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Obama Exhorts Cuba To Release Political Prisoners, Move To Democracy

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Sun Apr 19, 2009 at 03:47:02 PM EST
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A lot of talk about Cuba the past few days. Here is one aspect of the goings on:

On Cuba, [Obama] said Castro should release political prisoners, embrace democratic freedoms and cut fees on the money that Cuban-Americans send back to their families.

Will it happen? No. Will the embargo be lifted? No. I could be wrong of course.

Speaking for me only

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    Obama Exhorts Cuba To Release Political Prisoners, Move To Democracy | 11 comments (11 topical)

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    The 'Pubs in my Family (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Dalton Hoffine on Sun Apr 19, 2009 at 04:02:11 PM EST
    Are LIVID at his olive branches to Cuba and the little smiley, shake-hands portrait he had with Chavez the other day. For me, this is one of the main reasons I supported Obama--I enjoy the nuanced and non-hard-line stances towards unfriendly nations. Otherwise, how might we (peacefully) turn them into friendly nations?

    I don't think that Cuba is going to go democratic anytime soon under Raul Castro, but hey, maybe that embargo will get lifted sometime soon if relations keep thawing. I'd love it if we could share in our health research--Cuba has a surprisingly sophisticated respiratory illness research program going on.

    I think whatever is going on now with Cuba is good foreign policy--which seems to be the strong point of the administration thus far. Let's see if we can carry the rhetoric into some actual results.

    DOES OBAMA MEAN (none / 0) (#2)
    by fly on Sun Apr 19, 2009 at 04:03:11 PM EST
    Like Obama is releasing all the political prisoners in Cuba? Like even the children we imprisoned there?????? ( GITMO)
    Just wondering.........

    Ah, there's the rub. (none / 0) (#3)
    by Cream City on Sun Apr 19, 2009 at 04:17:59 PM EST
    Perhaps it would be good for us to move to democracy with such a gesture first.

    [ Parent ]
    a bet (none / 0) (#10)
    by diogenes on Mon Apr 20, 2009 at 11:31:26 AM EST
    How about if Obama lifts the embargo and releases the "political prisoners" at GITMO, and if Castro does not reciprocate in, say, eighteen months then Obama agrees to replace Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden with Richard Luger and John McCain. That should be enough time to see if the Jimmy Carter approach might actually work this time.

    [ Parent ]
    A bet I won't take, because (none / 0) (#11)
    by Cream City on Mon Apr 20, 2009 at 11:34:01 PM EST
    no way Obama would do something so gutsy.

    But it's a great plan, except give Castro maybe six months.

    [ Parent ]

    Well (none / 0) (#4)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 19, 2009 at 04:20:01 PM EST
    After eight Years of BushCo freeze our evil enemies are not going to thaw instantly to Obama's entreaties. It will take some time.

    Cuba is different from China & Russia (none / 0) (#5)
    by No Blood for Hubris on Sun Apr 19, 2009 at 04:35:29 PM EST
    because why?

    And will they be closing down Gitmo anytime soon?

    Yes, it will be a process (none / 0) (#6)
    by KeysDan on Sun Apr 19, 2009 at 04:45:59 PM EST
    after all these years and hardened positions. But President Obama and Secretary Clinton have done much in a short time by shifting attitudes--it already seems to me that much improved relations between countries is considered a "when" rather than an "if" it happens scenario.

    I think it will happen (none / 0) (#7)
    by Saul on Sun Apr 19, 2009 at 05:41:35 PM EST
    sooner than you think IMO.  Because of his age and Raul's age what does Castro or Raul have to loose by making an 180? Nothing IMO.  By reversing himself Castro will be admired even by those that hated him their in Cuba.  Better that he see Cuba flourish while he is still alive.  

    the economic situation... (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Mon Apr 20, 2009 at 09:13:22 AM EST
    could move it along even faster if Cuba will allow it...American exporters could use any new customers they can get their hands on right now.

    [ Parent ]
    ALso very glad (none / 0) (#8)
    by DancingOpossum on Mon Apr 20, 2009 at 09:12:51 AM EST
    that Obama is reaching out to South American leaders instead of doing the hissy-fit tantrums that Bush used to throw at them. (Although I will miss Chavez saying he could "smell the sulphur" around Bush.)  It's high time, and anything that makes the Fox bobbleheads spin is great news.

    OTOH I am really good and sick of American pols continuing to dictate to other countries what they should do. And our calls for bringing democracy everywhere are ringing a little hollow when they echo out of that hell we created "bringing democracy" to Iraq. All of our pols need to express a little humility, imo, especially in light of our dismal current situation, and quit the fracking lectures.

    Obama Exhorts Cuba To Release Political Prisoners, Move To Democracy | 11 comments (11 topical)

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