Johann
Silver Member
- Nov 6, 2015
- 620
- 143
- 90
As you are all probably well aware, Cuba is a communist dictatorship run by the brother of the thankfully dead Fidel Castro, Raul Castro.
These sanctions began back in the 1950s at the height of the Cold War, when liberalism/progressivism was spreading throughout Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa and threatened several countries in Latin and central America.
Before the sanctions, Cuba was run by a capitalist dictatorship funded and sponsored by the United States. Cuba had a relatively booming economy and was a hotspot for American tourism after WW2.
After Castro's brutal takeover and murder of dissidents and political opponents, he courted the Soviet Union for support. the Soviet Union sent in missiles that almost caused nuclear armageddon as the U.S. threatened to respond with an invasion of the Island. the U.S.S.R. removed those missiles in exchange for the removal of Jupiter missiles from turkey and a public guarantee by the U.S. that it would not invade Cuba.
the inherent failures of communist ideology became apparent in 1991 with the collapse of the U.S.S.R. and most eastern european communist states, but several communist dictatorships still remain. Including Vietnam, Cuba, China, North Korea and California. Cuba and North Korea still maintain semi-socialist/communist economic policies, along with communist dictatorship governments. Both are somewhat hostile to the United States.
Cuba would much like to open it's economy to a free market similar to China, or a hybrid communist/capitalist economy in order to take advantage of the economic power of the U.S. in the western hemisphere. After the collapse of the U.S.S.R., a lack of economic aid resulted in the collapse of the Cuban economy. Even to this day, visitors to the Island can note that they are still driving cars from before Castro's rule.
I personally believe that not only should these sanctions remain, they should be strengthened. We should pressure the cuban government to adopt democratic reforms or undermine their government until it collapses. When Cuba become a democratic multi-party country with internationally monitored elections, then we can look into opening up their economy to American investment and economic aid.
I don't want to hurt the Cuban people, but we can not tolerate a communist dictatorship in Cuba, a country just off our doorstep that is sympathetic to the Chinese and Russians.
These sanctions began back in the 1950s at the height of the Cold War, when liberalism/progressivism was spreading throughout Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa and threatened several countries in Latin and central America.
Before the sanctions, Cuba was run by a capitalist dictatorship funded and sponsored by the United States. Cuba had a relatively booming economy and was a hotspot for American tourism after WW2.
After Castro's brutal takeover and murder of dissidents and political opponents, he courted the Soviet Union for support. the Soviet Union sent in missiles that almost caused nuclear armageddon as the U.S. threatened to respond with an invasion of the Island. the U.S.S.R. removed those missiles in exchange for the removal of Jupiter missiles from turkey and a public guarantee by the U.S. that it would not invade Cuba.
the inherent failures of communist ideology became apparent in 1991 with the collapse of the U.S.S.R. and most eastern european communist states, but several communist dictatorships still remain. Including Vietnam, Cuba, China, North Korea and California. Cuba and North Korea still maintain semi-socialist/communist economic policies, along with communist dictatorship governments. Both are somewhat hostile to the United States.
Cuba would much like to open it's economy to a free market similar to China, or a hybrid communist/capitalist economy in order to take advantage of the economic power of the U.S. in the western hemisphere. After the collapse of the U.S.S.R., a lack of economic aid resulted in the collapse of the Cuban economy. Even to this day, visitors to the Island can note that they are still driving cars from before Castro's rule.
I personally believe that not only should these sanctions remain, they should be strengthened. We should pressure the cuban government to adopt democratic reforms or undermine their government until it collapses. When Cuba become a democratic multi-party country with internationally monitored elections, then we can look into opening up their economy to American investment and economic aid.
I don't want to hurt the Cuban people, but we can not tolerate a communist dictatorship in Cuba, a country just off our doorstep that is sympathetic to the Chinese and Russians.
