Cuban Embargo

At present, the Cuban embargo, which limits American businesses from conducting business with Cuban interests, is still in effect and is the most enduring trade embargo in modern history.The United States has blocked all trade and most of all movement from Cuba since 1959, when Fidel Castro took power until poor health took its toll last year. Ten U.S. presidents were in office during Fidel Castros regieme. The oppressive nature of the regime did not change noticeably we have no reason to think that Castro has personally suffered any deprivation from the sanctions.

Recently, President Obama has already extended a hand by loosening restrictions on travel and remittances to family members living in Cuba. The United States has been waiting for some positive signals from the Castro regime by way of democratic reforms in order to consider lifting the embargo.

Now, Cuba expiriences normal trade with every country on the western hemisphere except the United States and El Salvador. Israel, Palau and the United States itself were the only nations that voted in favour of the embargo when the question popped up last October in the United Nations.

While the United States blocks trade and movement from Cuba, the cuban people ar suffering from lack of goods and an ignored dictatorship. Just ignoring Cuba, the primary effect of an economic embargo, is not going to make them change their oppressive habits, because the reason we started the embargo in the first place was to oppose the expansion of communism into the West. We were trying to force Castro to abandon his opressive ways. It hasn't worked.

The embargo on cuba is an obsolete remainder of a xenophobic philosophy. There simply is no reason to continue an impotent policy when people we want to help are suffering from it.