US Senator: "US must rethink Cuban embargo"

[CougarKing]

I wonder what Fidel...COUGH....I mean Raul thinks of this? hehehehe. 

US 'must rethink Cuban embargo' 

Leadership changes in Cuba could bring opportunities, the report suggests
The US economic embargo on Cuba "has failed" and should be re-evaluated, senior Republican Senator Richard Lugar argues in a report.

"We must recognise the ineffectiveness of our current policy and deal with the Cuba regime in a way that enhances US interests," Senator Lugar says.

President Barack Obama has promised a new look at US policy towards Cuba, including easing travel restrictions.

But he has said he believes the embargo is an "inducement" for change in Cuba.

Senator Lugar, the senior Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a hugely influential figure in US politics, says Washington's policies towards Havana have been ineffective.

"After 47 years... the unilateral embargo on Cuba has failed to achieve its stated purpose of 'bringing democracy to the Cuban people'," he says.


Senator Lugar's views are contained in a report that was drawn up by a member of his staff and was due to be released on Monday.

"By directing policy toward an unlikely scenario of a short-term democratic transition on the island and rejecting most tools of diplomatic engagement, the US is left as a powerless bystander, watching events unfold at a distance," the report says.

It stops short of calling for the trade embargo to be lifted but does urge:

an end to restrictions imposed during the Bush administration on travel and remittances to Cuba
reinstituting formal co-operation on migration and tackling drug-trafficking
allowing Cuba to buy US agricultural products on credit.

The report, which comes a year after Fidel Castro officially handed over power to his brother, Raul, suggests leadership changes provide an opportunity to rethink policy.

Growing consensus

Washington's long-standing economic isolation of Cuba is one of the most ideological and controversial elements of US foreign policy, says BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus.

But this report points to growing cross-party consensus that this policy has to change, he says.

President Obama has indicated that he would be open to dialogue with Cuba's leaders. He also supports easing restrictions on the number of visits Cuban-Americans can make to the island and the amount of money they can send.

During last year's presidential election campaign, Mr Obama said the embargo had not helped bring democracy to Cuba but he added that it did provide an "inducement" to change.

The Obama administration has so far not devoted much attention to Cuba and Latin America, given more pressing issues at home and abroad.

But an administration official told the Washington Post newspaper that it was "not unreasonable" to expect that Mr Obama would ease the limits on family travel and remittances to Cuba before he attends the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago in April.

In a separate development, a bipartisan bill to restore the right of US citizens to travel to Cuba was presented in the US House of Representatives earlier this month.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7905544.stm

"It may have been used as a foil by the regime to demand further sacrifices from Cuba's impoverished people."

-Sam Compton,USA

 

[tomahawk6]

I think its likely that Obama will lift sanctions on Cuba. This may tick off the Cuban population in Miami but Obama is closer philosophically to Fidel/Raul than he is to the conservative US Cuban population.

 

[geo]

I figure Obama has a better chance of "beating" Mr Castro by lifting the embargo & permitting US citzens to travel/visit Cuba... than maintaining the embargo.

Silly thing that... more US Citzens travel thru Montreal for trips to Cuba - every year

 

[George Wallace]

Silly thing that... more US Citzens travel thru Montreal for trips to Cuba - every year

So?  The "Buy American" program may indeed have economic affects on Canadian enterprises.

 

[ModlrMike]

Raprochment with Cuba is enevitable. While it's certain to have never had a chance of happening under Bush, I think it's reasonable to believe it might happen under Obama. The challenge will be to sell it to the Cuban exiles. I think the best bet is to make them part of the process which might encourage buy in, thereby giving the issue a greater chance of success.

 

[PanaEng]

The challenge will be to sell it to the Cuban exiles. I think the best bet is to make them part of the process which might encourage buy in, thereby giving the issue a greater chance of success.

The Cuban exiles position or strength as an anti Castro block is being eroded year by year as their demographics change - the number of ex-pats that were forced out of their businesses, plantations/farms, property and influence are in decline.
More opposition will come from the right wing of the conservatives or democrats that think they can get some votes from the Cuban communities; the ones unwilling to give an inch to gain more later.