On Trade with Cuba

With Fidel officially stepping down it seems the perfect time to evaluate our policies towards the our small, economically depressed island neighbor. Opinion polls show the vast majority of Americans seem to favor at the very least lessening some of the restrictions if not a full acceptance of their right to exist.

Embargos and sanctions against governments we disagree with inevitably lead to poverty and suffering for their people. Rather than hurting the leadership this actually breeds contempt and hatred for the US and a love for the corrupt leader since he then appears to them to be right about the US.

By embracing the nation and showing maturity in spite of differences, thru commerce, tourism and diplomacy, we appear to be the better nation. This will end the leadership's ability to make us the scapegoat. If economic prosperity does not follow it is the leaderships fault and we cannot be seen as the problem. Policies that make sense tend to written off as simplistic and not understanding the politics of the situation. But really, is the golden rule really dependant on whether one embraces all of the same political ideaological rhetoric as us?

The truly simplistic response is to think that if we continue to punish and force Cuba's government to embrace our vision for their nation (which we have been attempting since 1959) that one day they will suddenly fall in love with "freedom and democracy" (which appears to mean they will send troops into all the Muslim countries we demand).

Coercion for half a century has not worked. Let us not continue failed policy. Beyond the benefit to foreign relations (and the huge step forward in foreign policy) the economic benefits would be mutual. Our retailers gain authentic Cuban cigars, our airlines get a new popular travel destination, our hotel companies can open luxury resorts. They gain our normal trade benefits as well as the jobs our tourism would bring.

Obviously this is a pipe dream as the Bush administration has already stated that just because the reason for the sanctions has been removed it makes no sense to remove the sanctions. But we all can dream. Until then I will have to watch old movies and imagine my Cuban vacation.