Policy Toward Cuba; If It's Not Working, Stop Doing It

Articles

Policy Toward Cuba; If It's Not Working, Stop Doing It

By Eric George
Nov. 10, 2004

At two in the morning of January 1st 1959, Batista, his family, and close associates boarded a plane and left Cuba. Fidel and his companions took over.

The US was initially uncertain how to react, but soon it was quite clear that Fidel was tainted with socialism and (red rag to a bull) the US embarked on a policy of removing Fidel and destroying socialism/communism in Cuba.

45 years later, Fidel is still there. The Cuban people are nearly the poorest in the hemisphere. They are subject to the oppression of a police state (not quite as onerous as it is commonly painted in the US, but still not much fun). Worst of all, perhaps, things don't seem to be getting any better.

During this period the US has set an example to the world. Despite the urging of both businessmen and humanitarians, US policy has hardly changed. Small changes in one direction or an another, but the purity of purpose has been steadfastly maintained.

What exactly is the policy achieving? One thing it can chalk up - Fidel is still there, still in control. It is not going too far to say that, without the walls the US built, he would have gone long ago. The guy is an anachronism and without his enemy, he would just be an old man with stories. What positive results has the policy achieved? I'm struggling but I can't think of any.

And the people who say 'It was all we could do - do you want us to be friendly with him?" Do they really think that the diplomats of the State Department would not - in 45 years - have worked out some way of exerting influence and pressure on a small island like Cuba? Even giving them financial carrots would be better than what has happened.

For goodness sake - enough is enough. It's not working! When you've dug yourself into a hole, stop digging!

------------

About the author: Eric lives in tropical Queensland and writes books - some naughty, some nice - that can be found through Renaissance eBooks (renebooks.com) He reads widely and when he is not thinking about lunch, worries about the state of the world.

Email: ericge@westnet.com.au

Tell a friend about this site!

------------

All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED!