Is it time to end the US trade embargo with Cuba?

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I don't think Sugar is as powerful a lobby on this as is the Cuban expatriate community in Florida (though I agree they are using their leverage to maintain the lovely subsidized status quo) -- who just happen to be pro-embargo and willing to vote single issue over it in a state where the margin in razor thin. Neither party wants to offend them so this group of a few hundred thousand is dominating the issue.

[Caius]

I'm a history n00b, but why there is a embargo in Cuba?

[AntiochusIII]

I'm a history n00b, but why there is a embargo in Cuba?

During the Cold War, America wanted to screw Cuba's economy, which was dependent at least in part to sugar exports. They probably hoped it would affect the stability of Castro's regime and all that; after all he was their evil genius for a long time. That the Cuban emigrants in the United States -- who mostly hate Castro with a passion -- lobbied heavily for the measure and continue to support it in exchange for votes only adds to the incentive of the cause.

Seamus did a much better explanation than me in any case.

In all practicality the embargo as it remains now is really a dick measure though.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Because once Castro had kicked out Batista -- a posterboy for corruption and graft -- he focused his anger on a lot of the US supporters of the previous regime. This sounded communist to the USA at the time -- we had a real thing about the Soviets -- and we reacted as negatively as possible. Then Castro shifted full into "people's republic" shoot anyone who supported the old regime and cuddle up to Russia to play them off against the USA mode.

We half-supported (just enough support to make everyone aware we were involved but not enough to make it work -- not that it had a lot of chance) an attempt by Cuban expatriates to invade Cuba and counter-coup the Castros at the Bay of Pigs.

The embargo is just a "economic sanctions" effort (like the ones the UN uses) that's supposed to punish the Castro regime, impoverish it, and encourage the locals to throw him out. It works just as well as most economic sanction programs -- the locals suffer economically but the leadership does just fine.

[Don Corleone]

Strike, you do realize that the biggest beneficiary of the embargo is Castro himself, right? By enforcing it, we give him a monopoly on hard currency.

This embargo is about one thing, Cuban-Americans in South Florida voting as a block. It's the dumbest thing from so many levels, I don't know where to begin. What's more, from a strictly personal view, I'm tired of having to go to Europe or Canada for my cigars. I don't care what anybody says, there is a difference and Dominican and Honduran versions will never be as good. I want my authentic Romeo y Julietas. I want my Madrons. I want my Unicas. The real ones, not the ones they make for Americans in Guatamala.

[Spetulhu]

The embargo works just as well as most economic sanction programs -- the locals suffer economically but the leadership does just fine.

The leadership does fine not only financially but politically. It's not Castro who keeps the people poor, it's those evil americans! Castro would ride on the lifted embargo, but it would give US companies a foot in the door too. And with the embargo lifted there would be no excuse if conditions don't start improving.

[Brenus]

“It works just as well as most economic sanction programs -- the locals suffer economically but the leadership does just fine.” I saw the same effect in Serbia. Milosevic never lack of something, it was an open door to all smuggling, favours creation of mafia and gives to mobsters the upper hands. But I never saw a tank out of fuel… Saw a lot a people queuing for gas, food and medicaments…

“the biggest beneficiary of the embargo is Castro himself”: well, hat is the usual result. Sometimes, I wonder if in fact, it is the real goal. To keep a good-not-too-strong- bad guy the politicians will play with to keep being re-elected… Again Serbia, how to bomb it without Milosevic?

[drone]

Get rid of it. It's an out-dated, petty measure that has probably prolonged communism and Castro's tenure for years beyond their expiration date.

[Devastatin Dave]

Nope, the only trade I would allow would be giving all of Michael Moore's food for Castro's cigars and rum. That should be the GDP of most small countries.