(April 13 2009) Obama to allow travel, money transfers to Cuba (AP)

[BillDemo]

Obama to allow travel, money transfers to Cuba (AP)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iRZ0jbwAcDj5dkd6GCPmrQcciVwAD97HNHK01

President Barack Obama directed his administration Monday to allow unlimited travel and money transfers by Cuban Americans to family in Cuba, and to take other steps to ease U.S. restrictions on the island, a senior administration official told The Associated Press.

Other steps taken Monday include allowing gift parcels to be sent to Cuba, and issuing licenses to increase communications among and to the Cuban people. About 1.5 million Americans have relatives in Cuba.

Obama had promised to take these steps as a presidential candidate. It has been known for over a week that he would announce them in advance of his attended this weekend of a Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago.

"There are no better ambassadors for freedom than Cuban Americans," Obama said in a campaign speech last May in Miami, the heart of the U.S. Cuban-American community. "It's time to let Cuban Americans see their mothers and fathers, their sisters and brothers. It's time to let Cuban American money make their families less dependent upon the Castro regime."

Sending money to senior government officials and Communist Party members remains prohibited. Restrictions imposed by the Bush administration had limited Cuban travel by Americans to just two weeks every three years. Visits also were confined to immediate family members.

Other steps taken Monday include expanding the things allowed in gift parcels being sent to Cuba, such as clothes, personal hygiene items, seeds, fishing gear and other personal necessities. The administration also will begin issuing licenses to allow companies to provide cell and television services to people on the island, and to allow family members to pay for relatives on Cuba to get those services, the official said.

He also promised to engage in direct diplomacy with Cuba, "without preconditions" but with "careful preparation" and "a clear agenda."

I thought Obama supporters were telling us Obama would NOT be negotiating without preconditions....

But Obama is keeping the decades-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba in place, arguing that that policy provides leverage to pressure the regime to free all political prisoners as one step toward normalized relations with the U.S.

Personally, I'm not sure if this is good or bad. The main goal of policy towards Cuba is to encourage the Cuban people to depose the Castro government and replace it with a democratic US-friendly government. Will Obama's changes promote that? I'm not sure. It may just end up propping up the broken Cuban economy, with US relatives financially supporting their families in Cuba...

[CGP]

Personally, I'm not sure if this is good or bad. The main goal of policy towards Cuba is to encourage the Cuban people to depose the Castro government and replace it with a democratic US-friendly government. Will Obama's changes promote that? I'm not sure. It may just end up propping up the broken Cuban economy, with US relatives financially supporting their families in Cuba...

America's approach to Cuba, til now, hasn't changed anything.

The restrictions should be lifted.

[Jester]

America's approach to Cuba, til now, hasn't changed anything.

The restrictions should be lifted.

Because sanctions don't work ...

[Tim4Hillary]

Because sanctions don't work ...

Hey even more common ground! Wow!

genericstamp!

[Jester]

Hey even more common ground! Wow!

genericstamp!

My only problem is: what does work? Besides taking your toys and going home, which I don't pretend is fail safe either.

[Horizon]

So, can we get a good Cuban cigar now? And Rum, I hear they have some mighty tasty rum.

Damn time this ends. We can't carry this shit on forever.

[Jester]

The failing was not ours. Not by a long shot.

[Kbentleyis]

I have a good memory. I remember when Cuba was HOT!! Americans traveled there to party and gamble. Take a cruise boat and make vacations there. My aunt Pearl seemed to travel there at least 4 or 5 times a year.

I remember the takeover of Fidel Castro. The murderous slaughter of thousands to achieve his goals. Yes, I remember very well. I remember America not supporting the revolution and pulling out all American business.

I remember JFK, setting a new example, meeting with Nakita Krushcheve without preconditions. Nakita and Fidel had something in common, because the next thing you know missle silos were being built in Cuba. Russia knew they could get away with it because JFK was such a "pushover" and weak leader.

I remember the awful days that followed. We were so close to atomic war, (then atomic--nuclear hadn't been evolved at that time), and was apparent Cuba and Russia were not backing down. US spy planes were constantly monitoring. Yes, I remember how ruthless and cunning Castro was and his threats to the USA. Russia applauded the scenario.

As time goes by, it becomes only human to forgive and forget. Things might go well for awhile, but I'm not getting my hopes up. You see, I remember and dictators NEVER allow anyone influencing their reign of power. Sanctions may not work in your estimation, but without preconditions... we leave a wide unmanaged door open.

[TheTaoOfBill]

Obama to allow travel, money transfers to Cuba (AP)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iRZ0jbwAcDj5dkd6GCPmrQcciVwAD97HNHK01







I thought Obama supporters were telling us Obama would NOT be negotiating without preconditions....



Personally, I'm not sure if this is good or bad. The main goal of policy towards Cuba is to encourage the Cuban people to depose the Castro government and replace it with a democratic US-friendly government. Will Obama's changes promote that? I'm not sure. It may just end up propping up the broken Cuban economy, with US relatives financially supporting their families in Cuba...

Had we befriended Cuba instead of treating them like an enemy in the first place we wouldn't have had to worry about all this communism nonsense.

Cuba is so close to us proximity wise that it wouldn't take much for our influence to rub off on them. They are far more likely to become democratic when there is open trade and travel between our countries than they would if they are actively trying to butt heads with us all the time.

Democracy is not something that can be forced onto a people. The people have to decide to be democratic on their own. And they are much more likely to do so if they have an example to live up to.

Instead they saw democracy and capitalism as their enemy because we were the symbol of democracy and capitalism and we were their enemy.

[Kbentleyis]

TaoOfBill, you sure know how to dream. Being a dreamer isn't a bad thing.

[Jester]

Had we befriended Cuba instead of treating them like an enemy in the first place we wouldn't have had to worry about all this communism nonsense.


Where we are in armed conflict, we should have just used sanctions indefinitely (Iraq)
Where we have sanctions (NK), we should go to war against their pathetic *one* nuclear bomb
Where we have sanctions (Cuba), we should have none
Where we have sanctions (Iran), we should have more sanctions/more war/more diplomacy.
Where we are not committed enough (Sudan), we should be sanctioning/warring ?
Pakistan is a sketchy alliance, must be the Musharraf. Musharraf goes, gets worse, time to invade.
Chance to stop nuclear nation, how dare we. They are a nuclear nation, bring it on.
We respect Turkey, what about the Armenians? We apologize to Turkey, Aremeniwho?

Let's just cut to the chase. Whatever, why did we do it so wrong. Let's do what we :rolleyes: at elsewhere.

[hobbitt]

The administration also will begin issuing licenses to allow companies to provide cell and television services to people on the island, and to allow family members to pay for relatives on Cuba to get those services, the official said.

I don't understand this bit. Since when does the US have control over telecommunications rights in another country?

Does the BBC know? Deutsche Telekom? The Belize Broadcasting Authority?

[Brooke]

I don't understand this bit. Since when does the US have control over telecommunications rights in another country?

Does the BBC know? Deutsche Telekom? The Belize Broadcasting Authority?

I don't get this either, but it's good.

I think this move is at least a start to reconcilliation with Cuba. Now the ball is in their court and they have to do something in good will.

Politics comes into play here in that it's just enough to not make waves in the Cuban American population in South Florida. The last thing Obama needs is to piss them off.

[foxyladi]

Because sanctions don't work ...

hillarystamp!

[BillDemo]

Nobody here seems to recall that Castro set Cuba up as our enemy. He let Kruschev place missiles in Cuba, intended for attacking the US. Then during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Castro begged the Soviet Union to strike us with Nuclear missiles and start World War 3.

There are very good reasons why we isolated and continue to isolate Cuba.

Perhaps South Korea should make friends with Kim Il Jong, since, as Taoofbill seems to think, capitalism and democracy will magically "rub off" on him...:eek:

[Tim4Hillary]

TaoOfBill, you sure know how to dream. Being a dreamer isn't a bad thing.

Some one has to do it. Nothing great happened with out dreamers.

[Tim4Hillary]

since, as Taoofbill seems to think, capitalism and democracy will magically "rub off" on him...

No one said that. Let's not mischaracterize TaoofBill's words.

[devildog]

I don't understand this bit. Since when does the US have control over telecommunications rights in another country?

He is going to allow US telecommunications companies apply for licenses in Cuba to perform the work. I'm curious who will be paying the bill, though.

[NativeSun]

I'd be more on board with this if Cuba allowed its citizens to travel freely to the U.S. to visit relatives. But instead, those who attempt the journey are thrown in prison. All this does is allow for more hard currency to fall into the hands of the Cuban regime. Isn't being friends with communists fun??

[NileQT87]

Here's a interesting little article I found about Communism in Cuba (both the 1933 and 1959 revolutions): http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/21022/sec_id/21022

[Jester]

Here's a interesting little article I found about Communism in Cuba (both the 1933 and 1959 revolutions): http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/21022/sec_id/21022

First a thread with "freethinker" at the top of the list and now an actual dormant poster returns. I will welcome you back, if you welcome me.

[Tim4Hillary]

Isn't being friends with communists fun??

I guess we could just blow them all up instead. One well pointed nuclear device??