Obama to allow travel, money transfers to Cuba

Yahoo News / AP ^ | 04/13/2009 | EagleUSA

[hellbender]

Can you name a totalitarian regime which was toppled by our engaging them? The Soviet dissidents like Solzhenitsyn said that our trading with the USSR prolonged the agony of the Soviet people. Our trading with China has only turned it into a military power and trade empire, strengthening the Chicom regime. The South Koreans trade with DPRK, which continues in its Stalinist ways.

[depressed in 06]

... Cuba may soon be a place where there are MORE rights & liberties than in America.

No sheet!

After taking credit for liberating one hostage from thugs, dumbO, authorizes hostages for more thugs.

[shredderman]

I would not be surprised..........

[Doctor Raoul]

And we all get to drive 50s cars under Comandante Barry.

[In veno, veritas]

I am reminded of Egypt switching sides in the cold war. If you can win them over, it is better. Not necessarily saying it's the best way, but obviously what we have been doing for the past 50 years hasn't worked. (Although, I put some of the blame on JFK.)

[In veno, veritas]

You mean that the people of China are more free now then ever? I'm interested in how both countries will end up. But Milton Friedman showed the links between capitalism and freedom.

[In veno, veritas]

It is unfortunate that there really isn't anywhere for us to flee or look towards since it seems almost everyone is grasping for control of the “commanding heights.”

[In veno, veritas]

Poland, and as I understand from Jonah Goldberg's recent blog, South Africa.

[In veno, veritas]

Poland, and as I understand from Jonah Goldberg's recent blog, South Africa.

I'll have my doubts about the trading with the USSR. When we don't engage in trade, the dictators don't suffer, but the people do. Trade allows information to flow about the standard of living in other places. I have an number of issues with the other statements, but it would take a long time to write and I've got to go.

[Political Junkie Too]

The first Major League Baseball franchise in Havana can't be far away.

-PJ

[La Lydia]

And Richard Tawney wrote an excellent book on Protestantism and capitalism, which suggests to some that freedom leads to capitalism. Still, the proof is in the pudding.

Coincidence is not causality—a principle which needs regular rediscovery -- U. Heininger

[hellbender]

Poland was not liberated because of easy trade policies by the West, but by the courage of Lech Walesa and the Solidarity movement, along with the Catholic Church. South Africa’s apartheid regime was actually the target of trade restrictions by the West, not easy trade policies. People like you simply don’t understand what goes on in totalitarian countries. The people there may know very well that the outside world is freer and wealthier, but that does them no good. The govt. has all the guns, the gulags, and other weapons to stay in power. Trade simply entrenches the elite.

[In veno, veritas]

You are grossly oversimplifying Poland. And the idea with Cuba is not easy trade.

Watch the ad hominem. Look, we see in North Korea that trade restricitons do nothing. You can starve the country all you want, but the leader still eats well.

All I'm saying is that the past 50 years in Cuba has done absolutely nothing; maybe we ought to try something different.

[KC_Conspirator]

Uh, no to whatever nonsense/revisionism of Jonah Goldberg. Poland has always had a streak in it. The Solidarity Movement and above all, Pope John Paul were the reasons for their movement gaining steam. My family is part Polish and I have a good detailed history on the strikes that went on there. Had nothing to do with “free trade”.

[KC_Conspirator]

Once again, liberals supported sanctions and bans against South Africa.

[KC_Conspirator]

Thanks. The revisionism on here is ridiculous. Solidarnosc!

[In veno, veritas]

Non sequitur. The fact that liberals supported or opposed sanctions and bans against South Africa does nothing for the argument.

As much respect as I have for Lech Walesa, there were a lot of other factors that helped Poland. Engagement by the West has been credited as being an important factor. It would be like saying the American Revolution was solely because of George Washington; it's just too simplistic.

[In veno, veritas]

Plus, engagement does not equal free trade, and neither does this policy.

[KC_Conspirator]

Uh, the point is that liberals like to prop up leftist regimes, but when it comes to defeating racism or even Zionism, for example, they are all for sanctions.

Your lack of Cold War history and on Poland is embarrasing.

[In veno, veritas]

"Uh, the point is that liberals like to prop up leftist regimes, but when it comes to defeating racism or even Zionism, for example, they are all for sanctions."

That fine, but the question I was asking is if this policy is a good policy or not. I could care less if they are hypocritical, because that, like your second comment, is an ad hominem attack.