in general and there specifically.
There is absolutely no reason for us to even take the time to discuss with Cuba the lowering of the embargo. The embargo exists and is the fact of the day right now. It takes virtually zero effort on our part to continue with it. So the question remains, why go to any effort to end it? Has anything changed on Cuba that would make it a good neighbor? No. And they have nothing else other than being a good neighbor that we need or want.
And yes, I've long questioned the Wet Foot/Dry Foot policy.