Indeed.The Bush administration has ruled that Cuban-Americans can only go home once every three years instead of every year. When they get there, they will only be allowed to spend $50 a day, down from $167. This action by the Bush administration has angered many Cuban-Americans. Yesterday, I saw a program on a Spanish-speaking network reguarding this issue. Many Cuban-Americans were angry chanting "Si se puede" in Miami Airport, in anger of this new policy towards Cuba. This embarrgo now serves no purpose and tightening it makes things even worse. This logic of the embargo bringing the Castro reguime down is ridiculous and should have been done with after the fall of the Soviet Union. People complain about North Korea and the former "Soviet Bloc" republics being "isolationist" however they fail to see that we are making Cuba isolationist. Who loses? American companies gets a new market, Cuban-Americans get to visit their family in Cuba, the Cuban economy grows, etc.......
DaCuBaN
2nd July 2004, 02:50
The one that you missed is that the Cuban people might finally stop hating america quite so much!
Better relations with the Cuban populus. Indeed.
What I do not understand however is how much American companies are critized by these boards yet they wish to stop an embargo which would let American companies trade with Cuba.
DaCuBaN
2nd July 2004, 02:57
It's a choice, and most leftists (I would hope) don't follow 'The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend'.
Well, I don't anyway ;)
These companies in question aren't all good... the fact that they wish to see the cuban people openly trading with the US is good, but there are other factors for which people oppose. I wish I could say that their desire to open trade with Cuba is commendable, but it's harldy being done for altruistic reasons.
*EDIT*
You sound so much like my old mate Trav it's unreal. You're not a student at Glasgow Uni are you?
Of course it is not being done for "altruistic reasons". But despite the reasons would it not be for the greater good? Look, I am not saying that I am for complete unrestricted trade but even you realize that trade is necessary for the survival of the Cuban state and the welfare of the Cuban people.
"You're not a student at Glasgow Uni are you?"
New Jersey>UK
DaCuBaN
2nd July 2004, 03:22
even you realize that trade is necessary for the survival of the Cuban state and the welfare of the Cuban people
:lol:
The Cuban people, yes... The state? I think Castro's proved in the last 15 years that he 'needs' noone - but I do agree that if the Cuban people are to be allowed to prosper that free(ish) trade with the US must be started again.
That said I'm not a big fan of Fidel, but I'm nowhere near knowledgable enough to make the claim I want: That Castro should step down in the name of the Cuban People and instigate Demarchy.
The US could not complain then, and in this day and age I doubt that they could produce sufficient propoganda to demonise Cuban society.
New Jersey>UK
Pfffft! (http://www.glasgowsurvival.co.uk)
By state I was refering to the Cuban economy, "My Bad". I agree that Cuba should become a democracy that is why I think an "anti-isolationist" policy should be a goal of our country towards Cuba. But I do somewhat understand why Castro is so paranoid toward the U.S. I recall during an Oliver Stone documentary Castro showing that the U.S sent clandestine funding via USAID to anti-Castro groups.
Stapler
2nd July 2004, 03:33
Explosive cigars, the like.
More like Cigars with lice to force him to shave his beard and thus result in him losing his super human strength like Samson.
synthesis
2nd July 2004, 06:49
If one actually looks at what has been done to try to sabotage the Cuban revolution, it's amazing that they're even doing as well as they are.
By July, 1959, the CIA puts out a contract on Fidel Castro's life, with the order that he be killed within a year. While Castro is aware of the assassination being orchestrated from the United States, he does not plan nor attempt reprisals, but continues to attempt to find peace between Cuba and the United States. On July, 16, President Urrutia resigns and Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado becomes president.
In August 10, at the behest of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo and General Batista, Dominican Republic radio broadcasts counter-revolutionary demands to the Cuban people that they overthrow their government through the use of mass arson and murder. The counter-revolutionary attempt miserably fails on the ears of every Cuban who hears of it, with a last ditch effort on the 13th ending when a Dominican C-47 lands in Cuba with arms and ammunition is seized, bringing the weak attempt to a complete halt. On August 20, in order to help give electricity to more homes throughout Cuba (many Cuban people had never seen even a lightbulb), sales rates of the "Cuban Electric Company" monopoly (owned by the American Foreign Power Company) are reduced by 30 percent to make electricity more affordable.
Through October 11 to 21, three covert raids by U.S. military aircraft bomb Cuban sugar mills in Pinar del Rio and Camaguey provinces. Cuba begins efforts to purchase airplanes for its defense, looking first to Britain, who agrees to enter negotiations for sales. Britain quickly withdraws from the negotiations after the U.S. learns of them and advises Britain otherwise. On Oct. 21, an aircraft raid on Havana kills two people and wounds 45 civilians in the streets. The next day, in Las Villas province, a U.S. military aircraft strafes a train full of passengers. In response, Cubans form a popular militia.
On January 12, [1960,] U.S. government protests arrive in the form of U.S. military bombers camouflaged as counterrevolutionary Cuban aircraft. The bombers drop napalm bombs on oil refineries and the sugar cane fields of Cuba, burning 10 tons of sugar cane in Havana Province. On the 21st, four 100 pound bonds are dropped on Havana, causing extensive damage. On the 28th through the 29th, U.S. military aircraft bomb and severely wreck five sugar cane fields in Camaguey Province and three in Oriente Province.
On February 7, 1960, another air attack by covert U.S. military aircraft burns 30 tons of sugar cane and several sugar mills in Camaguey, as sabotage operations of sugar production and terrorism in urban areas continue.
Meanwhile, on February 18, U.S. pilot Robert Ellis Frost is killed when his aircraft is shot down while attacking a sugar mill in Matanzas province. On the 23rd, several more air attacks are launched against sugar mills in Las Villas and Matanzas provinces. The Cuban government reaches out to the United States for peaceful negotiations on the 29th, with the condition that the United States cease the bombing campaigns which the U.S. continues to publicly and privately deny during negotiations. U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles (a stockholder and longtime legal adviser for the United Fruit Company, whose land had been confiscated as a result of the Agrarian Reform Law), refuses all attempts to negotiate peace.
In March, a $100 million loan, planned to be granted to Cuba by Western European banks, is canceled in response to U.S. threats. On March 4, the Coubre , a French freighter loaded with Belgian arms and ammunition, is blown up by a terrorist attack in Havana Harbor, killing over a hundred workers. On March 8, an air attack burns more sugar cane in Pinar del Rio. On March 17, 1960, President Eisenhower approves a covert action plan to actively overthrow the Cuban Republic, guided by the CIA (the director of the CIA, Allen Dulles, is the brother of the Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles. Allen also has ties to the United Fruit Company — he was once the president of the company). The plan begins with the creation of a military force, with the aim to invade and overthrow the Cuban government. In the meantime the plan calls for complete economic warfare: a termination of all sugar trade with Cuba, the end of all oil deliveries to Cuba, instructing all U.S. companies in Cuba to refuse to cooperate with the Cuban Government. Meanwhile, a continuation of the arms embargo through all means necessary and the campaign of terrorism will continue.
On April 4, Cuba readies a plan to exporpriate all Cuban land held by the United Fruit company, while on the same day a U.S. military aircraft flying from the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo drops napalm bombs in the Oriente province.
In June 7, when the first shipment of Soviet sold oil arrives, it finds not only that every oil refinery in Cuba is owned by the U.S. companies Esso, Texaco and the British Shell, but that the companies are unilaterally ordered by the U.S. government to refuse to process Soviet oil; while at the same time all U.S. oil sold to Cuba is terminated. This act completely paralyzes the Cuban economy, unable to generate energy. On June 27, the U.S. Congress begins to push through an amended Sugar Act, which calls to eliminate Cuba's sugar quota in whole.
On July 3, 1960, the United States suspends trading sugar with Cuba through the Sugar Act, cutting off over 80 percent of Cuban exports to the United States, again crippling the Cuban economy. On July 5, Cuba attempts to recover from yet another staggering economic blow by nationalizing all U.S. businesses and commercial property. On the following day President Eisenhower cancels the 700,000 tons of sugar remaining in Cuba's quota for 1960, and threatens that military action against Cuba is imminent.
In August 8, 1960, Cuba nationalises all remaining U.S. industrial and agrarian held land in Cuba. A week later, on August 16, the CIA unsuccessfully launches another effort to assassinate Fidel Castro. In this attempt, members of the U.S. mafia are recruited to kill Castro for the CIA. In September, John Roselli is recruited by the CIA, who in turn recruits Chicago Mafia boss Momo Salvatore Giancana and Santo Trafficante Jr.. Santo introduces the new group to "very active" Cubans in Florida who are eager to return to the days of their lucrative gambling, drugs, and prostitution businesses in Cuba.
There is so much more than that which I could quote, one of the worst incidents being when the NED funded a Miami-backed terrorist who blew up a civilian airplane and killed 73 people. I can't believe anyone could criticize Castro's authoritarianism after he has endured over forty years of terrorist attacks, bombings, sanctions, embargoes, isolation, assassinations, and full-scale military invasions. Bush is punishing Castro for being a leader supported by his people.
DaCuBaN
2nd July 2004, 08:11
Communism, Cuba, and more specifically Castro are one of the skapegoats of the US. That said, I don't see what the US could do if Castro announced to the world that he was going to instigate Demarchy in Cuba.
Hiero
2nd July 2004, 09:59
Y2A my understanding is that Cuba could still trade with the USA but not on a free trade aggrement and have tarrifs on exporting goods to protect local industry. Also lifting the embargo doesnt just allow US trading with Cuba, it would allow other countried to trade with cuba and not affect relations with USA.
siare
2nd July 2004, 20:07
If america lifted the embargos it would look weak and it would be like admiting defeat sometyhing america doesnt like
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