Originally posted by midnight Target
Excellent read Storch.
I have always been of the opinion that the US embargo on Cuba has done nothing except keep Castro in power. It seems to me that an open and ongoing trade relationship with Cuba would have had a similar result as Glasnost had in the USSR. Basically the availability of goods, services and knowledge from the US would undermine Castro's ability to unite the people against a common enemy... us.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Thank you for your comments MT,
Hmmmm.
Embargos seldom work as evidenced by the embargos imposed against South Africa during the Aparteid era and more recently against Iraq. Invasions aren't really the answer either as again evidenced by the current situation in Iraq.
None of us want any of our young people garrissoning third world countries and exposing themselves to dismemberment or death. While there are occasions where an invasion may be necessary there should be certain conditions imposed, a litmus test as it were whereby we (the US) would assist but not participate directly and especially not alone. There could be exceptions, but the classic paradigm should be Gulf War I/Desesrt Shield/Storm. We had a solid coalition with a stated aim. Once the objectives were met we were out.
In the Cuban example we had US trained and equipped exhiled Cuban Nationals and a select number of US covert types that were risking their lives for that cause. Their objective was met, that is a beach head was established. Lamentably US military aid in the neutralization of Cuban airforces as promised was withheld. A few sorties flown from the US Carriers on station would have virtually guaranteed the operation's success.
Once the battle was lost a brief period of Embargo as a face saving gesture would have been appropriate I suppose. However seeing that the Soviet Union was pumping $3 billion dollars a day in 2004 dollars into Cuba and with all of Europe and Canada willing to trade with Mr. Castro I don't believe that there was in fact any embargo at all, except that since it was publicized as such Mr. Castro was able to blame all of his economic blunders on the "US Embargo".
Once the Soviets Bankrupted and collapsed Cuba lost it's prominent position in the Communist Welfare System. The embargo then actually became a very useful tool for Mr. Castro in aiding him to have a ready scapegoat for all of Cuba's woes, namely us the big evil imperialist yankees.
We can't blame any American Administration for these decisions.
I blame the Cuban exhile community for allowing The Cuban American National Foundation to represent themselves as speaking for all Cubans. They are the Cuban equivilent of Jesse Jackson and Operation Rainbow/Push, some clever shakedown artists that take their huge extortion proceeds and liberally grease whomever is in Washington currently. They know the system better than any of us and they exploit it for the sole purpose of keeping Castro in Cuba. Castro in Cuba=lots and lots of money contributed from within the Cuban-American community and by Corporations seeking participation in the huge Hispano market. The agents for the CANF will meet their financial goals by fair means or foul. When that system finally collapses in Cuba some of the Spanish Radio stations here will have nothing to speak about and they will lose national advertisers.
So yes, I completely agree with you. The embargo has really served Mr. Castro and aided him in his subjugation of the Cuban people. Now in a fair and balanced approach allow me to state that not all of Mr. Castro's policies have been bad. Cuba is the most literate country in the world with fully 99% of the population having the equivalent of 14 years of formal education by US standards. Cuba's national healthcare system when it was being funded by the Soviets could have served as a world model. It was innovative, aggressive and free to all even those in the remotest hamlets in the high sierras.
Mr. Castro has not personally behaved as a typical third world despot with regard to his finances and governmental corruption. I recall reading that his personal worth was estimated at five million US dollars. Not a lot considering he has held the reigns of that economy for forty four years.
For the record I am a registered Republican and I opposed Mr. Castro.
