Obama is Right On Cuba* snip *
Regardless of the political implications, Obama is clearly right -- the only problem is, his proposal doesn't go far enough. The travel ban should be lifted for everybody, not just Cuban immigrants. It is the height of irony that Americans can freely travel to countries such as Venezuela and Iran, which represent genuine threats to our security and economic interests, but not to Cuba, whose government is a threat only to its own people.The ban has done nothing to weaken Castro, but it does keep U.S. tourist dollars out of the hands of Cubans, who might be less inclined to heed their regime's anti-U.S. propaganda if Americans were helping to raise their standard of living.
The U.S. shouldn't lift all economic sanctions on Cuba until the island's regime makes progress on democracy and human rights, but policies such as the travel ban and limits on remittances are simply counterproductive. Score one for Obama.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-ed-cuba25aug25,0,2951765.story?coll=la-news-comment bonus reading:
PRO-CON: Is Obama's Cuba policy reasonable? YESDemocratic presidential candidate Barack Obama wants to change the United States’ Cuba policy. That’s needed.
The U.S. boycott is the story of nearly 50 years of failed policy, so it would be wise to change it. Not to support the regime, but to gain influence when old leaders are on their way out.
Obama is not suggesting a total reversal of Cuba policy. But his move is important. Let exiled Cubans visit Cuba as often as they want to. Let them economically support relatives as much as they want to. That would contribute to grassroots democracy, believes Obama.
A few years ago, President Bush tightened limits for exiled Cubans. They could travel a little and give a little. That showed neither humanitarian concern nor steadfastness, just that the Bush administration was trapped by a hopeless policy.
In Cuban policy, Obama is both specific and sensible, while Bush there, as in Iraq, has demonstrated his ability not to learn from what does not work.
http://www.kansascity.com/273/story/245188.html