Obama’s Half-Hearted Cuba Detente

[Judi Lynn]

Obama’s Half-Hearted Cuba Detente
November 1, 2015


President Obama’s “normalization” of relations with Cuba have been more tell than show, with much of the half-century U.S. embargo left in place and some “relaxations” designed to coerce Cuba into “privatizing” its economy, as Art Heitzer and Marjorie Cohn describe.

By Art Heitzer and Marjorie Cohn

Millions of Americans believe that President Obama has normalized relations with Cuba and ended over 50 years of U.S. efforts to strangle its economy. They might have been puzzled when the United States stood up against every other nation save one, in opposing the UN General Assembly resolution which passed, 191-2, on Oct. 27, condemning the continuing U.S. commercial, economic and financial embargo against Cuba.

According to the Christian Science Monitor, “when the vote lit up on the screen many diplomats jumped to their feet in a standing ovation.” The U.S. ambassador was not among them.

More:
https://consortiumnews.com/2015/11/01/obamas-half-hearted-cuba-detente/

[forest444]

1. Great find, Judi. My impression on the Cuba issue has been that Obama's trying to have it both ways.

Like with so many other things. Better than nothing, I guess.

[polly7]

2. Yes, it's all about opening up Cuba for privatization and foreign ownership while stifling their

ability to trade back freely. What else should have been expected.

This criticism of Obama’s actions may surprise those who simply blame Congress’ inaction for continuing the economic blockade. Just three days earlier, the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) unanimously adopted a resolution that criticized actions by the administration which seem to fly in the face of Obama’s proclaimed “spirit of engagement.”

According to U.S. legal experts, most of the legislation over the last 55 years gives the administration the authority to block trade with Cuba — or not to. For example, the president could allow Cuba to sell its products to the U.S. market, but nothing has been done in that regard. Likewise, the U.S. Commerce Department’s January 2015 regulations generally only allow U.S. manufacturers to supply to private enterprises in Cuba, and only if they will then be utilized for privately owned property.

This is a crude attempt to impose privatization on Cuba. A Commerce Department spokesperson explained that a U.S. producer seeking to supply a private enterprise in Cuba with heating and air conditioning equipment to service a Cuban hospital could not do so under the new regulations, because Cuban hospitals are publicly owned.

The new U.S. regulations are also much more liberal regarding telecommunications than for trade generally. These arbitrary restrictions undercut the administration’s suggestion that Congress must act before the economic blockade can be lifted, although all agree that a full repeal requires congressional action.

[flamingdem]

3. Poorly written. Obama is not the person trying to put people on trial for travel, etc.

It's the opposite! Obviously the Republicans want to strangle his efforts, especially with their new war pony Rubio, especially since Obama's legacy is involved.

And the conclusion of the NLG is that it's all about privatization? That doesn't explain the points in the article.