Cuba ....what to do....

[Nautiknight]

I was born and raised in Florida. I remember the boat lift of 1980 when Castro essentially off loaded his jails to America . I had neighbors who fled Cuba in 1960-1961 . Their family were well off and I recall his dad being a doctor. I have several Cuban guests who buy our Cuban coffee regularly here in NC.

I have a lot of respect for the Cuban people and their love of their country. Every Cuban I have ever met in my life also loves America. Many have told me if America goes left or socialist there is no other place to flee too.

I heard news stories today of the Cuban people pretty much revolting ,carrying the American flag and such. For DECADES our policy has been economic blockade and it has not changed the hearts and minds of the Communist regime there . So, I wonder with this new uprising protest do we help ? Castro is dead and maybe it's time? I don't have the answers here but those people have been pretty much enslaved in poverty by the Communist and I wonder if we just gave a push or something that effective change could happen ? Again, I don't know what it looks like ,but I know the Cuban people deserve better and they are just 90 short miles from our shores and it seems like we should do something here. What say you?

 

[ElprofesorJuan]

I was born and raised in Florida. I remember the boat lift of 1980 when Castro essentially off loaded his jails to America . I had neighbors who fled Cuba in 1960-1961 . Their family were well off and I recall his dad being a doctor. I have several Cuban guests who buy our Cuban coffee regularly here in NC.

I have a lot of respect for the Cuban people and their love of their country. Every Cuban I have ever met in my life also loves America. Many have told me if America goes left or socialist there is no other place to flee too.

I heard news stories today of the Cuban people pretty much revolting ,carrying the American flag and such. For DECADES our policy has been economic blockade and it has not changed the hearts and minds of the Communist regime there . So, I wonder with this new uprising protest do we help ? Castro is dead and maybe it's time? I don't have the answers here but those people have been pretty much enslaved in poverty by the Communist and I wonder if we just gave a push or something that effective change could happen ? Again, I don't know what it looks like ,but I know the Cuban people deserve better and they are just 90 short miles from our shores and it seems like we should do something here. What say you?

We can help them change from communism to a capitalist nation...Cuba would make a great tourist destination ..Hotels can be built ...Casinos and treat it as a vacation destination.. Also with the great doctor's make it a good location for getting treatment and dentist treatment..A good trade agreement for Cigars Rum and Fish...Rebuild Havana but keep it looking old world but with new appliances. Have a feeder league for baseball there. Eventually have a World Series Team.Invest money in Havana. Though it must cut all ties with Russia. Russian agents still reign Supreme there. It's why Biden has not embraced Cuba. Those prisoners Cuba let go Eventually took over many Miami Dade prisons.. Essentially some were KGB trained. It's hard for the United States to completely trust Cuba.

 

[sk8knight]

I was born and raised in Florida. I remember the boat lift of 1980 when Castro essentially off loaded his jails to America . I had neighbors who fled Cuba in 1960-1961 . Their family were well off and I recall his dad being a doctor. I have several Cuban guests who buy our Cuban coffee regularly here in NC.

I have a lot of respect for the Cuban people and their love of their country. Every Cuban I have ever met in my life also loves America. Many have told me if America goes left or socialist there is no other place to flee too.

I heard news stories today of the Cuban people pretty much revolting ,carrying the American flag and such. For DECADES our policy has been economic blockade and it has not changed the hearts and minds of the Communist regime there . So, I wonder with this new uprising protest do we help ? Castro is dead and maybe it's time? I don't have the answers here but those people have been pretty much enslaved in poverty by the Communist and I wonder if we just gave a push or something that effective change could happen ? Again, I don't know what it looks like ,but I know the Cuban people deserve better and they are just 90 short miles from our shores and it seems like we should do something here. What say you?

If we are still the bright shining city on the hill showing the way to freedom and economic prosperity, then hell yes we help them.

 

[Crazyhole]

Something as simple as a statement of support from Biden would embolden the people. I don't think we should get involved militarily, but there are covert ways of helping them along. The problem is that I don't think Biden sees it in his best interest to help free a country from socialism.

FWIW, I supported Obamas normalizing of relations with Cuba. Nothing else had worked for 50 years so it was time to change strategies. Now it seems like there is a real chance for Cuba to be changed from within so I hope we so what we can to help.

 

[UCFBS]

Something as simple as a statement of support from Biden would embolden the people. I don't think we should get involved militarily, but there are covert ways of helping them along. The problem is that I don't think Biden sees it in his best interest to help free a country from socialism.

FWIW, I supported Obamas normalizing of relations with Cuba. Nothing else had worked for 50 years so it was time to change strategies. Now it seems like there is a real chance for Cuba to be changed from within so I hope we so what we can to help.

I'm kinda for just non-interference in general. But that's just me.

 

[Cubs79]

Something as simple as a statement of support from Biden would embolden the people. I don't think we should get involved militarily, but there are covert ways of helping them along. The problem is that I don't think Biden sees it in his best interest to help free a country from socialism.

FWIW, I supported Obamas normalizing of relations with Cuba. Nothing else had worked for 50 years so it was time to change strategies. Now it seems like there is a real chance for Cuba to be changed from within so I hope we so what we can to help.

The White House already released a statement. Keep up.

Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on Protests in Cuba | The White House

We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime. The Cuban people are bravely asserting fundamental and...

www.whitehouse.gov

We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime. The Cuban people are bravely asserting fundamental and universal rights. Those rights, including the right of peaceful protest and the right to freely determine their own future, must be respected. The United States calls on the Cuban regime to hear their people and serve their needs at this vital moment rather than enriching themselves.

 

[Knight In TN]

I'm kinda for just non-interference in general. But that's just me.

At what point is non-interference no longer the stance to take?

Just a general question.

 

[chemmie]

At what point is non-interference no longer the stance to take?

Just a general question.

Non-Interference? We should have thought about that one back before the 1950s.

 

[UCFBS]

At what point is non-interference no longer the stance to take?
Just a general question.

It's a good question. I don't know. But right now we cannot afford to secure Europe and Asia. It's up to the regional powers to do that on their own in my book. And we should be spending our time engaging the rest of the American block instead.

Remember ... Castro and Che couldn't have been total BS artists if the US wasn't doing its 'interfering.' And BLM exists and inner cities don't trust government because of everything from '80s Reagan-Contras-drugs-crack to '90 Tough-on-Crime DNC+GOP.

I'm done worrying about anything outside the western hemisphere.

 

[Nautiknight]

The White House already released a statement. Keep up.

Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on Protests in Cuba | The White House

We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime. The Cuban people are bravely asserting fundamental and...

www.whitehouse.gov

We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime. The Cuban people are bravely asserting fundamental and universal rights. Those rights, including the right of peaceful protest and the right to freely determine their own future, must be respected. The United States calls on the Cuban regime to hear their people and serve their needs at this vital moment rather than enriching themselves.

This just shows how you how bankrupt the Biden administration is in terns of understanding what good governance is and what it isn't. The Cuban government doesn't need to serve their needs. The Communist regime is meeting their basic needs. Government should be there to defend the individuals liberty and economic freedom for the individual to chose their path in life. The government needs to liberate the Cuban people from the shackles of central planning total economic control. The government should free their souls and allow them to worship freely or not at all. The government should be there to ensure corruption does not destroy entrepreneurship. The government needs to be like IOS or Android and operate in the background providing a climate for freedom , basic infrastructure and protect civil rights like our Bill of Rights. The people of Cuba want FREEDOM not FREE Stuff . They want to be proud CITIZENS of Cuba not SUBJECTS who are to be loyal to the state and the party. That's what good governance looks like. So, in my opinion Biden doesn't get it because he sees government as the cradle to grave provider of free stuff thus loyalty to his party.

So yes my president issued a statement all right but it's far from demanding liberty both civil and economic from an oppression Communist socialist regime. Do you notice how he can't even utter those words communist or socialist in a negative light at all? We need to call a spade a spade here and Cuba for 7 decades is communist hell hole paradise ruining people's lives and dreams while meeting their needs.

I think if we can give Guatamala , Honduras and every other 3rd world nation tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars we should create a free Enterprise zone kind of assistance and offer it up to entrepreneurship in Cuba and just buy our way in or if the situation presents itself send Seal Team 6 in and take care of it. I do think if we see a genuine Cuban revolution we need to consider supporting it any way we can.

 

[UCFBS]

Sigh ... more interference ... both sides debating which way is better. No wonder we're f'd.

 

[Nautiknight]

Sigh ... more interference ... both sides debating which way is better. No wonder we're f'd.

You know when it comes to say the middle east and the conflict between the Arabs and Jews that has been going on for thousands of years I tend to be a non-interventionist. When we attempt to export western values and our form republican governance especially, again , to the middle east countries and it doesn't take because in large part it's in many ways antithetical to their faith and how their culture operates , it struggles to succeed. I am with you.

However, the Cuban people are truly yearning for freedom and would embrace a truly democratic process, a Constitution with Bill of Rights and they are industrious . They get free enterprise and they get they are oppressed and have been lied too. They are also our neighbors. Nobody asked us to go into the middle east, we just went. If Cubans asked we should assist in what ever way that makes the most sense. I am with you here in general . I don't like intervening in most stuff around the world. We are not Team America, F-ya! or,should I say we shouldn't be the world police . I am though in support of the US helping the Cuban people get their freedom back.

 

[chemmie]

You should really stop trying to over-simplify Cuba's problems down to "Communism = Bad. Free Market = Good"
It just makes you look silly, especially with all those words you type.

Cuba has no natural resources, and an extremely small tourism base. They have nothing to offer. They were exploited for everything they were worth far before Castro came along and shoved the dildo farther up the peoples' ass. Sugar is worthless. Rum and cigars won't get them anywhere.
So, what is their choice? Let the resorts come in, pay their people a few more peanuts than they receive now, and make the place just like every other island out there that has been exploited into oblivion? Or, keep getting screwed by the Castros? Not a very good choice.

 

[Nautiknight]

You should really stop trying to over-simplify Cuba's problems down to "Communism = Bad. Free Market = Good"
It just makes you look silly, especially with all those words you type.

Cuba has no natural resources, and an extremely small tourism base. They have nothing to offer. They were exploited for everything they were worth far before Castro came along and shoved the dildo farther up the peoples' ass. Sugar is worthless. Rum and cigars won't get them anywhere.
So, what is their choice? Let the resorts come in, pay their people a few more peanuts than they receive now, and make the place just like every other island out there that has been exploited into oblivion? Or, keep getting screwed by the Castros? Not a very good choice.

With all due respect Chemmie, there is a third choice. They can have freedom to set their own course as individuals. They as individuals can decide what's best for their lives and not communist authoritarians. That's the core issue for me. The Marxist caused their best to flee in the 1960s and bleed their people. The people want freedom . they want the boot of government off of their necks .

Tourism could be their life blood and it could help a lot of people. I have taken my boat to the Bahamas a number of times and if Cuba was a free country and we normalized trade, you better believe I and thousands,tens of thousands of people would boat to Havana and vacation there. Cruise ships would stop there. Hotels and restaurants and support services would flourish.. Is it silicone valley and wealth galore? maybe not,but it's a hell of lot better than what they have now. I think you would see investment happen and you would see an oppressed people be free.

As a side note, I get my cocao for my business from Venezuela. Venezuela had it all. They were thriving. I have been buying the chocolate for 16 years from Chocolate El Rey and I have watched that country go from prosperity to the rat hole it is today. Chavez and Maduro and their Marxist take over destroyed that economy in 2 decades time. They ran the private firms out who ran the oil and took over nearly the entire economy to give the people their fair share. They ruined that place . the fact is Marxism is slavery . It ruins lives, it destroys the human spirit and it provides one thing equally to all but the party bosses, misery and poverty. you can vote your way into socialism and Marxism but you have to shoot your way out of it.

 

[OLearyLastCall]

If we are still the bright shining city on the hill showing the way to freedom and economic prosperity, then hell yes we help them.

Help them how?

 

[OLearyLastCall]

What should the US do? A statement of support for freedom of expression and let them figure it out which is what the Biden Administration has been doing so far.

That's it.

 

[Cubs79]

Help them how?

I would like to know the answer to this too. I see lots of people here (and on twitter and such) saying we should do something, but nobody is saying what we should do. I am also wondering if we are transitioning back from MAGA way of thinking to the Neocon way of thinking.

 

[chemmie]

With all due respect Chemmie, there is a third choice. They can have freedom to set their own course as individuals. They as individuals can decide what's best for their lives and not communist authoritarians. That's the core issue for me. The Marxist caused their best to flee in the 1960s and bleed their people. The people want freedom . they want the boot of government off of their necks .

Tourism could be their life blood and it could help a lot of people. I have taken my boat to the Bahamas a number of times and if Cuba was a free country and we normalized trade, you better believe I and thousands,tens of thousands of people would boat to Havana and vacation there. Cruise ships would stop there. Hotels and restaurants and support services would flourish.. Is it silicone valley and wealth galore? maybe not,but it's a hell of lot better than what they have now. I think you would see investment happen and you would see an oppressed people be free.

As a side note, I get my cocao for my business from Venezuela. Venezuela had it all. They were thriving. I have been buying the chocolate for 16 years from Chocolate El Rey and I have watched that country go from prosperity to the rat hole it is today. Chavez and Maduro and their Marxist take over destroyed that economy in 2 decades time. They ran the private firms out who ran the oil and took over nearly the entire economy to give the people their fair share. They ruined that place . the fact is Marxism is slavery . It ruins lives, it destroys the human spirit and it provides one thing equally to all but the party bosses, misery and poverty. you can vote your way into socialism and Marxism but you have to shoot your way out of it.

You're too busy fighting the Marxist Boogeyman to see beyond the trees.

Yes, they want to be free. Yes, the Castros time has run out and it will be over soon. Yes, communist dictatorships are horrible.

But Cuba will go nowhere without significant investment in the entire country and infrastructure. And, if Hyatt/Marriot/IHG/etc. are the only ones coming in looking to make a buck off of impoverished people in an "exotic" land, Cuba will be just another casualty in a long list of casualties in the islands. After all, this is how Castro got there in the first place.

 

[OLearyLastCall]

I would like to know the answer to this too. I see lots of people here (and on twitter and such) saying we should do something, but nobody is saying what we should do. I am also wondering if we are transitioning back from MAGA way of thinking to the Neocon way of thinking.

Neocons will neocon.

Regime change isn't popular anymore so they won't just come out and say we need military action although it's heavily implied. I appreciate the Miami mayor having a mask off moment and saying that we needed to bomb Cuba yesterday during an interview. It's what everyone else is scared to say, but at least he said the quiet part out loud.

 

[chemmie]

What should the US do?

Cuba is a depressing place. I've been there. It is worse than you think, but the people are cognizant of their plight.

The U.S. should:
1. Start good-faith talks with the Cuban government. Enough of the 1950's bullshit. Their government is weak. Talk to them, and tell them it is time. Don't force change on them, and don't let it seem like the U.S. is trying to put in a puppet like we always do.

2. Bring in humanitarian relief the likes we haven't seen in a long while. Infrastructure, food, and medical supplies. Get the people on your side.

3. Bombard the island with free wireless technology. Barges off the coast. Satellite. Something. They have technology and smart phones, just no infrastructure to run it.

4. Get the U.S. military out of GITMO. Another good-faith gesture that would help. Or, have talks about the U.S. paying a fair price to lease.

 

[OLearyLastCall]

Cuba is a depressing place. I've been there. It is worse than you think, but the people are cognizant of their plight.

The U.S. should:
1. Start good-faith talks with the Cuban government. Enough of the 1950's bullshit. Their government is weak. Talk to them, and tell them it is time. Don't force change on them, and don't let it seem like the U.S. is trying to put in a puppet like we always do.

2. Bring in humanitarian relief the likes we haven't seen in a long while. Infrastructure, food, and medical supplies. Get the people on your side.

3. Bombard the island with free wireless technology. Barges off the coast. Satellite. Something. They have technology and smart phones, just no infrastructure to run it.

4. Get the U.S. military out of GITMO. Another good-faith gesture that would help. Or, have talks about the U.S. paying a fair price to lease.

Actually really good ideas and actually would cause intense amount of shrieking from those calling for a violent regime change.

 

[Nautiknight]

Also Chemmie, are you suggesting freedom , economic liberty and having a Constitutional Republic where we vote for our leaders only matters because we have natural resources and wealth? Are you suggesting poor people don't deserve that choice or freedom ? it sounds like you are. Oh they are the Poor's let them suffer further under the boot of authoritarians, they don't deserve it anyway. They don't need to vote for their government. They don't need to be burden further with the choices to get a job, learn a trade or skill or become an entrepreneur. They don't have any resources so why does it matter. They are just poor. Freedom is for the rich. Civil rights are for the rich . Don't burden those people with such trivial things like voting and wanting to be more than you are today.

 

[Cubs79]

Also Chemmie, are you suggesting freedom , economic liberty and having a Constitutional Republic where we vote for our leaders only matters because we have natural resources and wealth? Are you suggesting poor people don't deserve that choice or freedom ? it sounds like you are. Oh they are the Poor's let them suffer further under the boot of authoritarians, they don't deserve it anyway. They don't need to vote for their government. They don't need to be burden further with the choices to get a job, learn a trade or skill or become an entrepreneur. They don't have any resources so why does it matter. They are just poor. Freedom is for the rich. Civil rights are for the rich . Don't burden those people with such trivial things like voting and wanting to be more than you are today.

Nobody is saying that. We are asking how you want us to do that. Are you wanting military action? Just saying "we should give them freedom" is pointless if you dont specify how you want to go about doing so.

 

[sk8knight]

Cuba is a depressing place. I've been there. It is worse than you think, but the people are cognizant of their plight.

The U.S. should:
1. Start good-faith talks with the Cuban government. Enough of the 1950's bullshit. Their government is weak. Talk to them, and tell them it is time. Don't force change on them, and don't let it seem like the U.S. is trying to put in a puppet like we always do.

2. Bring in humanitarian relief the likes we haven't seen in a long while. Infrastructure, food, and medical supplies. Get the people on your side.

3. Bombard the island with free wireless technology. Barges off the coast. Satellite. Something. They have technology and smart phones, just no infrastructure to run it.

4. Get the U.S. military out of GITMO. Another good-faith gesture that would help. Or, have talks about the U.S. paying a fair price to lease.

Not surprising our resident Marxist thinks that keeping the current regime in power and somehow talking them into being freedom loving governors is going to work.

In case you haven't noticed, the "people" of Cuba are already carrying American flags and the people persecuted by this murderous regime have always been on the side of American freedom.

The country has internet and cellphone infrastructure. The regime has cut it off to sever comms; something that is normally the first step to an armed response. The regime has also arrested over a hundred protestors as political prisoners and they are going to be held indefinitely. This regime has held the longest political prisoners in the world; some being imprisoned for more than 30 years at this point.

You have to force the regime out but it doesn't necessarily need to be a primarily armed conflict. Handing them supplies and removing your presence is simply rewarding their bad behavior. You're not going to like them into stepping down and they aren't going to give up their power.

1. You have to amass the weight of the world against them and hit them where they get rich. That means allying Russia, China, and Iran to the sanctions for the government if you're going to actually force them to change behavior. And get the UN to pressure them for elections and such.

2. Use the 3-letter cyber capabilities to reestablish communications for the people and wipe it out for the regime.

3. Much like countries supplied a fledgling US revolution, supply the protestors with whatever they need to mount an effective protest and create local pressure. Be ready, though, because the regime was started with a genocide and it will probably go out with one.

4. The end goal is a real election with UN/US monitors and a regime that will step down and go away when they are voted out of power.

Now, I personally have no problem with the US stepping in and rooting out the regime and then holding a free election. Then we can aid and normalize as much as possible. But there is no negotiating with the regime that was born through mass murder and has not changed their ways through multiple leaders and has no intent on changing their ways.

 

[OLearyLastCall]

Nobody is saying that. We are asking how you want us to do that. Are you wanting military action? Just saying "we should give them freedom" is pointless if you dont specify how you want to go about doing so.

Yeah @Nautiknight and @sk8knight. What is it that should happen? Let's stop beating around the bush.

EDIT: Just saw @sk8knight favors US military intervention. I appreciate your honesty, no matter how wrong and insane it is.

 

[Cubs79]

Not surprising our resident Marxist thinks that keeping the current regime in power and somehow talking them into being freedom loving governors is going to work.

In case you haven't noticed, the "people" of Cuba are already carrying American flags and the people persecuted by this murderous regime have always been on the side of American freedom.

The country has internet and cellphone infrastructure. The regime has cut it off to sever comms; something that is normally the first step to an armed response. The regime has also arrested over a hundred protestors as political prisoners and they are going to be held indefinitely. This regime has held the longest political prisoners in the world; some being imprisoned for more than 30 years at this point.

You have to force the regime out but it doesn't necessarily need to be a primarily armed conflict. Handing them supplies and removing your presence is simply rewarding their bad behavior. You're not going to like them into stepping down and they aren't going to give up their power.

1. You have to amass the weight of the world against them and hit them where they get rich. That means allying Russia, China, and Iran to the sanctions for the government if you're going to actually force them to change behavior. And get the UN to pressure them for elections and such.

2. Use the 3-letter cyber capabilities to reestablish communications for the people and wipe it out for the regime.

3. Much like countries supplied a fledgling US revolution, supply the protestors with whatever they need to mount an effective protest and create local pressure. Be ready, though, because the regime was started with a genocide and it will probably go out with one.

4. The end goal is a real election with UN/US monitors and a regime that will step down and go away when they are voted out of power.

Now, I personally have no problem with the US stepping in and rooting out the regime and then holding a free election. Then we can aid and normalize as much as possible. But there is no negotiating with the regime that was born through mass murder and has not changed their ways through multiple leaders and has no intent on changing their ways.

Russia is Cuba's largest creditor and an ally, they arent going to join the us to get rid of an ally.

 

[sk8knight]

Russia is Cuba's largest creditor and an ally, they arent going to join the us to get rid of an ally.

I know. It's why it is going to be extremely hard to get the regime out of power diplomatically.

 

[chemmie]

Not surprising our resident Marxist thinks that keeping the current regime in power and somehow talking them into being freedom loving governors is going to work.

In case you haven't noticed, the "people" of Cuba are already carrying American flags and the people persecuted by this murderous regime have always been on the side of American freedom.

The country has internet and cellphone infrastructure. The regime has cut it off to sever comms; something that is normally the first step to an armed response. The regime has also arrested over a hundred protestors as political prisoners and they are going to be held indefinitely. This regime has held the longest political prisoners in the world; some being imprisoned for more than 30 years at this point.

You have to force the regime out but it doesn't necessarily need to be a primarily armed conflict. Handing them supplies and removing your presence is simply rewarding their bad behavior. You're not going to like them into stepping down and they aren't going to give up their power.

1. You have to amass the weight of the world against them and hit them where they get rich. That means allying Russia, China, and Iran to the sanctions for the government if you're going to actually force them to change behavior. And get the UN to pressure them for elections and such.

2. Use the 3-letter cyber capabilities to reestablish communications for the people and wipe it out for the regime.

3. Much like countries supplied a fledgling US revolution, supply the protestors with whatever they need to mount an effective protest and create local pressure. Be ready, though, because the regime was started with a genocide and it will probably go out with one.

4. The end goal is a real election with UN/US monitors and a regime that will step down and go away when they are voted out of power.

Now, I personally have no problem with the US stepping in and rooting out the regime and then holding a free election. Then we can aid and normalize as much as possible. But there is no negotiating with the regime that was born through mass murder and has not changed their ways through multiple leaders and has no intent on changing their ways.

Yea, those policies have worked wonderfully for 70 years. Might as well keep 'em up!!

 

[chemmie]

Also Chemmie, are you suggesting freedom , economic liberty and having a Constitutional Republic where we vote for our leaders only matters because we have natural resources and wealth? Are you suggesting poor people don't deserve that choice or freedom ? it sounds like you are. Oh they are the Poor's let them suffer further under the boot of authoritarians, they don't deserve it anyway. They don't need to vote for their government. They don't need to be burden further with the choices to get a job, learn a trade or skill or become an entrepreneur. They don't have any resources so why does it matter. They are just poor. Freedom is for the rich. Civil rights are for the rich . Don't burden those people with such trivial things like voting and wanting to be more than you are today.

No.
I'm saying that if we go in there and try to overthrow their government so we can build a bunch of hotels to exploit their land and people while lining the pockets of American businessmen, it isn't gonna work. Just like the last few times we tried.

 

[Poolside Knight]

a lot of hypocrisy from the right with some expecting Biden to send the 82nd Airborne down there

and Trump talked shit and made threats too but he wouldn’t send any troops either . Venezuela had massive protests trying to oust Maduro and they didn’t bring up U.S troops after 2 days on Fox News

also if we did send troops to Cuba Putin would immediately attack Ukraine…the most that will happen is some mercenaries trying to finish the job

 

[OLearyLastCall]

a lot of hypocrisy from the right with some expecting Biden to send the 82nd Airborne down there

and Trump talked shit and made threats too but he wouldn’t send any troops either . Venezuela had massive protests trying to oust Maduro and they didn’t bring up U.S troops after 2 days on Fox News

also if we did send troops to Cuba Putin would immediately attack Ukraine…the most that will happen is some mercenaries trying to finish the job

Same people here who cheered when Trump said no more wars or US involvement overseas want us to invade Cuba tomorrow. They're not serious thinkers.

 

[UCFBS]

You know when it comes to say the middle east and the conflict between the Arabs and Jews that has been going on for thousands of years I tend to be a non-interventionist. When we attempt to export western values and our form republican governance especially, again , to the middle east countries and it doesn't take because in large part it's in many ways antithetical to their faith and how their culture operates , it struggles to succeed. I am with you.

However, the Cuban people are truly yearning for freedom and would embrace a truly democratic process, a Constitution with Bill of Rights and they are industrious . They get free enterprise and they get they are oppressed and have been lied too. They are also our neighbors. Nobody asked us to go into the middle east, we just went. If Cubans asked we should assist in what ever way that makes the most sense. I am with you here in general . I don't like intervening in most stuff around the world. We are not Team America, F-ya! or,should I say we shouldn't be the world police . I am though in support of the US helping the Cuban people get their freedom back.

I will agree with your idea of a free trade zone.

But Americans have come up with this Zombie Socialism where we borrow and cannot pay back, instead of raising Middle Class taxes and implementing regressive, Value Add Tax (VAT), like some of Europe. So they'll never go for it, and our politicians will be utterly against it, in the majority.

Ironically we're approaching Venezuela's economy, sadly enough.

 

[Nautiknight]

Cuba is a depressing place. I've been there. It is worse than you think, but the people are cognizant of their plight.

The U.S. should:
1. Start good-faith talks with the Cuban government. Enough of the 1950's bullshit. Their government is weak. Talk to them, and tell them it is time. Don't force change on them, and don't let it seem like the U.S. is trying to put in a puppet like we always do.

2. Bring in humanitarian relief the likes we haven't seen in a long while. Infrastructure, food, and medical supplies. Get the people on your side.

3. Bombard the island with free wireless technology. Barges off the coast. Satellite. Something. They have technology and smart phones, just no infrastructure to run it.

4. Get the U.S. military out of GITMO. Another good-faith gesture that would help. Or, have talks about the U.S. paying a fair price to lease.

I have never been to Cuba
I have been to the out islands of the Bahamas such as the Abacos , Exumad and Bimini. One could argue the people of the Bahamas are just as poor as the Cubans but the Bahamians are a free people and they have opportunity to pursue what moves them.

I think talking to them makes some sense,but they are authoritarians and they won't let go of their power . So doing all that you say Chemmie is truly for naught. You need a free society to make lasting change .You need a process free of corruption where the people can trust it. You need people of integrity and value freedom and will honor the election results . That's the change that needs to happen and the rest of your ideas would work I think. It all starts with the Cuban people taking control and forcing their government to change .

 

[Poolside Knight]

Cuba would become much richer than the Bahamas if it were to become completely open for investment

 

[Crazyhole]

Cuba would become much richer than the Bahamas if it were to become completely open for investment

And there are a lot of Cuban Americans that would love to go back.

For all of the talk about Puerto Rico becoming a state, I think Cuba is a better prospect.

 

[Poolside Knight]

And there are a lot of Cuban Americans that would love to go back.

For all of the talk about Puerto Rico becoming a state, I think Cuba is a better prospect.

that would definitely happen , lots of rich Cubans would go back and build homes there. and you can almost hit Key West with a rock from Havana so to them it will still feel like being in Florida/East Coast

 

[sk8knight]

Pre-Castro Cuba was a successful place, by and large. "Cuba's capital, Havana, was a glittering and dynamic city. In the early part of the century the country's economy, fueled by the sale of sugar to the United States, had grown dramatically. Cuba ranked fifth in the hemisphere in per capita income, third in life expectancy, second in per capita ownership of automobiles and telephones, first in the number of television sets per inhabitant. The literacy rate, 76%, was the fourth highest in Latin America. Cuba ranked 11th in the world in the number of doctors per capita. Many private clinics and hospitals provided services for the poor. Cuba's income distribution compared favorably with that of other Latin American societies. A thriving middle class held the promise of prosperity and social mobility."

Of course, there was wealth inequality between the cities and the rural areas and racial tensions there as there were everywhere. The revolutionaries exploited these in their call for social justice. Tell me if this quote from Castro isn't familiar today: "Not Communism or Marxism is our idea. Our political philosophy is representative democracy and social justice in a well-planned economy."

Pre-Castro Cuba | American Experience | PBS

Before the revolution, Cuba was one of the most advanced and successful countries in Latin America.

www.pbs.org

 

[UCFBS]

Cuba would become much richer than the Bahamas if it were to become completely open for investment

And there are a lot of Cuban Americans that would love to go back.

For all of the talk about Puerto Rico becoming a state, I think Cuba is a better prospect.

that would definitely happen , lots of rich Cubans would go back and build homes there. and you can almost hit Key West with a rock from Havana so to them it will still feel like being in Florida/East Coast

But isn't this why and how Castro was able to come to power in the first place?

Chavez in Venezuela too?

 

[Crazyhole]

that would definitely happen , lots of rich Cubans would go back and build homes there. and you can almost hit Key West with a rock from Havana so to them it will still feel like being in Florida/East Coast

I'm about as anti-intervention as you can be, but part of me thinks that if ever there was an opportunity to flex our muscle this one makes the most sense.

 

[Cubs79]

And there are a lot of Cuban Americans that would love to go back.

For all of the talk about Puerto Rico becoming a state, I think Cuba is a better prospect.

Puerto Rico is an American territory though.