Comments on: Cuban Embargo: Progress Report http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/ America's favorite blog Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:35:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: Murray http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4855 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4855 Now that we are experts at installing democracy, all we ask is to do to Cuba, what we have done to Iraq. I'm sure that they will greet us with dancing in the streets. Oh! And we can pay for it all with another tax cut. Now that we are experts at installing democracy, all we ask is to do to Cuba, what we have done to Iraq. I’m sure that they will greet us with dancing in the streets.

Oh! And we can pay for it all with another tax cut.

]]> by: Jim E-H http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4856 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4856 As Dave Barry so eloquently put it: CIA (Motto: "Overthrowing Castro since 1959!") As Dave Barry so eloquently put it:

CIA (Motto: “Overthrowing Castro since 1959!”)

]]> by: jerry http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4857 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4857 I've never been a fan of the "embargo". It never really seems to work properly. For instance there was a pretty strict embargo imposed on Libya. There was general consensus around the world that certain things shouldn't be sold there. That worked so well that they were able to produce many things including 23 tons of mustard gas – a very nasty blistering agent. There was a very strict embargo of oil sales from Iraq. We even asked the UN to run the only exception program, the Oil-for-Food program. That was HUGE success - if you were an employee of the program you realized real financial gains in a tough world economy. It appears that even politicians and advisors around the world benefited. It worked so well that the UN, the leading agent calling for governmental transparency around the world says it doesn't need an outside auditor. Embargos and sanctions as effective tools for pressure. Nope – give me a good old-fashioned blockade any day. It would be interesting for both parties to call for the lift of the ill-performing embargo of Cuba. Until such time –neither party can be panned nor praised for Cuban policy. I’ve never been a fan of the “embargo”. It never really seems to work properly.

For instance there was a pretty strict embargo imposed on Libya. There was general consensus around the world that certain things shouldn’t be sold there. That worked so well that they were able to produce many things including 23 tons of mustard gas – a very nasty blistering agent.

There was a very strict embargo of oil sales from Iraq. We even asked the UN to run the only exception program, the Oil-for-Food program. That was HUGE success - if you were an employee of the program you realized real financial gains in a tough world economy. It appears that even politicians and advisors around the world benefited. It worked so well that the UN, the leading agent calling for governmental transparency around the world says it doesn’t need an outside auditor.

Embargos and sanctions as effective tools for pressure. Nope – give me a good old-fashioned blockade any day.

It would be interesting for both parties to call for the lift of the ill-performing embargo of Cuba. Until such time –neither party can be panned nor praised for Cuban policy.

]]> by: jerry http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4858 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4858 (dangit - I forgot something) the conserva-troll (dangit - I forgot something)

the conserva-troll

]]> by: Bob http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4859 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4859 "Hola, amigos!" Wait a second--is Otto J. Reich just an alias for Jim Anchower? “Hola, amigos!”

Wait a second–is Otto J. Reich just an alias for Jim Anchower?

]]> by: sly http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4860 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4860 I don't know if I support a lift of the embargo. What would happen to the nice street vendor in Union Square if Cuban cigars were available everywhere? I don’t know if I support a lift of the embargo. What would happen to the nice street vendor in Union Square if Cuban cigars were available everywhere?

]]> by: Mojo http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4861 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4861 I agree that the embargo against Cuba has outlived its usefulness. Also, the specific changes being made aren't part of an embargo anyway; they're an expansion of the propaganda effort and proposals to interfere in the internal affairs of a neighboring country. (After Castro and the reason for the interference is gone?!) However, I disagree with Jerry about the usefulness of embargoes. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. The embargo against Libya was one of the primary factors in their deciding to give up support for terrorism and WMDs. The sanctions against Iraq effectively prevented them from rebuilding their military to the point that it could become a viable threat to neighboring countries (or even defend themselves as it turned out) and severely slowed or, in some cases, halted their WMD programs. It is a fallacy to say that, because an action doesn't accomplish a specific aim perfectly and unassisted, it has failed. By that logic, democracy as a political system is a failure if a single election is rigged. My theory is that the administration has simply noticed that Castro is really, really old and will probably die of natural causes soon. Therefore, they’ve decided to do something at random in the hopes of claiming the credit for “liberating” Cuba when Castro goes to whatever part of hell is reserved for brutal dictators that aren’t supported by the US (our friends are winged to heaven on the prayers of the 700 club). I agree that the embargo against Cuba has outlived its usefulness. Also, the specific changes being made aren’t part of an embargo anyway; they’re an expansion of the propaganda effort and proposals to interfere in the internal affairs of a neighboring country. (After Castro and the reason for the interference is gone?!) However, I disagree with Jerry about the usefulness of embargoes. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. The embargo against Libya
was one of the primary factors in their deciding to give up support for terrorism and WMDs. The sanctions against Iraq effectively prevented them from rebuilding their military to the point that it could become a viable threat to neighboring countries (or even defend themselves as it turned out) and severely slowed or, in some cases, halted their WMD programs. It is a fallacy to say that, because an action doesn’t accomplish a specific aim perfectly and unassisted, it has failed. By that logic, democracy as a political system is a failure if a single election is rigged.
My theory is that the administration has simply noticed that Castro is really, really old and will probably die of natural causes soon. Therefore, they’ve decided to do something at random in the hopes of claiming the credit for “liberating” Cuba when Castro goes to whatever part of hell is reserved for brutal dictators that aren’t supported by the US (our friends are winged to heaven on the prayers of the 700 club).

]]> by: PC (Politically Creative) Pete http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4862 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4862 The NeoCon shieldbearers under Shrub would surely be panicking at the thought of all those happy, musically gifted, lightly oppressed Cubans launching a mass migration wave to The Greatest Nation On Earth (tm) when the old man pops his Cuban clogs. How would they be able to buy the American Cuban vote if there were no Cuban Cubans left to prop up their claims? I'd also be interested to see what sort of propaganda they'd be beaming into Cuba. "When your leader dies, STAY THERE! We'll send you a new leader!" In a related topic, I heard a report on the BBC a couple of days ago where the reporter asked a Castro supporter what she'd do if Castro died. Her first response : "What? Is he ill? How do you know he's going to die?". Her second response : "He's not going to die. He has the best doctors. He will live until he is 120 years old!". Now Bush would love to hear THAT! The NeoCon shieldbearers under Shrub would surely be panicking at the thought of all those happy, musically gifted, lightly oppressed Cubans launching a mass migration wave to The Greatest Nation On Earth ™ when the old man pops his Cuban clogs. How would they be able to buy the American Cuban vote if there were no Cuban Cubans left to prop up their claims?
I’d also be interested to see what sort of propaganda they’d be beaming into Cuba. “When your leader dies, STAY THERE! We’ll send you a new leader!”
In a related topic, I heard a report on the BBC a couple of days ago where the reporter asked a Castro supporter what she’d do if Castro died. Her first response : “What? Is he ill? How do you know he’s going to die?”. Her second response : “He’s not going to die. He has the best doctors. He will live until he is 120 years old!”. Now Bush would love to hear THAT!

]]> by: ken... Just Ken http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4863 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4863 I say we stay with the embargo. You can see how effective the Iraq embargo was in helping us win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi People; the way they welcomed us with open arms and danced and sang in the streets. Their still dancing now, aren't they? Those are flowers they're throwing, aren't they? I say we stay with the embargo.

You can see how effective the Iraq embargo was in helping us win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi People; the way they welcomed us with open arms and danced and sang in the streets.

Their still dancing now, aren’t they?

Those are flowers they’re throwing, aren’t they?

]]> by: lovable liberal http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4864 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2004/05/11/cuban-embargo-progress-report/#comment-4864 <i>I don't know if I support a lift of the embargo. What would happen to the nice street vendor in Union Square if Cuban cigars were available everywhere?</i> It's an ill wind that blows smoke up nobody's ass! I don’t know if I support a lift of the embargo. What would happen to the nice street vendor in Union Square if Cuban cigars were available everywhere?

It’s an ill wind that blows smoke up nobody’s ass!

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