Hey Cuba, let's be friends.

[asdjrocky]

I think our President and Secretary of State are positioned perfectly to make major changes in our relationship with our neighbor to the south and I think that's a wonderful thing. We can enjoy Cuban cigars without guilt, we can travel to one of the most beautiful places on earth (from what I've heard) and we can, as a nation and it's people, help to lift the Cuban people up from the devastating poverty they have known for so long.

In this time when there is so much rancor, in this time where hard battles over what is right and what is wrong must be fought, it is a breath of fresh air to think of making friends with a neighbor.

So what do you say Cuba, wanna hang out?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Is President Obama going to extend relations with Cuba...

despite that country's past use of torture?

:crazy:

[asdjrocky]

2. Name a country who has not had a past use of torture.

[Sequoia]

3. Ha, ha....pot (USA) meet kettle.

Then there's Pol Pot. Read your history about USAs dealings with Cuba and bananna barons. Our hands are a bloody mess.

[rcrush]

4. What? Do they need to reach China levels before we will trade with them?

Maybe then Cuba can get Most Favored Nation Status just like China.

[EFerrari]

6. Maybe Cuba will forgive us when she sees Obama taking steps to end the torture.

[Bluebear]

8. What is "ignored" saying, that Cuba tortures? Hahahahaha

Yeah we are the moral compass now.

[EFerrari]

9. Hiya, Bluebear! There's a very exciting summit going on right now!

Maybe we'll get some good news about Cuba before Monday. :)

[Bluebear]

12. I hope so!

[Duende azul]

21. Oh, shit. I thought he was being sarcastic.

[Bandit]

13. I don't think it was torture, Castro had a note from his lawyer.

:shrug:

[Captain Hilts]

5. I'm all for this, but Fidel Castro is still a whiner whose his sugar daddy up and died in 1991.

Give it a rest, Fidel.

The world's moving on without you.

[EFerrari]

7. Actually, Latin America is moving very nicely to the left under his tutelage.

He's probably more influential today than he has ever been.

[asdjrocky]

11. Yeah,

but if we had to judge countries on what kind of asswipe is in charge... we'd never be friends with anyone.

[Captain Hilts]

22. Which is a reason why I support this policy with enthusiasm. nt

[spanone]

10. amen, time to move out of the fifties and sixties mentality

[JVS]

14. Maybe we could try lifting our own citizens out of devastating poverty before lecturing them on...

how it's done.

[asdjrocky]

17. I hear you.

I understand poverty in the US, but it's nothing like the poverty felt in Cuba and other Latin American countries.

[tridim]

15. I spent a few hours on Google Earth yesterday checking out the landscape

With the exception of central Havana, it looks like a place I'd like to explore IRL some day.

[Mika]

16. Cuba has wanted to be friends with the US since day ONE of the Revolution.

Castro reaching out to the US in 1959
VP Nixon rebuked Castro's overtures.

[EFerrari]

18. Great picture, Mika. Of course, you are 150% right. n/t

[Coffee and Cake]

20. Nationalizing US companies without compensation said otherwise.

[Mika]

23. Cuba offered compensation in 1959. The US refused it.

This is outlined in the book by then US ambassador to Cuba, Hugh Thomas, Cuba; the Pursuit of Freedom.

Cuba settled expropriation claims with all other non US based claimants. Now, Helms-Burton and the US's Trading with the Enemy Act make it illegal for US based claimants to settle directly with Cuba. (Title III of Helms-Burton would allow claimants to use US courts to file court claims against Cuba, but Title III has been waived by every president since Helms-Burton became law.)

It helps to know what really happened.

[Duende azul]

19. "Let´s be friends" said the bully to the victim....

Honestly, I would prefer Cuba without to many US-visitors (Agents and predators of any kind surely will be happy to go there. See Mexico to get the idea. And all those philanthropic foundations of Soros et al. are probably also longing to help Cuba out with "democracy". Some "Orange Revolution" in US neighbourhood must be their wet dream. "Thanks, but no thanks" would be an answer a could perfectly understand.

Just don´t bully other countries who want to deal with Cuba. For the moment that should do the trick.
There should be a long enough probation period for the US before being allowed contact.