Cuba?

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   RKHenryposted 15 years ago

   "The president has directed the secretaries of state, treasury and commerce to carry out the actions necessary to lift all restrictions on the ability of individuals to visit family members in Cuba and to send them remittances," said Mr Gibbs.
   
   The changes fulfilled a pledge made by Mr Obama during his presidential campaign and would help bridge the gap between divided Cuban families, he added.
   
   The US had imposed a commercial blockade on Cuba since the Communist revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power in 1959. -the bbc reported
   
   What is your opinion of Cuban and American relations?

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      AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Honestly I am excited about it and it is certainly time.

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         RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

           me too!

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      Ralph Deedsposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      The time is long overdue for normalizing relations with Cuba. Our policy was ridiculous from the beginning and then held hostage to the expatriate Cubans in Florida.

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   Dame Scribeposted 15 years ago

   It is a new age for them now. Whatever style of gov't Cuba is going will open or close doors with the US so will be up to them. Only time and the gov't will see what direction they are going. I think Cuba would stand a good chance of developing a great tourist rep with their beaches, history, people, sea life, etc.

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   VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 15 years ago

   I cannot see Cuba as a communist country.  I can see it only as a colonised country... by the Spanish !  If it was a revolution, it should have been carried out by the native people and not by a foreigner from Spain. By masking themselves as communists, they are passing time there! Fidel Castro, born in Spain, having his ancestral house in Barcelona... does all these show that he is a communist?  Let him first lead a revolution in his Spain and make it a communist country.

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      GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Ahh, colonialism.
      
      I've never agreed with the way we've handled our relations to Cuba. Oh my god! Commies! They'll take over the world! Just like China. (hah.)
      
      And the bay of pigs...tsk, tsk. Probably what gave JFK his early (and not at all deserved!) grave.
      
      America talks about Democracy, and how we're friendly and awesome, but when it comes to Cuba...we're not showing this in action.
      
      Thanks for the good topic, RK.
      
      Cheers.
      
      G|M

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      Make Moneyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      It seems that you have skipped an entire Cuban historical era Venugopal, the Spanish–American War of 1898 that ended with the Treaty of Paris.  Castro's Cuban communist revolution of 1959 was directed against American imperialism.  I'm not taking sides, just stating facts.  After the Spanish–American War "The Spanish administrators and military, including Angel Castro (Fidel's father), returned to Spain. Many Spanish landowners also left, selling their estates and properties at knock-down prices, usually to Americans. The Spaniards and the Cubans now had something in common: they both felt they had been cheated and humiliated by the United States."  This is referring to Spaniards that stayed in Cuba and native Cubans so it looks like the 1959 revolution was carried out by the native people. http://shortcovers.com/shortcovers/The- … page1.html
      
      
      
      Get over it RK.

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         RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Come on Mike, you look like a pretty old dude.  You of all people should know it isn't right to call people names or bash them for no apparent reason.  I hate to be the one that tells you this, but, you don't have Mark's wit.  You're not even close to being in the same league as him.  You can spend the rest of your days as a should've, would've, could've has been all you want, that's fine with me now- because I see how you are. 
         
         Now, I've said my peace.  Your response I'm sure will only prove me right yet again.  So come on Mikey Ole boy, make sure it has a "real" snap to it this time, and not just the same generic imitation of someone else's banter. 
         
         By the way, you've made some really good dialog on this Cuba topic.

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            Make Moneyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            Maybe we can keep it that way.
            
            Hey that's the extent of this "Ole boy's" snappy banter back to a youngin.

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               GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               Hey you two..being the link hoe, here's a relevant and funny clip from The Mask:
               
               http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJej6kCgxVM
               
               They call me Cuban Pete, I'm the leader of the rhumba beat...
               
               
               
               G|M

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                  RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                  What would we do with out you, GeneriqueMedia?  You are to be applauded.

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                     GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                     Nah, I'm a "rebel without applause," as Brian Warner would say.

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   RKHenryposted 15 years ago

   As for myself, I've always wanted to travel to Cuba.  I am glad the future is looking brighter for Cuba.  But today, I noticed Fidel Castro complaining about how Obama is not doing enough.  What does that man expect?  For the last 25+ years, their has been no dialog, no travel, no support in rebuilding a neighborhood kinship between them and us. 
   
   Man, is  nothing but a taker out for himself.  He needs to stay out of the picture, if he really "loves" Cuba- he needs to remain quiet.  The US is never in the mood to take criticism for the likes of Castro.  That will get them no where fast.

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   barrancaposted 15 years ago

   I support obama's initiatives but they don't go far enough.  he should end the embargo.  I traveled to cuba about 10 years ago, visiting the italian ambassador & his wife.  Cuba was in a very sad state of affairs.  Havana was falling down for lack of building materials.  prostitutes were everywhere.  carrying suitcases in a hotel was paid as well as a doctor.  the whole country was full of people just scrabbling for a living.

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      RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Then why doesn't the people DO something about it?

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   Make Moneyposted 15 years ago

   I'd have to agree with barranca.  This is a good start by Obama but I think the US embargo of Cuba should be lifted too.  I remember hearing the embargo of South Africa helped to over throw the Apartheid there but it also had a major detrimental effect on the well being of the people.  I imagine it's the same for the people of Cuba.  I know a few people that have vacationed there, my brother has been there a couple of times.  He says the people are friendly and don't hound you like some other impoverished vacation destinations.

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      RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      
      Was he over there to recruit "war mongers"?

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         GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Nah, vacation. South Africa rocks.

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            RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            I've always wanted to go to South Africa.  I've always have wanted to go to Cuba even more.

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               GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               Maybe you can work out a trade. Ellian Gonzalez takes your place here, and you take his place there.

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                  RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                  Ha!

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   Make Moneyposted 15 years ago

     Good one G|M

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      RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      By the way, how did your brother get into to Cuba anyways?  I was always under the impression that travel into Cuba was forbidden.

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         Make Moneyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         No travel to Cuba is just forbidden for US citizens by the US government, to buy any Cuban products too I believe.  We are from Canada that does not have an embargo on Cuba.  Cuba is quite the inexpensive vacation destination these days.

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            RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            Ah!  I see.  They said that traveling to Havana is like traveling back in time, to the 1950's.  Is that true do you know?

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   Make Moneyposted 15 years ago

   I've never been to Cuba although I've seen documentaries showing them still using the cars of the 50s.  Seems strange that they are still using 50 year old cars while we are sending 10 or 15 year old cars to the wreckers.  Maybe we could learn something from them.

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      RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Possible

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      VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Those 50 year old cars may be fit for use in Cuba, but not in other places. That condition shows that time stands still in Cuba without any improvement in road conditions, life conditions of people there.
      
      We all should learn something from those who are better than ourselves. Can those cars travel in American roads where all cars are flying? Will American authorities allow breakdown cars to be repaired on the roads or left out unattended?

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   VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 15 years ago

   I would like to see a modern Cuba which competes with nearby America in wealth and social conditions. I pray God to give the people of Cuba an early relief from the stench of Communism.

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    mohamedhmmposted 15 years ago

    we finish our problems with mexico; now, welcome to cuba...
    really we need to open the door to the end in america for cuba; that's the right time?!

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    RKHenryposted 15 years ago

    I watched the movie the "Lost City".  It's about Havana, Cuba.  Man it was a beautiful island at one time.  Very rich in culture.  I would like to see that happen again.

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       earnestshubposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Me too. America may help Cuba under Obama. I hope so, the Cuban government will need to change though.

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          GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Remember the Bay of Pigs? The last guy who tried that ended up with a bullet in his head.
          
          Not that I'm against it. But its suspect that we should go around telling people how to act. ;P
          
          G|M

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          RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Maybe with Castro's death, the Cuban people will uprise again.  Who knows, it's up to the people.  They arose in the 1950's, if they want change they just might do it again.  The French Revolution was a peasants revolt, if they did it- there is hope for Cuba.

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    ledefensetechposted 15 years ago

    The embargo was the best thing to happen to Castro.  The only way a Communist country can survive is by controlling information flow and total command of the economy.  Communication and trade will always destroy Communism.  It's about time we changed that stupid policy.  Cuba could have been free decades ago.

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       RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       I don't think that is what JFK was worried about at the time.

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    ledefensetechposted 15 years ago

    JFK was an idiot and almost destroyed the world in a holocaust of nuclear fire, so I'm not really too concerned about what he was worried about at the time.  Never thought I'd say this, but thank God Khrushchev had the balls to back down even though it set his plans back for detente back a decade.
    
    To give you and idea of the craziness of people in the national security business back then, they thought that detente would allow for a Soviet victory in the cold war.  What they didn't realize was that detente gave just as much time for our ideas to permeate the Iron Curtain as their ideas permeated through the Free World. 
    
    But, Communism cannot survive open communication.  There's a reason why the state owns all of the media in a Communist country.  That's why detente was fatal to the Communist cause.  JFK ignored this and attempted to stride across the world stage like a Colossus, no matter the consequences.

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       RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Not too worried about JFK?  Despite your own personal feelings on the man, the history behind the embargo must be known.  Without ALL the historical facts into play- how can you make an educated guess, opinion, statement, or even have a rational standing position?
       
       The fact of the matter, is that JFK actions need to be fully addressed.  Whether your a personal fan favorite or not.  That's all I'm saying.  The embargo was never about "supplying stable growth to defeat communism."  Look to history. To suggest such is wrong.

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    ledefensetechposted 15 years ago

    No, what the embargo was about is that Kennedy gambled on a coup and when it didn't work out, he slapped a punishing embargo down to cover up his mistake.  I'm not one to believe that Communism was all that great of a threat.  Communism will always fail.  There is no way that you can correctly allocate resources using socialist methods.  The best you get is people allocating resources according to political ideology or political support.
    
    I think JFK scared the elite of his time so much that they had him killed.  That would certainly explain all of the changes made before the Dallas trip.  That's the problem with the Presidency, it's grown far too powerful and no person can be trusted to do a good job holding that much power.
    
    Back to Cuba, I read a report that says cruise lines could see a doubling of their business by opening up Cuba to US tourism.  It won't get us out of the Second Great Depression, but it will be a start.

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       RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Well I for one would be a passenger on that cruise.  But still, and think we are in agreement, the embargo was never about open lines of communication or defeating communism.  It was about PRIDE.

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    Direxmdposted 15 years ago

    Open the damn proverbial borders, there are far worse evils in this world than communism (if you could consider it an evil, although I hold contempt for many communist organizations for their cruelty and horrors).  The Cuban government might be more likely to make a 2nd look towards capitalist provisions if they experience an influx of American tourism and Cuban expatriates, although I doubt they will bring down their fair-trade provisions (and they shouldn't, ****ing NAFTA, and the World Bank).

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