Posted on 12/28/2008 10:34:40 PM PST by bruinbirdman
Barack Obama is preparing to relax restrictions on travel to Cuba [to celebrate] 50th anniversary of Fidel Castro's socialist revolution.
The President-Elect will move "very quickly" after his inauguration on January 20 to make it easier for Cuban-Americans to visit and send money back to relatives in Cuba, according to a Latin American adviser to Mr Obama's transition team.
Cuban experts expect him to offer to negotiate to end the five-decade-long economic embargo during his first term in exchange for Cuba releasing political prisoners.
In Havana, Cubans are waiting to see if Fidel Castro, now 82, will appear in public on New Year's Day to mark the 50th anniversary of his seizure of power. It would be his first public appearance since July 2006, just before he had intestinal surgery and ceded power to his 77-year-old brother, Raul.
But there are signs of a thaw on both sides of the Straits of Florida. In a recent essay read on state television Fidel Castro responded to Mr Obama's pledge to talk to America's enemies: "A conversation can be held wherever he wants."
First to go under Mr Obama will be rules, brought in by George Bush in 2004, that say Cuban-Americans can only return home once every three years. In addition to annual visits, the amount of money they can take will be raised from $300 to $3,000.
An adviser to Mr Obama said: "Cubans will be less dependent on the state for money and they will have greater contact with their relatives in the US. That can only aid understanding." Those changes require only a presidential order. The adviser said: "He could do it on day one. Obama has a lot on his plate with the economy so Cuba will not be top of his list
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Gee, can we support Kim Jong-Il too?
I defer to the Miami Cubans for my take on US/Cuba relations.
Actually I have no problem with that. Just make sure to trade the concessions for political prisoners.
Furthermore, by all means declare the trade embargo over, but under no circumstances give the Castros what they really want. I.E. make sure all business remains cash-on-the-barrelhead. NO granting of credit or loan guarantees! Nobody else in the world will take their I.O.U.’s because they’re impoverished deadbeats.
Cuba, they want to be somebodies state. Will it become state 51?
“Barack Obama is preparing to relax restrictions on travel to Cuba [to celebrate] 50th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s socialist revolution.”
Unbelievable. What next for the socialist-in-chief? How about a national holiday to honor Che or maybe a celebration to honor the 1917 communist revolution in Russia? This is beyond sick...
That may well be what the person was told would happen re Cuba, but we all know how much Obama’s word is worth...
Has there ever been a military coup d’état in the United States?
Unbelievable. What next for the socialist-in-chief? How about a national holiday to honor Che or maybe a celebration to honor the 1917 communist revolution in Russia? This is beyond sick...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L_Cg-b7btU
We can trade with and travel to China, we may as well be allowed to trade and travel to Cuba.
However, going to Cuba is not all that difficult.
Go to Mexico City or Toronto and hop a plane to Havana.
Make sure the Cubans do not stamp your passport.
“In addition to annual visits, the amount of money they can take will be raised from $300 to $3,000.”
Why? They already have Hugo and Putin. Is this Detroit/Illinois expansion?
(I want Cuba’s old American car parts and the oil that they can drill for and we cant)
No, and there will not be a coup.
However, you Cowboy fans may want to overthrow Jerry Jones.
Oh yeah , that’s a day one PRIORITY !!!!
“We can trade with and travel to China, we may as well be allowed to trade and travel to Cuba.”
The glaring hypocrisy of this has been so obvious for so long I have wondered how folks continue to rationalize the two, if human rights are the issue.
Castro survived his entire lifetime in power, a half-century. Who in their right minds would say the embargo has been a success? Every country in the world trades with cuba (except the US), it is clear the present approach is a failure.
Another state would be nice. I’d move there in a minute. It’s beautiful there.
yitbos
I read somewhere there are Russian War Ships off the Cuban coast, is this what he really wants?
Castro thrives on the Embargo, not only in Cuba but in Latin America, Canada and Europe.
End the Embargo and the Castro’s will fall.
And while I have been to a certain nation off the coast of Florida as well as to China, I can tell you conditions in that certain nation just off the coast of Florida are better than they are in China.
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