Two stories broke today. The first was the ouster of Michael Steele as RNC chairman, replaced by one Reince Priebus. And no, I didn't make up that name.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/14/AR2011011405866.html (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/14/AR2011011405866.html)
The other story is our scaled back embargo on Cuba. It's been in place since Castro took over in 1959. It's probably easier to change Cuba via dialog and trade rather than an embargo.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/15/barack-obama-us-embargo-cuba (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/15/barack-obama-us-embargo-cuba)
Personally, I think easing the embargo restrictions was long overdue though I'm sure this will give more people convinced President Obama is Che Guevara's love child new ammo.
The embargo has been a joke for decades. Should have ended long, long ago (in a galaxy far, far away??).
Quote from: Conan71 on January 17, 2011, 11:33:14 AM
Personally, I think easing the embargo restrictions was long overdue though I'm sure this will give more people convinced President Obama is Che Guevara's love child new ammo.
Agreed. It's been plainly obvious for the past 30 years that the embargo has
not been serving its intended purpose. If only we could get Congress to realize that and lift the embargo entirely.
Edited to correct missing not..
Quote from: nathanm on January 17, 2011, 02:21:37 PM
Agreed. It's been plainly obvious for the past 30 years that the embargo has been serving its intended purpose. If only we could get Congress to realize that and lift the embargo entirely.
Cuba could flourish with an influx of U.S. tourism dollars which is, in many ways, far better than sending aid packages to underdeveloped nations.
Cuba is no longer an important strategic ally for the Soviet Union so I think this has been long overdue. As well, embargos may have been meant to punish Fidel Castro's regime, but all it's done is keep a large percentage of decent Cuban people mired in poverty and misery for the last 50 years.
It is widely reported of the ancient Chinese origin, but is just as likely to be of recent and western origin, although it seems to be intended to sound Chinese,in the mould.