Cuba Waits for Obama as Ailing Fidel Castro Fades From Scene

Washington may move first to break the decades-old Cold War standoff with Havana

March 27, 2009 RSS Feed Print
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The same aging U.S. automobiles have been plying the streets of Havana, Cuba’s capital, for decades.

The same aging U.S. automobiles have been plying the streets of Havana, Cuba’s capital, for decades.

Pragmatism will be required on both sides to overcome the deadlock between Cuba and the United States. It may be that any détente will have to begin modestly. The Obama administration may first try talking with Cuba about "neighborhood" issues like immigration, drug trafficking, and the environment. "This would be a good place to start. There's no political minefield to hold us or them back," reasons Philip Peters, a Cuba watcher at the Lexington Institute. That may not be the full breakthrough many have hoped for. But with half a century of mutual distrust and inertia to overcome, it may be the best that can be done.

Tags:
Cuba,
Barack Obama,
foreign policy,
Fidel Castro

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5 dollar footlong

Isaac of CA 2:14PM February 05, 2012

I am with you JAMES OF IL AND auradawn veirs of CA for telling it like it is. Reminding Americans of the history of Latin America and how USA has been all in their business. Let Latin America stand up! Man!!!

lyon of CA 1:20AM March 18, 2010

When Far Right politicians say a nation must be "democratized," they mean it must be forced to become capitalistic. Here is a vital quote from Pg 1414, Vol. 4 of an edition of The Catholic Reference Encyclopedia. It's part of the definition of "Private Property." It says "The Church vigorously defends against those political systems that seek to replace private with public property." Isn't that exactly what the USA has been doing on behalf of the Church? We warred with anti-capitalist Chile & Allende who nationalized its natural resources. We did the same to Mossadegh's Iraq who also nationalized. We did the same to N. Vietnam, N. Korea and Sandinista Nicaragua. There, Catholic Somoza shot the pro-Labor Sandino brothers. We did the same to Hussein's nationalized Baath Party Iraq. For decades, the US Information Agency has broadcast Catholic Mass to Cuba. Reagan said his presidency was guided by the pope. Cuba's full of rich people who fled the Revolution, still furious they lost their privileged position, as did the Church itself. I urge fellow citizens to study the past of Cuba and see the Revolution was rightful. The sugar cartel was against it and we've paid too much for sugar all this time. Please welcome Obama's policy of change

auradawn veirs of CA 6:23PM September 19, 2009

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