The Strained Relationship Between The United States and Cuba

Should The U.S Normalize Relations with Cuba? well, what do you think?...

Here is some background in the history between the United States and Cuba

•In 1880 the U.S was Cuba’s largest trading partner. 83% of Cuban exports were sold in the U.S around the 1890’s

•In 1903 the U.S paid Cuba two thousand dollars in gold coin for Guantanamo Bay (As we know, the last Administration secretly endorsed torture while preaching human rights to the world)

•The United States in 1925 controlled over half of the sugar produced in Cuba

•Immigration Laws were tightened against Cuba by the U.S in 1944

•1963 President Kennedy stops all travel to Cuba; It became illegal to do or conduct any business dealings and or financial transactions

•In 1962 the Cuban Missile Crisis began after the United States spy planes flew over Cuban airspace maping the island, which led to Cuba turning to Russia (then U.S.S.R) for help

•1966, Lyndon Johnson, President at the time signed a Law which allowed around 120,000 Cubans to apply for permanent residence in the United States

•George Bush in 2002, vetoed easing of sanctions against Cuba in any form, which helped destabilized Cuba even more making it harder for Cuban-Americans to help their families back home

So now that we have a clearer idea of the history between these two countries, here are my views on the issue…

Over the past nearly five decades there have been several instances where top US government officials sought to normalize relations with that island country. Fidel is no longer a threat to the U.S, following the resignation of the country's ailing president. Cuba’s new president, Raul Castro, the more pragmatic brother of Fidel, In his first public act as president, Raúl Castro met not with leftist Latin American leaders like President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, nor with Chinese officials, but with the Vatican's secretary of state, the emissary of a traditional enemy of communism and a critic of Cuba's record on human rights. Raúl Castro's willingness in his first international meeting to embrace the Vatican's top diplomat, Cardinal Tarscisio Bertone, a possible go-between with the United States and Europe, fits with his pragmatic, no-nonsense style. There are reasons to think a turning point has come to the island, and Raúl Castro plans to chart a different course for the communist state than his older brother, Fidel. This is one of the reasons why the United States should reconsider its failed policy toward Cuba.

Adopting a neo-conservative ideological position that refused diplomatic relations with any country it viewed antagonistically, the Bush administration departed dramatically from behind-the-scenes tendency toward normalized relations. In fact, Bush took relations with Cuba to a new low. Bush officials even sloppily accused Cuba of trying to manufacture WMD in 2002, in an attempt to link it to its public relations campaign to start a war with Iraq. Soon after, others in the US intelligence community were forced to admit that they possessed no evidence or information that supported the claim.

For his part, President Obama has expressed a willingness to hold out an "open hand" to countries the US normally views as hostile. In 2007 on the Campaign trail in Miami, Obama promised a more open policy towards Cuba and also hinted at an interest in easing some of the harshest restrictions imposed on Cuba and Cuban Americans by the Bush administration. After taking office as President the White House has lifted travel and money transfer restrictions on Cuban-Americans however, the long standing U.S embargo towards Cuba is still in effect, so far, president Obama has refused to lift it.

Half a century ago Europe and Latin America followed the U.S lead and broke ties with Cuba. Human rights violations are to be condemned no matter what however, there is such hypocrisy going on, on the part of the U.S; It trades and does business transactions with other countries with really bad human rights issues, every allegation made against Cuba by the U.S, True or Not can be made about other countries trading with the United States, more specifically, China. Now, all these countries (Latin America and Europe) today have diplomatic and economic relations with Cuba. Ideally, lifting the entire embargo, much like the European Union has done, is the best way to normalize relations with Cuba. It would uphold the basic human right of free travel, open new business opportunities in both countries, and provide new avenues for the people of both countries to understand each other. President Obama should call for Congress to repeal the Helms-Burton Act so that executive discretion can be exercised with respect to Cuban foreign policy.

Cuba's economy has not only survived the end of Soviet-era subsidies but has thrived in the era of globalization. China, Venezuela and Iran continue to invest more money in the island and so threaten to wield more influence over Cuba. The U.S. has the opportunity to mitigate the threats posed by Venezuela and Iran vis-a-vis Cuba. The Helms-Burton Act contains unrealistic benchmarks for ending the embargo that provide little incentive for Cuban leaders to liberalize. Cuba is situated 90 miles from the United States, in my opinion, most importantly, the normalization of relations with Cuba can diminish the influence Iran and Venezuela have on Cuba and keep potential threats from coming ninety miles off the coast of the U.S.

Democratization to some extent helped with eliminating communism in Russia (former U.S.S.R), Hungary, Poland, and Bulgaria to name a few, and also the fall of the Berlin Wall. Using the Carrot instead of the Stick has tremendous effect and value. When you trade good things happen especially with “the people and by the people”. Polls show that the majority of people in the U.S want normal Cuba-American relations. This past January marked the anniversary of the break-up in U.S-Cuban relations (3rd January 1961). The U.S policy towards Cuba today is similar to the policy towards China in 1972 and is very much due for a change.

I shall end with former President Reagan, and NO, I’m no fan of his, as in 1981 he sent Donald Rumsfeld, his Middle East envoy to Iraq, resulting to Reagan selling Saddam Hussein “Dual Use” items like chemicals and helicopters, and also he armed the Mujahidin in Afghanistan (to help fight the Russians) that eventually evolved into the Taliban that is today. However, former President Reagan has been very effective in helping to eliminate communism in Russia and Eastern Europe which is the reason why I’m ending with one of his quotes he made in one of his most famous speeches to Mr. Gorbachev “If you seek peace and if you seek prosperity and liberalization for your people, come here to the gate, Mr. Gorbachev open the gate, Mr. Gorbachev “tear down this wall”

America and Cuba it is time to “tear down the wall” !






By: Jovana. D. Zajaredic
Sources: Reference Library research; Boston.com; Politicalaffairs.net; Nytimes.com; Politico; and LAtimes.com