Obama - Normalizing Cuban Relations

Anderson County State Park "beach" on Norris Lake.

 

I have no doubt it won't be in the hands of the Castro clan too much longer. The question remains as to whether it will become a First World democracy, or slide into a third world shit hole democracy that shifts back to some authoritarian regime that then becomes the retroactive explanation for the failure of their capitalist experiment.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/18/us-cuba-deal-a-marriage-18-months-in-the-making-blessed-by-pope-francis

Some pretty interesting details.

 

I think Pope Francis has an incredible opportunity to rebrand faith and the Catholic Church.

 

Apparently, the article says that we got an American spy released after 20 years in a Cuban prison who was a pretty important dude. Lots of really good tidbits in that article that I haven't seen in any American publication.

 

Pope Francis has already started doing alot of rebranding and this is just another great opportunity.

 

Now if we can just get the Southern Baptists on board.

 

Forget the Pope. The contradictions and changes now only demonstrates there is no divine presence in the dealings of the Vatican in the past, which invalidates the present message. They are not the one universal church of the one true god. That is obvious. That makes the Catholic Church a bunch of charlatans and delusional kooks.

Luther, Calvin, and King Henry the VIII were on to something.

 

Here you go, Francis:

 

I approve this website

 

Somewhere in West Virginia, IMO

 

This may be the stupidest f'ing thing that this Administration has done in foreign policy.

Let that sink in.

It's the exact same dictatorial regime that has conspired against us and aided our enemies for decades - and who's human rights record would make China blush.

And not one thing has or soon will change for the people of Cuba, while that regime is in power.

President Barack Obama is a fool, as is anyone who continues to support him.

Who wants to make this wager: I will bet $1 American dollar that the first brick in the embassy which President Obama plans to build in Havana will never be laid, while that regime is in power. I'll take the first person who wants to bet.

 

S

Could care less about the bet. The embargo has been the among most useless and moronic piece of foreign policy we have ever crafted. Anyone who thinks it is of any value whatsoever is, likewise, foolish. We're the same country that normalized relations with Vietnam, China (whose human rights record is exponentially worse than anything Cuba has done), Saudi Arabia and a bushel full of right wing dictators over the years and I'm supposed to think that Cuba is some special case? I haven't the faintest idea why anyone would want to continue something as clearly idiotic as the embargo has been at the continued expense of the Cuban people. It's like my wife thinking that a problem between us will get better if she just ignores me.

This is a long overdue and excellent decision by the Obama administration.

 

My wife traveled to Cuba and thought it was a fantastic country. I hope to travel there before "Disney Cuba" arrives along with droves of fat American tourists. Coming from Brazil my wife has quite a bit of a different view on communisim, socialism and all things Cuba. It's interesting to have a conversation with someone who isn't programmed via society/media to have an opinion about a place (in this case Cuba).

 

Which one of Bush's favored nations in the Middle East are you referencing?

 

No, it's like your wife saying that she'll refuse to live with you as long as you're drinking. Then, doing it anyway.
I hope he's this forgiving of North Korea, too.

 

Two wrongs.

 

Are you saying Cuba and North Korea are equivalent?

 

"Forgiveness works."

--George C. Marshall

 

Why not? Clearly, the concept of isolating yourself as much as possible from the outside world is the most effective way to assert absolute control over one's people and North Korea is the most effective example of this. North Korea has normal relations with the rest of the world and a lot of their bullshit ceases.

Besides, as long as we have embassies in Riyadh and Beijing, I'm utterly unmoved by some argument of human rights or "they were our enemy" simplicity. We were their enemy and, quite frankly, we started that shit. We also have embassies in Hanoi and Moscow on that note. Might as well end the nonsense.