US to Restore Full Relations With Cuba, Erasing a Last Trace of Cold War Hostility

[Bouncer]

Lol at the dumb Americans bullshit view of everything.

Only 90 miles away and thinks he's far flung

in terms of culture it might as well be on the other side of the globe. Australia distance wise could't be further away but culturally more similar than Cubans.

[Mr I]

Lol at the dumb Americans bullshit view of everything.

Only 90 miles away and thinks he's far flung

[Bouncer]

An American In Cuba: Part 1 | Halle Eavelyn

An American In Cuba -- Part II | Halle Eavelyn

[Mr I]

Irish

I'm not comparing cuba with china just to clear that up.

Also makes me laugh all these people wearing che t shirts etc like he was a hero

Castro was jailed by bautista but then let go. He came back and overthrew bautista with the support of the oppressed. Then went on to oppress. There is no freedom of expression in cuba. There have been no proper ekections in fifty years. Shoot your mouth off about the government and expect jail.
http://www.therealcuba.com/

[funniirishman]

"Not to mention the fact that we have no trouble getting into bed with China, which has just as totalitarian a regime if not more, than Cuba, and then get all santimonious with Cuba."

If you think the Castro regime ends with Castro your deluded. Additionally, it is a far different animal in China as with broke ass Cuba. That you would try and compare the two is interesting.

Cuba has defaulted on loans that anyone has ever loaned them..the money going to support a regime that is oppressive and violently in power. They owe 37 billion in Europe, Russia just wrote off 90% of a 32 billion dollar debt, and Mexico just had to write off 340 million dollars in debt to its developmental bank. These billions haven't done jack shit to further life for Cubans or Cuban society and as long as the current regime is in power won't do so. It will simply go where all the money has gone..and who fucking knows where that is. The U.S. is the fifth largest exporter to Cuba even with the embargo in place, and the only way they will "normalize" things with the U.S. is if we give them aid---money. As I said earlier, most of the Cuban economy is owned by the Castro government and all foreign trade is channeled through agencies that support the regime. A good example is that all foreign companies must pay wages in hard currency--U.S. dollars or Euros-- to the Cuban government, and from those wages the state pays in local currency--Cuban pesos--a small percentage to the individual employees.

Additionally, Russia isn't dead in the water in this discussion..they have been broke before and rode it out just fine, so oil bottoming out doesn't mean the fall of the Russian empire. In July Putin and Cuba agreed to reopen Russias spy facility in Cuba, and after bullying the U.S. in the Ukraine this would significantly up the stakes in the spy game.

Just some things to consider in the big picture.

Fly from Cancun Bouncer, like everyone else lol.

[Mr I]

Cuba has a history of opening up its door to investment just as long as it suits. Then the moment it wants to it throws the investors out and nationalises/steals their assets.

In addition, as part of the agreement in decommissioning those missiles aimed at USA. The states vowed never to invade cuba.

Cuba has historic ties with Russia and China so it's a dicey path.

Add to that the population that remains in cuba dislike the US.

Although they will happily take their money

[blm]

My buddy's son is stationed there and some of the pictures he shows me are simply amazing. Such a beautiful place. Gorgeous untouched beaches. He's loving the cultural experience.

[Bouncer]

I don't give a flying fuck what you political dickheads are talking about. All I want to know is when can I fly direct from Chicago to cuba and enjoy my vacation?

[Mr I]

Er Castro will be dead soon. It's not about them

[Scrumhalf]

Isolating a regime never works. It didn't work for Syria, didn't work for Iran. We have far more to gain by working with them honestly. NOBODY ELSE in the world follows the embargo. All we have succeeded in doing is to prevent Americans from interacting with Cubans and deriving whatever economic benefits arise from that interaction.

Not to mention the fact that we have no trouble getting into bed with China, which has just as totalitarian a regime if not more, than Cuba, and then get all santimonious with Cuba. If we are so principled, why don't we cut off all relations with China? Let's call a spade a spade - the only reason we are doing this is because we are the big bully on the block with Cuba and we can get away with it. And our economy cannot afford to cut off China. It has nothing whatsoever to do with principle, everything to do with hard realpolitik.

[funniirishman]

Disagree. Aid would go straight into Castro regime pockets, economic sanctions lifted would benefit current regime that owns the majority of business and economic flow in that country. If there was a regime change I could see easing into it, but this is just going to put money into a fucktards pockets, solidify a dictatorship long after they are gone, and minimally benefit the Cuban people.

[Scrumhalf]

Scrum you are beginning to learn

It's quite humbling actually

Learn what?

[Mr I]

Scrum you are beginning to learn

It's quite humbling actually

[Scrumhalf]

On the contrary, I see significant economic benefits with this. With both the Russian and Venezuelan economies tanking, any thawing of US-Cuban relations will only pull Cuba away from them and towards democracy. They will play it cool for a while, since Venezuela has thrown them a lifeline with cheap oil and they would not want to piss them off. What we should do is to give them a hand up and gradually wean them away from Venezuela. Worst thing we can do is to not help them and force them to get back in bed with Venezuela. Time will tell how this plays out, but this was a move 50 years too late - hope we don't futz it up.

[funniirishman]

Russian economy tanking, Putin seeking to strengthen ties with Cuba, Cold War slowly starting again....things to ponder. It wasn't out of the blue this decision was made..and is yet another bad decision.