Obama Says Congress Will Eventually Lift the Embargo on Cuba
HAVANA TIMES — US President Barack Obama says he is convinced that the US Congress will eventually lift the embargo on Cuba, reported dpa news on Monday.
“I’m sure that Congress will inevitably lift an embargo which should no longer be there,” Obama said in his address this morning to the UN General Assembly.
Obama put the new US policy toward Cuba as an example that the doctrine of dialogue works and bears fruit: The US and Cuba reestablished bilateral relations in July, after more than half a century of disruption and ideological confrontation.
In the presence of Cuban President Raul Castro, Obama acknowledged once again that the policy of isolation of the island conducted his predecessors in the White House failed.
“For 50 years, the United States pursued a policy towards Cuba that failed to improve the lives of Cubans. We have changed this,” Obama said at the United Nations.
The US president recalled that there are still “differences” with the Cuban government and that his government continues to defend the need to improve rights on the island. “But now we address these issues through diplomatic relations and increased trade,” said Obama.
The US and Cuba formally reestablished bilateral relations on July 20. Experts say there will be no normalization of relations until the United States lifts the embargo.
Although Obama has taken steps to relax the embargo he cannot lift it with his executive powers. Only Congress can lift the ban entirely.
With John Boehner have announced his resignation from Congress, the question is how it will affect Congress’ likelihood of taking up legislation to lift the remnants of the trade embargo.
Even if the Cuban government did nothing more for it’s people to enhance their lives, simply getting rid of the economic embargo and Helms-Burton act would dramatically improve their lives through the trickle down effect of increased tourism from America. But it’s also more than reasonable to believe that further enhanced economic prosperity will come as the result of foreign investment in various manufacturing facilities and the resulting exports of Cuban made products to the US. Some here are of the opinion that the Cuban government won’t be inclined to share the wealth with their people…but that’s simply ridiculous. As only one example (there are countless more)…during the Soviet years when Cuba prospered as a direct result of their economic ties with the communist giant, the streets in many of barrios all across the nation were actually paved with asphalt at that time…the remnants of that prosperity is everywhere, as those regularly visiting the barrios know. Now the US and Cuba have an opportunity to rebuild the island’s infrastructure by aligning each other through capitalism and open trade. There is much to rebuild for the Cuban people …economically, socially, politically… but it all starts with providing the Cuban government with a new foundation of support.
Raul is trying to dig his country out of the mess it is in my settling matters with the US. This is not about caving. It’s about how Cuba can exploit a relationship with the US to stop an economic implosion. Raul is a crafty and pragmatic leader, I would not bet against him pulling this off. Havana is not going to be Miami, if that’s your concern.
Just “hope” Cuba doesn’t cave in to the US of Arms
For the people of Cuba during fifty six long years of Socialismo there has always been hope. That remains the position. The need for patience has not changed – but for the average Cuban in the street, there is much weariness of both the mind and the flesh.
How do they achieve release from their burden?
I sure hope so. The communist experiment has failed. The people are ready for a better life. It does not need to be perfect. Just better than the daily struggle of today’s Cuba. My relatives are hopeful. I caution patience.
We have come a long way from our “gunboat diplomacy” days. My lingering concern is while we have and continue to evolve, dictators like the Castros remain as dinosaurs locked in the past through their tyrannical control of the Cuban people. The tactics of the past have proven to have a very low success rate in building and sustaining new democracies. Will Obama’s diplomatic candy-coated approach fare any better?