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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Keep the Cuba embargo? YES by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart |
| 2004-07-11 |
| New York Daily News July 11th, 2004 By REP. MARIO DIAZ-BALART The riveting story of Jose Contreras’ family’s daring escape from Cuba has captivated the attention of millions of people. Their story has helped put a magnifying glass onto Cuba and our policies toward a hostile terrorist regime just 90 miles off our shore. Last year, President Bush established the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, tasking the group with identifying ways in which the U.S. could best help accelerate a democratic transition. In response to the commission’s recommendations, the President acted decisively to strengthen sanctions against the dictatorship, such as taking steps that would enable the Cuban people to view TV Marti, which Fidel Castro has been jamming, and significantly increasing support for Cuba’s growing pro-democracy movement. |
| Posted by:Mark Espinola |
| #9 #3. I see what you are saying.Flood the market with expensive goods creating a demand for which they can not afford.HMMMMMM. |
| Posted by: rich woods 2004-07-11 10:35:48 PM |
| #8 Ed, we didn't have a true embargo against Russia. Russia collapsed because their economy was centrally planned and incapable of competing against the US economy. With sanctions on Cuba we avoid that same competition and allow Castro to blame the US for all of Cubas problems. If you look at a list of the dictators that have remained in power the longest you will recognize them as the same anti-American folks we've imposed sanctions against. Blaming the US for your problems is a good way to prevent revolution and we shouldn't give our enemies that card to play. |
| Posted by: Yank 2004-07-11 6:22:21 PM |
| #7 JFK had a problem with premature withdrawal. JFK withdrew air support and resupply so the exiles were not able to break out into the highlands. I am talking about about air attacks to destroy the heavy equipment and not allow the enemy to concentrate forces. As an example, there are over a million Iranian exiles in the US and who knows how many in Europe. Why not build and exile army of 100-200K light to medium equipped forces using US cold war surplus arms to take back Iran. The US can provide air attack and fast, heavy mechanised to go after the really stubborn forces. If the Iranian hate the mullahs as advertised, then it should not be that difficult to recruit additional 100s of thousands on the march. Why not apply such a model to other murderous regimes such as Zimbabwe and Sudan. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-07-11 1:52:59 PM |
| #6 I think he means do it for real...JFK and the CIA hung those guys out to dry |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-07-11 1:25:40 PM |
| #5 Ed, we tried that once. See "Bay of Pigs". |
| Posted by: Steve White 2004-07-11 1:20:28 PM |
| #4 Is that why the Soviet Union is history, while China gets stronger every day? I think the best way to remove a dictator is to form an opposition army with US advisors and use US forces to neutralize the airforce and heavy weapons. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-07-11 11:12:25 AM |
| #3 Many believe (including the Economist) that trade embargos actually help keep dictators in power (see Hussain, Saddam). The trade embargo, coupled with the travel embargo, are issues we should be seriously debating rather than simply excepting. The goal is to remove castro in the best way possible and if we can do that faster with a flood of levis we should consider it. |
| Posted by: Yank 2004-07-11 10:38:25 AM |
| #2 Hugo needs to depart in Yugo, but they are too slow! |
| Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-07-11 5:23:10 AM |
| #1 "Some people do not understand the embargo of Cuba. Its purpose is to keep American hard currency out of the hands of a Communist thug by restricting most trade and travel. Since the military controls all tourism-related business ventures in Cuba, lifting the U.S. travel embargo would put at least $5 billion to $6 billion directly into Castro’s hands every year. That influx of cash would allow Castro to return to his practice of exporting his troops to wage terror against the U.S., as he did in Grenada." Absolutely! Cuba is easy to deal with but what to do with Hugo Chavez in Venezuela? We have a madman with petrodollars to finance all sorts of terror against the US. Look what he is doing in Bolivia and Ecuador. |
| Posted by: Anonymous4617 2004-07-11 5:13:42 AM |