• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Obama shakes hands with Cuba's Castro in 'gesture of hope'

Selective memory much?

Rumsfeld and Saddam Hussein:
saddamandrumsfeld.jpg


George HW Bush with Manuel Noriega:
bush_noriega.jpg


Nixon and Mao-Tse Tung:
Nixon_with_Mao.jpg


Eisenhower and Kruschev:
Eisenhower_with_Nikita.jpg


So exactly what point are you trying to make here?
 
I don't see much wrong with this. Raul is less fanatical and extreme than Fidel, and something small like this to continue the thawing trend is probably not a bad idea from time to time.

I would say, however, that a handshake from Obama is a fairly empty gesture these days. His credibility here and abroad is so low that I doubt world leaders noted it as much more than a meaningless glitzy photo op.
 
Helix said:
Raul Castro is 5' 4". Obama is 6' 1". even a very brief and formal handshake would require Obama to :

a. bend slightly

b. grow a longer arm.

as growing a longer arm can take months or even years, i feel that Obama made the right decision.
Click to expand...

Your theory is wrong unless it was wilt Chamberlin shaking hands with a midget. Quit making dumb excuses for the bow.
 
specklebang said:
Our decision to make the Cuban people suffer because we are mad at their King is foolish and unfair. We have normalized relations with far worse countries and it has been a benefit all around.

Maybe this will be the beginning of getting along with one of our closest neighbors. It's way overdue.

That's my opinion© as an American, it has nothing to do with any political party.
Click to expand...

There is a very solid reason why we haven't normalized relations with Cuba all these years. No, it has nothing to do with Communism or Cuba being any sort of a threat to the US. It has to do with the numbers of Cuban Americans living in Florida who have achieved citizenship and therefore vote in our elections. They despise Castro with a white hot rage, and would vote against any candidate who even suggested that normalizing relations with Castro would be even a remote possibility. That candidate would lose Florida, which tends to be a swing state.

Therefore, we don't normalize relations with Cuba.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
Your theory is wrong unless it was wilt Chamberlin shaking hands with a midget. Quit making dumb excuses for the bow.
Click to expand...

if they had duked it out instead, which one would you have rooted for?
 
Dittohead not! said:
There is a very solid reason why we haven't normalized relations with Cuba all these years. No, it has nothing to do with Communism or Cuba being any sort of a threat to the US. It has to do with the numbers of Cuban Americans living in Florida who have achieved citizenship and therefore vote in our elections. They despise Castro with a white hot rage, and would vote against any candidate who even suggested that normalizing relations with Castro would be even a remote possibility. That candidate would lose Florida, which tends to be a swing state.

Therefore, we don't normalize relations with Cuba.
Click to expand...

We cannot let normalized Cubans from Dade county set US foreign policy.
 
specklebang said:
Our decision to make the Cuban people suffer because we are mad at their King is foolish and unfair. We have normalized relations with far worse countries and it has been a benefit all around.

Maybe this will be the beginning of getting along with one of our closest neighbors. It's way overdue.

That's my opinion© as an American, it has nothing to do with any political party.
Click to expand...

You don't bow to a dictator that is holding an innocent American in prison.
 
Dittohead not! said:
There is a very solid reason why we haven't normalized relations with Cuba all these years. No, it has nothing to do with Communism or Cuba being any sort of a threat to the US. It has to do with the numbers of Cuban Americans living in Florida who have achieved citizenship and therefore vote in our elections. They despise Castro with a white hot rage, and would vote against any candidate who even suggested that normalizing relations with Castro would be even a remote possibility. That candidate would lose Florida, which tends to be a swing state.

Therefore, we don't normalize relations with Cuba.
Click to expand...

My ex girlfriend and her family are Cuban. Her dad fled by going to Spain for a medical procedure and then coming here. The stories he has are insane.

Che Guevarra was, in addition to a medical doctor and radical communist, put in charge of executions in Cuba. His death squads could give me nightmares, and Ive seen some very bad things. :(
 
Dittohead not! said:
There is a very solid reason why we haven't normalized relations with Cuba all these years. No, it has nothing to do with Communism or Cuba being any sort of a threat to the US. It has to do with the numbers of Cuban Americans living in Florida who have achieved citizenship and therefore vote in our elections. They despise Castro with a white hot rage, and would vote against any candidate who even suggested that normalizing relations with Castro would be even a remote possibility. That candidate would lose Florida, which tends to be a swing state.

Therefore, we don't normalize relations with Cuba.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of legislative ideas that are hated by large segments of voters but that doesn't keep them from passing. I'm surprised that Cuban-Americans want millions to suffer just to make a point about an old man in power.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
You don't bow to a dictator that is holding an innocent American in prison.
Click to expand...

It's a funeral for ****s sake. Not the time for this childish political bull****.
 
Helix said:
Raul Castro is 5' 4". Obama is 6' 1". even a very brief and formal handshake would require Obama to :

a. bend slightly

b. grow a longer arm.

as growing a longer arm can take months or even years, i feel that Obama made the right decision.
Click to expand...

Baloney, unless Obama was born with little T Rex arms he didn't need to bow to shake hands with the man.
 
Someone has to be really bored to make such a big deal out of such a small gesture.
 
TurtleDude said:
that's silly Nixon met with the Chinese Premier and it led to the end of the iron curtain
Click to expand...

That's a meeting I would not have approved of either, regardless of the outcome.


specklebang said:
Our decision to make the Cuban people suffer because we are mad at their King is foolish and unfair. We have normalized relations with far worse countries and it has been a benefit all around.
Click to expand...

On that we will have to disagree. Then again I'm an Isolationist by nature.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
Hear what? You give the man a formal handshake while standing proud and tall as President of the USA and quickly move on.
Click to expand...

Whatever Mr. Castro may have been saying to him. As others have pointed out its way past time to lend a hand to Cubans.
 
Montecresto said:
Whatever Mr. Castro may have been saying to him. As others have pointed out its way past time to lend a hand to Cubans.
Click to expand...

I disagree. We don't need to lend a hand to Cuba. If they want to be included on our trade, let them come asking for it and we'll bargain just as we do with every other nation.
 
instagramsci said:
Someone has to be really bored to make such a big deal out of such a small gesture.
Click to expand...

What you call a small gesture has become a pattern over the course of his presidency. Granted, one or two times, that could be dismissed. But it's part of a pattern that shows weakness. You know, in Russia, folks on the street still call Obama Putin's bitch.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
You stand firm, straight and tall and show the Cuban people we are not wimps to be pushed around by their little punk ass dictator.
Click to expand...

Can we leave out the perceived bowing and get on with being a positive influence? If we normalized (somewhat) relations with Cuba, it would bring prosperity to the masses of the population. Communism fails once people have a shot at Capitalism and we would "win" by doing this. China, Russia and Vietnam are good examples. W made things better - not perfect - by opening up to normalized relations and helped create their middle-class. That has reduced their aggression considerably. People who have full bellies are less war-like.

My POV anyway.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
First of all what is this "gesture of hope" BS? I didn't know whether to put this in media bias or here. I have no problem with him giving the guy a formal handshake in a situation like this but he seems like he is really infatuated with the guy and it looks to me like he is bowing again. Why is he so warm and subservient to this commie thug.



View attachment 67157963

Yahoo!
Click to expand...

What is your hang-up with bowing? In many cultures, bowing is the form or greeting like a handshake. You are seriously reading waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much into this. Its actually kinda funny.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom