US, Cuba To Restore Ties After 50 Years Of Hostility

 

(Reuters) - The United States will restore diplomatic relations it severed with Cuba more than 50 years ago, a major policy shift ending decades of hostile ties with the communist-ruled island, President Barack Obama said on Wednesday.

 

Announcing the end of what he called a "rigid" policy of isolation of Cuba that had been ineffective, Obama said the United States would move toward normal ties and would open an embassy in Cuba.

 

Obama discussed the changes with Cuban President Raul Castro on Tuesday in a nearly hour-long telephone call. Castro spoke in Cuba as Obama made his announcement on a policy shift made possible by the release of American Alan Gross, 65, who had been imprisoned in Cuba for five years.

So I worried about those Cubans I snuck back in after my honeymoon over nothing!

I saw kygirl's thread about Alan Gross being freed, which is certainly a good thing, but I felt like this quote alone made this a larger topic than Gross' release, and deserved its own thread:

 

"...Obama said the United States would move toward normal ties and would open an embassy in Cuba."

So I worried about those Cubans I snuck back in after my honeymoon over nothing!

 

Approval to lift the embargo will have to go through congress. Not an easy task for President Obama after the election in November.

I saw kygirl's thread about Alan Gross being freed, which is certainly a good thing, but I felt like this quote alone made this a larger topic than Gross' release, and deserved its own thread:

 

"...Obama said the United States would move toward normal ties and would open an embassy in Cuba."

 

Another interesting note from the article:

 

"Obama said Pope Francis had played an active role in pressing for his release. Francis congratulated both countries on their forging of diplomatic ties."

While I am no fan of either of Castro brothers, I am willing to admit that the embargo really did nothing to weaken Fidel or his brother now. It is never fun to admit as a nation you were wrong but after 53 years, I think it may be time we did and begin normalizing relations.

Cigars for everybody!!!

While I am no fan of either of Castro brothers, I am willing to admit that the embargo really did nothing to weaken Fidel or his brother now. It is never fun to admit as a nation you were wrong but after 53 years, I think it may be time we did and begin normalizing relations.

 

That's where I'm at.

 

And in the grand scheme, we pressed them to be even more dependent on the Soviet Union.

 

This time around, while the descendant government of that old foe is foundering and likely looking for allies wherever they can find them, we just restored ties with a close neighbor (hopefully pulling them further away from Putin and Russia).

Fidel Castro. Hate the playa, but not the game. Amazing that dude hung in there through what, 10 presidents? All of which wanted him wiped off the earth.

Fidel Castro. Hate the playa, but not the game. Amazing that dude hung in there through what, 10 presidents? All of which wanted him wiped off the earth.

 

The CIA should have put Seth Rogen and James Franco on the job.

The CIA should have put Seth Rogen and James Franco on the job.

 

The CIA alone reportedly put together over 600 plans to assassinate Castro...many of which were attempted and failed. The Cuban security and intelligence folks were ON TOP OF THINGS!

 

Assassination Attempts On Fidel Castro - Wikipedia

 

"The assassination attempts reportedly included cigars poisoned with botulinum toxin, a tubercle bacilli infected scuba-diving suit along with a booby-trapped conch placed on the sea bottom, an exploding cigar, a ballpoint pen containing a hypodermic syringe preloaded with the lethal concoction Blackleaf 40, and plain, mafia-style execution endeavors, among others."

Not a fan nor am I fan of the terms we came to. This is bad policy where we reward bad behavior.

Love it.

 

Although I will say that I think Cuban cigars are overrated.

Doesn't bother me one bit that relations have softened. Hell, we used to be mortal enemies of the mighty USSR and even those relations have improved considerably.

Doesn't bother me one bit that relations have softened. Hell, we used to be mortal enemies of the mighty USSR and even those relations have improved considerably.

 

We all have to move on at some point. :thumb: