US/Cuba to Begin Talks

[The Nuclear Fist]

Wow.

Obama just can't resist a concession can he?

Hopefully the Republicans can stop him before he negotiates away the nuclear arsenal or abolishes NATO or something.

I don't think we should compare him to Jimmy Carter anymore. It's not fair to Jimmy.

Wow.

Ending the Cuban embargo is a concession now? Holy partisan hackery, Batman.

It's almost like Obama might see some benefit for the US in not continuing the embargo

[Maineiacs]

Wow.

Obama just can't resist a concession can he?

Hopefully the Republicans can stop him before he negotiates away the nuclear arsenal or abolishes NATO or something.

I don't think we should compare him to Jimmy Carter anymore. It's not fair to Jimmy.

Wow.

Ending the Cuban embargo is a concession now? Holy partisan hackery, Batman.

It's almost like Obama might see some benefit for the US in not continuing the embargo

Or even (gasp! ) has enough sense to have come to the realization that 50 years of being the only nation imposing an embargo hasn't accomplished the supposed goal of said embargo.

[Alkoul]

What I love the most ever since Obama announced the normalization of US-Cuba relations is the pure hypocrisy Republicans have shown.

All day I watched as Wolf Blitzer and other CNN anchors questioned GOP lawmakers if they support cutting ties with China and Vietnam because they're both communist/socialist and have horrid human rights records, the answer they never answered instead they showed nothing but support for China and Vietnam. CNN anchors kept repeating the question until each and everyone of the repugs cut them off.

According to the GOP China communism good, Cuba communism bad!

[Constantinopolis]

That's called... not working.

If the political regime you installed can only remain in power as long as it has American firepower to threaten its opponents into submission, then it is weak, unstable, and doomed. A stable, normal country doesn't require foreign troops to defend its government.

Here's the lesson that would-be American imperialists really need to learn about the world:

You cannot make a country have a political or economic system that is not supported by any major political faction inside that country.

The key words there are "major political faction". You can make a country have a system that is not supported by the majority, as long as it is supported by a powerful, well-organized minority. But if you don't even have that? Forget it.

The "majority" of cubans would likely prefer someone who isn't Castro.

Would they? I don't know, Fidel Castro is still quite popular (although some hate him, many others love him, and it's not clear which group is larger), and as long as he endorses his brother, that popularity gets passed down to Raul by default.

But in any case, it hardly matters. Both Castro brothers are very old, and by the end of this decade Raul Castro will have to step down as well, which will necessarily result in Cuba being led by "someone who isn't Castro".

I don't necessarily want a democratic replacement, I'd like someone who isn't like North Korea, even if they are leader for life.

lulwut? Cuba and North Korea have almost nothing in common, except for both governments being non-democratic.

[The Kievan People]

Ending the Cuban embargo is a concession now? Holy partisan hackery, Batman.

It's almost like Obama might see some benefit for the US in not continuing the embargo

I'm Canadian!

Anyways, he made a major concession to Cuba and got absolutely nothing in return. There wasn't even a compelling region to do it now in the first place. Cuba's economy is stagnant, it's sock puppet Venezuala is circling the drain, the Castro generation is on deaths door...

Had the US waited until Castro & Co were dead and buried it would likely have been able gain real concessions. Castro built his reputation opposing the US, he was never going to yield. But a new generation of leaders might not be so inflexible. Had Castro died with no concessions it would also have damaged his legacy and been a powerful indication of the futility of opposing the United States. If even Castro could not wring any concessions from the US what chance did the next generation of leaders?

But then Obama went and blew it up. Castro has been vindicated completely and it has once again shown that the US will not persist in the face of opposition, a lesson which is certain to be well received in Iran and North Korea. The only saving grace is that Congress will probably not lift the embargo anytime soon, so Castro can be denied a complete victory.

And there isn't even a compelling economic case for improving relations with Cuba. It is a tiny, poor country with no important resources. Compared to other trade deals on the table it would be a rounding error.

Obama should not be allowed to make foreign policy decisions. His naivety about America's enemies is astounding.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Ending the Cuban embargo is a concession now? Holy partisan hackery, Batman.

It's almost like Obama might see some benefit for the US in not continuing the embargo

I'm Canadian!

Anyways, he made a major concession to Cuba and got absolutely nothing in return. There wasn't even a compelling region to do it now in the first place. Cuba's economy is stagnant, it's sock puppet Venezuala is circling the drain, the Castro generation is on deaths door...

Had the US waited until Castro & Co were dead and buried it would likely have been able gain real concessions. Castro built his reputation opposing the US, he was never going to yield. But a new generation of leaders might not be so inflexible. Had Castro died with no concessions it would also have damaged his legacy and been a powerful indication of the futility of opposing the United States. If even Castro could not wring any concessions from the US what chance did the next generation of leaders?

But then Obama went and blew it up. Castro has been vindicated completely and it has once again shown that the US will not persist in the face of opposition, a lesson which is certain to be well received in Iran and North Korea. The only saving grace is that Congress will probably not lift the embargo anytime soon, so Castro can be denied a complete victory.

And there isn't even a compelling economic case for improving relations with Cuba. It is a tiny, poor country with no important resources. Compared to other trade deals on the table it would be a rounding error.

Obama should not be allowed to make foreign policy decisions. His naivety about America's enemies is astounding.

He got nothing in return? Exactly what was he supposed to get? Anything that is within the power of the Cuban government to give would have been given long ago if the embargo was effective in any way.

You know what we get for normalizing relations and opening some trade? I'll tell you what we get from that: We get normalized relations and some trade. We get the end of a policy that has had well over half of a century to force the change that it was intended to cause, and it has been an abysmal failure in every single respect. Yes, it's caused some damage to the Cuban economy, but they proved resilient under that pressure, and made up for it with trade with everybody else in the entire world. Castro survived long after his Soviet Bloc colleagues had fallen to firing squads and trials for crimes against the people they led. If anything, it could be argued that the continuance of the embargo gave Castro an enemy to point at, allowing him to paint the United States as the source of all troubles for the Cuban people, and thereby deflect justified criticism by his own people.

Doesn't it say something when the one Soviet Bloc nation that we refused to do any business with is the one that ended up surviving? Maybe going it alone on trying to isolate them is actually having the opposite effect from the one desired, and it's time to negotiate a relationship based less on pettiness and more on what is actually in the best interests of both nations.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Wow.

Obama just can't resist a concession can he?

Hopefully the Republicans can stop him before he negotiates away the nuclear arsenal or abolishes NATO or something.

I don't think we should compare him to Jimmy Carter anymore. It's not fair to Jimmy.

Wow.

Wow. Someone doesn't know history, how unsurprising.

[Insaeldor]

Economicly speaking this is great, new markets and new investment options for companies and all. I am however wanting to see more give on Cuba's side with some political and economic liberalization. For the most part however I'm fairly happen with this development but I really, relly hope the Cubans don't do away with their cars. I would start up a resteration business in the area to keep those iconic beauties on the streets of Havana. It's a unique thing to Cuba and I just think it looks cool to see all those 50's car's on the streets. They fit the background way better then a Honda civic could.

[National Socialist Korea]

Economicly speaking this is great, new markets and new investment options for companies and all. I am however wanting to see more give on Cuba's side with some political and economic liberalization. For the most part however I'm fairly happen with this development but I really, relly hope the Cubans don't do away with their cars. I would start up a resteration business in the area to keep those iconic beauties on the streets of Havana. It's a unique thing to Cuba and I just think it looks cool to see all those 50's car's on the streets. They fit the background way better then a Honda civic could.

This.

Preferably, though, keep the appearance while change the engines.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

What I love the most ever since Obama announced the normalization of US-Cuba relations is the pure hypocrisy Republicans have shown.

All day I watched as Wolf Blitzer and other CNN anchors questioned GOP lawmakers if they support cutting ties with China and Vietnam because they're both communist/socialist and have horrid human rights records, the answer they never answered instead they showed nothing but support for China and Vietnam. CNN anchors kept repeating the question until each and everyone of the repugs cut them off.

According to the GOP China communism good, Cuba communism bad!

Of course they won't say China and Vietnam are bad nations, we have diplomatic and business relations with them.

Republicans say something like that and you're sure going to have an international incident.

Why do they think this is different with Cuba? Because Republicans tend to have a disconnect with reality.

[Wisconsin9]

Ending the Cuban embargo is a concession now? Holy partisan hackery, Batman.

It's almost like Obama might see some benefit for the US in not continuing the embargo

I'm Canadian!

Anyways, he made a major concession to Cuba and got absolutely nothing in return. There wasn't even a compelling region to do it now in the first place. Cuba's economy is stagnant, it's sock puppet Venezuala is circling the drain, the Castro generation is on deaths door...

Had the US waited until Castro & Co were dead and buried it would likely have been able gain real concessions. Castro built his reputation opposing the US, he was never going to yield. But a new generation of leaders might not be so inflexible. Had Castro died with no concessions it would also have damaged his legacy and been a powerful indication of the futility of opposing the United States. If even Castro could not wring any concessions from the US what chance did the next generation of leaders?

But then Obama went and blew it up. Castro has been vindicated completely and it has once again shown that the US will not persist in the face of opposition, a lesson which is certain to be well received in Iran and North Korea. The only saving grace is that Congress will probably not lift the embargo anytime soon, so Castro can be denied a complete victory.

And there isn't even a compelling economic case for improving relations with Cuba. It is a tiny, poor country with no important resources. Compared to other trade deals on the table it would be a rounding error.

Obama should not be allowed to make foreign policy decisions. His naivety about America's enemies is astounding.

I can't really see any compelling anything case for keeping it going, either. Unless continuing the macho uber-testosterone pissing contest we won twenty years ago counts.

[Sternberg]

He got nothing in return? Exactly what was he supposed to get? Anything that is within the power of the Cuban government to give would have been given long ago if the embargo was effective in any way.

You know what we get for normalizing relations and opening some trade? I'll tell you what we get from that: We get normalized relations and some trade. We get the end of a policy that has had well over half of a century to force the change that it was intended to cause, and it has been an abysmal failure in every single respect. Yes, it's caused some damage to the Cuban economy, but they proved resilient under that pressure, and made up for it with trade with everybody else in the entire world. Castro survived long after his Soviet Bloc colleagues had fallen to firing squads and trials for crimes against the people they led. If anything, it could be argued that the continuance of the embargo gave Castro an enemy to point at, allowing him to paint the United States as the source of all troubles for the Cuban people, and thereby deflect justified criticism by his own people.

Doesn't it say something when the one Soviet Bloc nation that we refused to do any business with is the one that ended up surviving? Maybe going it alone on trying to isolate them is actually having the opposite effect from the one desired, and it's time to negotiate a relationship based less on pettiness and more on what is actually in the best interests of both nations.

I agree - it's a change that has been well overdue for the two nations. I'm actually amazed (as well as a bit puzzled) that the embargo hadn't been lifted sooner if it had to take well over a half-century to finally convince the hard-liners in the Capitol that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't working.

[The United Colonies of Earth]

I approve of this. Hopefully we can become a superpower that bases its' power not on defending the world from communism, but on a good relationship with other nations and protecting people from suffering.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Ending the Cuban embargo is a concession now? Holy partisan hackery, Batman.

It's almost like Obama might see some benefit for the US in not continuing the embargo

I'm Canadian!

Anyways, he made a major concession to Cuba and got absolutely nothing in return. There wasn't even a compelling region to do it now in the first place. Cuba's economy is stagnant, it's sock puppet Venezuala is circling the drain, the Castro generation is on deaths door...

Had the US waited until Castro & Co were dead and buried it would likely have been able gain real concessions. Castro built his reputation opposing the US, he was never going to yield. But a new generation of leaders might not be so inflexible. Had Castro died with no concessions it would also have damaged his legacy and been a powerful indication of the futility of opposing the United States. If even Castro could not wring any concessions from the US what chance did the next generation of leaders?

But then Obama went and blew it up. Castro has been vindicated completely and it has once again shown that the US will not persist in the face of opposition, a lesson which is certain to be well received in Iran and North Korea. The only saving grace is that Congress will probably not lift the embargo anytime soon, so Castro can be denied a complete victory.

And there isn't even a compelling economic case for improving relations with Cuba. It is a tiny, poor country with no important resources. Compared to other trade deals on the table it would be a rounding error.

Obama should not be allowed to make foreign policy decisions. His naivety about America's enemies is astounding.

Not so much.

There's the fact that Russia won't have a socket in which to install a spy base, for one.

Just because we choose to put our heads in the sand and go "LALALA CAN'T HEAR YOU!" doesn't mean the Russians can't make their own moves independently from us. Cuba is vital to our security interests in the region since it's the only nation that we don't have under check unlike the rest of Latin America.

[MERIZoC]

Obama's really been getting shit done these past couple of months. No need for speculation as to why.

Anyway, this is good. My hope is that Cuba can be more open and free, while still keeping the wonderful people and environment it has.

[Solaray]

Aww does this mean I can't brag to American friends about being able to travel to Cuba and buy Cuban cigars at local smoke shops anymore?

[Teemant]

How is Cuban embargo failed? It isn't. I think embargo won't be lifted.

How is it failed you ask? Maybe becouse Cuba doesn't give much shits abou that embargo? All countries have trade with Cuba except the US as far as i know, this already makes such embargo a failed one.

Why do you even care then if it meaningless to you?

[Indira]

Took them long enough. Good news, here's to a better future relationship with Cuba

[Saiwania]

I'm disappointed that Obama wants to normalize relations with Cuba, but hopefully the US congress won't see it fit to lift the embargo for now. Cubans are Republican anyways, so Democrats must not be worried about their vote if they intend to move forward on this.

[General Otto Von Bismark]

...on normalizing relations.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-30516740

This is huge in my opinion. After a half century of the (I would argue) failed Cuban embargo, to see the US/Cuba finally move out of a Cold War mentality into the 21st century is a welcome change of pace.

What say you NSG? Do you see the talks succeeding? Will they lead to concrete change in Cuba, politically or socially? Or will the talks fail due to likely opposition in the now Republican controlled US Congress?

[Soldati Senza Confini]

I'm disappointed that Obama wants to normalize relations with Cuba, but hopefully the US congress won't see it fit to lift the embargo for now. Cubans are Republican anyways, so Democrats must not be worried about their vote if they intend to move forward on this.

They're not lifting the embargo, but people will be able to bring more goods from Cuba than before. The embargo policy is expiring in September next year anyways.

The embargo however is pretty archaic for our foreign relations, as well as treating Cuba like they're children. If we don't treat them like equals in the hemisphere, Russia will. And between Obama shifting Foreign Policy for practical reasons and having Russia right at our backyard, I'd prefer the former.

[Jamzmania]

Obama offering up major concessions with no reciprocation, what do you know? Legitimizing and offering an economic lifeline to oppressive regimes is practically a hobby for him.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Obama offering up major concessions with no reciprocation, what do you know? Legitimizing and offering an economic lifeline to oppressive regimes is practically a hobby for him.

It's almost like normalizing relations wasn't a key foreign policy issue after the Kennedy years.

[Bezkoshtovnya]

Obama offering up major concessions with no reciprocation, what do you know? Legitimizing and offering an economic lifeline to oppressive regimes is practically a hobby for him.

It has been a hobby of the US in general since the 50s so I fail to see why you are just now getting upset about it.

[MERIZoC]

Obama offering up major concessions with no reciprocation, what do you know? Legitimizing and offering an economic lifeline to oppressive regimes is practically a hobby for him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia