US/Cuba to Begin Talks

[Indian Empire]

...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?

No matter what, a deal would probably be based on moving Guantanamo. I don't see an agreement coming.

[Occupied Deutschland]

That's not what an exchange of ideas is supposed to do for starters. By exchanging ideas the goal is for Cubans to see that our country is better and that they should emulate it.

If it is democracy, please, we already trade with China and Vietnam, who are quasi-dictatorships. The democratic shtick can only be repeated so much before it is empty.

These countries haven't been liberated by America nor they are in America's backyard. Furthermore, they have significant markets and natural resources, America would be harmed if it did not trade with them. Cuba, not really.

Perhaps not to the same extent due to market size.
The embargo has been harming America though. Easily evidenced by the lack of Cuban cigars, as an easy hit.

Trade is a better tool for encouraging governmental reforms anyways. The embargo has been fueling the Castro regimes propaganda for fifty years. Putting a stop to it will only weaken the Cuban dictatorship and benefit the people of Cuba. The ones we've supposedly undertaken the embargo for all these years to try and help.

[Popular Kevinist Republic of Colombia]

It's the best news I hear this year. I am happy, specially for cubans. They need a better life. USA restrictions aganist Cuba are not right.

[Calimera II]

It's the best news I hear this year. I am happy, specially for cubans. They need a better life. USA restrictions aganist Cuba are not right.

If you want them to have a better life, you should be against Dictator Castro.

[Skinia]

It's the best news I hear this year. I am happy, specially for cubans. They need a better life. USA restrictions aganist Cuba are not right.

If you want them to have a better life, you should be against Dictator Castro.

He never said he wasn't.

[Kelinfort]

It's the best news I hear this year. I am happy, specially for cubans. They need a better life. USA restrictions aganist Cuba are not right.

If you want them to have a better life, you should be against Dictator Castro.

At the very least, Cuba needs a fully free and fair referendum on Castro policy. A 'no' vote would result in a general election with multiparties, watched by international entities.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

If you want them to have a better life, you should be against Dictator Castro.

At the very least, Cuba needs a fully free and fair referendum on Castro policy. A 'no' vote would result in a general election with multiparties, watched by international entities.

I'm not sure that it's up to us to decide for Cuba what it needs.

[Teemant]

At the very least, Cuba needs a fully free and fair referendum on Castro policy. A 'no' vote would result in a general election with multiparties, watched by international entities.

I'm not sure that it's up to us to decide for Cuba what it needs.

Cuban people deserve free and fair elections because it is their country. They should have a say how country is being run but this option is denied by authoritarian regime.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

I'm not sure that it's up to us to decide for Cuba what it needs.

Cuban people deserve free and fair elections because it is their country. They should have a say how country is being run but this option is denied by authoritarian regime.

That's up to them to decide.

[Teemant]

Cuban people deserve free and fair elections because it is their country. They should have a say how country is being run but this option is denied by authoritarian regime.

That's up to them to decide.

That is the problem. They can't decide right now because they have no right to do so in Cuba (in their own country).

[Yumyumsuppertime]

That's up to them to decide.

That is the problem. They can't decide right now because they have no right to do so in Cuba (in their own country).

I know, right? It would take something like a revolution, and we all know that Cuba has no history of those.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

That's up to them to decide.

That is the problem. They can't decide right now because they have no right to do so in Cuba (in their own country).

That's still up to them.

We tried the father stick approach. Look how well it served us that we missed off half the hemisphere

[Fortschritte]

It's the best news I hear this year. I am happy, specially for cubans. They need a better life. USA restrictions aganist Cuba are not right.

If you want them to have a better life, you should be against Dictator Castro.

Where did he imply that he was for Dictator Castro?

[Calimera II]

If you want them to have a better life, you should be against Dictator Castro.

Where did he imply that he was for Dictator Castro?

Where did I imply that I thought he was for Castro?

[Teemant]

That is the problem. They can't decide right now because they have no right to do so in Cuba (in their own country).

That's still up to them.

We tried the father stick approach. Look how well it served us that we missed off half the hemisphere

You can't say it's up to them if they have no means to have an influence on how Cuba is run and by who it is run. We must help Cuban people so it is really up to them to decide who runs the country. Free and fair elections must be the goal. Who they choose I don't care as long elections are fair and free.

[Fortschritte]

Where did he imply that he was for Dictator Castro?

Where did I imply that I thought he was for Castro?

Well, why would you tell him that he should be against Castro if he didn't even mention the man?

[Fortschritte]

That's still up to them.

We tried the father stick approach. Look how well it served us that we missed off half the hemisphere

You can't say it's up to them if they have no means to have an influence on how Cuba is run and by who it is run. We must help Cuban people so it is really up to them to decide who runs the country. Free and fair elections must be the goal. Who they choose I don't care as long elections are fair and free.

So, how do you propose we help the Cubans in delivering them free elections? The embargo certainly doesn't help.

[Calimera II]

Where did I imply that I thought he was for Castro?

Well, why would you tell him that he should be against Castro if he didn't even mention the man?

If he wants a better life for the Cubans, he should be against Castro. The US cannot do a lot to improve the Cuban situation.

[Teemant]

You can't say it's up to them if they have no means to have an influence on how Cuba is run and by who it is run. We must help Cuban people so it is really up to them to decide who runs the country. Free and fair elections must be the goal. Who they choose I don't care as long elections are fair and free.

So, how do you propose we help the Cubans in delivering them free elections? The embargo certainly doesn't help.

Embargo helps as a leverage when negotiating with Castro.

[Fortschritte]

Well, why would you tell him that he should be against Castro if he didn't even mention the man?

If he wants a better life for the Cubans, he should be against Castro. The US cannot do a lot to improve the Cuban situation.

Agreed. I misinterpreted your post, and apologize.

[Fortschritte]

So, how do you propose we help the Cubans in delivering them free elections? The embargo certainly doesn't help.

Embargo helps as a leverage when negotiating with Castro.

Explain how that works. Because, recently, we've begun negotiating with Castro on the basis that we will soon lift the embargo.

[Burleson 2]

Ending the embargo will lead to nothing good. The last thing we need to do is allow Cuban products in America. All that would result from that is the Cuban economy being boosted at the expense of the American economy and make it easier for Castro to keep denying basic human rights to Cuban citizens.

[Teemant]

Embargo helps as a leverage when negotiating with Castro.

Explain how that works. Because, recently, we've begun negotiating with Castro on the basis that we will soon lift the embargo.

It should work as freedoms for embargo. Castro gives Cubans more freedoms and then embargo will be lifted. Even some freedoms would be better than nothing.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Ending the embargo will lead to nothing good. The last thing we need to do is allow Cuban products in America. All that would result from that is the Cuban economy being boosted at the expense of the American economy and make it easier for Castro to keep denying basic human rights to Cuban citizens.

Why don't we also cut off economic and diplomatic ties with China then?

[Burleson 2]

Ending the embargo will lead to nothing good. The last thing we need to do is allow Cuban products in America. All that would result from that is the Cuban economy being boosted at the expense of the American economy and make it easier for Castro to keep denying basic human rights to Cuban citizens.

Why don't we also cut off economic and diplomatic ties with China then?

I'd support that. It would obviously need to be a long process rather than a quick transition but it could work. More jobs for Americans, China would leave the dark side (communism). It's a win-win.