US tightens Cuba trade sanctions

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they have opened trade with several US states (Maine and Alabama leaping to mind)

Interesting... Source?

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Fidel has repeatedly offered to send doctors and teachers to impoverished southern states if the US would allow it.

Yes, he offered to send 1000 doctors to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

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So basically, it would be to the benefit of both countries to trade.

I agree, the Cubans would certainly benefit and it would also put billions of dollars into the American economy.

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And Cuba knows that they can easily open ties without letting in the specter of capitalism.

I don't believe that, a $12,000,000,000,000 capitalist superpower hovering idly above a tiny communist island would easily engulf Cuba. Not to mention that Raul will cave in to America much easier than his brother.

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Quite possibly

Don't believe the damn photo is you don't want to... I honestly don't give a shit.

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seeing as housing was Cuba's first goal after the revolution

Free speech was the first goal of the United States after the Revolution; does that always happen as it was planned to?

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See, again you assume that trade is incompatible with socialism.

No, I think that trade is incompatible with communism. I don't doubt that Cuba will remain socialist after the embargo is lifted, it will just end up like China... A country with a capitalist economy, where the brutal dictator still remains in place.

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Cuba has been ripping off fat European tourists for years, with no noticeable damage to its socialist system. Why couldn't it do the same with fat Americans?

The United States is too close, too powerful, and too large

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Can you provide a source (because I'm a bitch like that).

Right click the photo and hit properties, the source will reveal itself...

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There are no extreme rich or poor in Cuba.

Oh please, Castro himself is one of the richest men in the world. He just gets pissed about Forbes calling him that every year and threatens to sue them.

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As of right now though, both countries are to proud to give in.

I agree, it is in the best interest of both countries to lift the embargo. They should both swallow their pride and extend the olive branch. (Cuba has done a better job at the than the United States)

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Communism will gradually become more acceptable.

Potemkin is right, I grew up in a world were I was told to fear communism (I don’t, I just don’t like it). Most Americans still do hate communism, I just doubt the system will gain much strength because American see that what they are doing now is working.

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Vietnam began to follow capitalism in 1981, when they realized the war had utterly annihilated their economy and gutted their infrastructure.

And they say that the United States lost that war... Who really lost that war?

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Can't you yanks go via Nicaragua or something?

Yes, but its illegal and if the Feds find out that you went, they will take away your passport and fine you. I have been trying to get a general license to visit Cuba from the Office of Foreign Assets Control for years.

Comintern-Revolution, how can you be so certain of this, that there are no homeless people in Cuba? Because Fidel has said so..?

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Oh please, Castro himself is one of the richest men in the world. He just gets pissed about Forbes calling him that every year and threatens to sue them.

Can you prove Fidel is "one of the richest men in the world"? What is your souce? What do you base this accusation on?
Forbes? Forbes has admitted themselves that their numbers are more fiction than fact.
Yes, he has a nice car. He has a giant wide screen TV. And he has benefits that Cubans cannot dream of. But if you want to claim that Fidel is a billionaire you should bring some documentation.

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Can you prove Fidel is "one of the richest men in the world"?

Of course not… Dictators usually don't let out information that reflects negatively upon them, do they? Castro says that his net worth is zero, it obviously isn't.

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Of course not… Dictators usually don't let out information that reflects negatively upon them, do they?

No, but that is not proof or documentation that points out that Fidel Castro is one of the richest men in the world.

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Castro says that his net worth is zero, it obviously isn't.

You are probably right. But that doesn't prove anything, except that Fidel is probably not telling the truth, which isn't a suprise anyways.

Senator McCarthy wrote:

Oh please, Castro himself is one of the richest men in the world. He just gets pissed about Forbes calling him that every year and threatens to sue them.

Wow people still believe that. Forbes had zero evidence that Castro had money in a foreign bank.
He lives an austere lifestlye.
He has one foot in the grave, why would he need money?
Forbes also encluded state-owned property. This is bullshit. Does President Bush own the Tennessee River Valley? No. Than why does state-owned property in Cuba part of Castro's direct wealth?

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And they say that the United States lost that war... Who really lost that war?

People lose wars.

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Castro says that his net worth is zero, it obviously isn't.

I check Cuba's state run paper almost daily. I have not heard that. Can you provide a source in which Castro said he had a net worth of zero?

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No, but that is not proof or documentation that points out that Fidel Castro is one of the richest men in the world.

There is no documentation of the genocide in Darfur, does that mean that it is not so?

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Can you provide a source in which Castro said he had a net worth of zero?

Fidel wrote:

"If they prove that I have a single dollar, I’ll resign my post … there will be no need for plans or transitions …,"

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/ ... 2957.shtml

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There is no documentation of the genocide in Darfur, does that mean that it is not so?

Look.

You can speculate, fine fine. But when you claim it is such and such, you should back that up.
I think the most probable thing is that when Fidel dies and secrets about his life is revealed, Cubans will be shocked at the relatively luxury he had, and the people in the West will be suprised at how simple he lived.

There has been no documentation that even hints at that he is a billionaire, so I guess that unless you can bring something up, anything substantial, the debate over Fidel's wealth is, well, pretty much over?

Senator McCarthy wrote:

There is no documentation of the genocide in Darfur, does that mean that it is not so?

News reports, government reports, reports, US gov. doc., ect.

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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/16/world/main1622957.shtml

Yes I am aware of that quote. He said (from that article), "If they can prove that I have a bank account abroad..." He has no money in banks outside Cuba, that does not mean he has a total net worth of 0.

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News reports, government reports, reports, US gov. doc., ect.

You trust the news and United States government unconditionally?

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He has no money in banks outside Cuba, that does not mean he has a total net worth of 0.

Later in that same article:

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Castro denies this. He claims his net worth is zilch and that he earns a salary of just 900 Cuban pesos a month. (The Cuban peso has no value on the international market but has a domestic value that makes his salary equivalent to $36 in American currency.)

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You trust the news and United States government unconditionally?

No, there is other evidence to support it. The media and the fact the gov. and rebel forces are constantly battling each other. Still, I am not the best to debate on the subject.

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Castro denies this. He claims his net worth is zilch and that he earns a salary of just 900 Cuban pesos a month. (The Cuban peso has no value on the international market but has a domestic value that makes his salary equivalent to $36 in American currency.)

That contradicts itself. He makes money but has no net worth?

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Interesting... Source?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4521120.stm

http://granmai.cubaweb.com/ingles/2006/septiembre/mier27/37estados-i.html

The Alabama story is still visible in Granma, but the link is broken on the site.

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Not to mention that Raul will cave in to America much easier than his brother.

Heh, wrong. You clearly know veyr little about Raul aside from Time magazine articles.

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I don't doubt that Cuba will remain socialist after the embargo is lifted, it will just end up like China

See, here's the difference: China was ruled by capitalists who really only cared about power and who had no interest in socialism from the start. Deng was prepared to cave in, because he opposed everything Mao did. Raul, Alarcon, Lage, and their ilk are far more ideologically motivated than the Chinese leaders were.

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The United States is too close, too powerful, and too large

I don't see how this means anything. Europe has gigantic trading power and economic strength.

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He just gets pissed about Forbes calling him that every year and threatens to sue them.

Heh, the writer who did that article said he considers his work "More art than science" and noted that he included all state property, assuming that because Fidel controls the state, he effectively owns all the property. Interestingly, they have been unable to complete Fidel's request to expose a single penny in an overseas bank account.

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Who really lost that war?

Well, I'd say the Vietnamese people suffered the most, but America lost because it was politically neutered and has since become a nation of almost hilariously pussified people.

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I have been trying to get a general license to visit Cuba from the Office of Foreign Assets Control for years.

They never fine you; just go via Canada. As long as you don't smuggle anything, they only threaten to fine. I'm gonna be going there myself, as well.

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That contradicts itself. He makes money but has no net worth?

I guess we need an economics lesson today, if you spend all the money you make (let's say on food) you have no net worth. If I have no money saved and make one dollar a day (which I spend on food that same day) then my net worth is zero.

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You clearly know veyr little about Raul aside from Time magazine articles.

My assertions are based on the man's actions, not what people tell me about him.

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Raul, Alarcon, Lage, and their ilk are far more ideologically motivated than the Chinese leaders were.

The sense of nationalism in Cuba over the Revolution is largely based on the symbolism of the man himself (in my opinion). If Che rose from the dead and started leading that country, the socialist government would be stronger than ever. But just like China, the further the nation gets from its founding ideals, the more likely they are to cave in. Do you disagree?

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Europe has gigantic trading power and economic strength.

Then why is Cuba still locked in the Fifties? They are still driving cars that were made before the embargo... If a windshield breaks, they melt it to reform into the shape of the windshield using a mold. If the car needs new breaks, they press the asbestos in the mechanic’s shop. Don't make it seem as if Cuba doesn't show any economic effects that resulted from the blockade.

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They never fine you; just go via Canada. As long as you don't smuggle anything, they only threaten to fine. I'm gonna be going there myself, as well.

I'll have to PM you further on this, because I have wanted to visit Cuba for as long as I can remember... I've just never lived in a time without this stupid embargo. Like you said, it's a matter of pride. Cuba doesn't want to seem like they are pawns of the United States and the United States remains sour for the fact that Cuba never kissed the United States' ass like every other nation in the world (which I admire greatly).

Trade sanctions will only exacerbate the economy for both Cuba and US. US cannot enjoy cheaper goods from Cuba. The implication for Cuban economy is obvious. It's an internecine relation. The best solution is to open their market and economy. Lift their economic embargo and trade sanctions and pour foreign direct investments to generate growth and wealth.

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I guess we need an economics lesson today, if you spend all the money you make (let's say on food) you have no net worth. If I have no money saved and make one dollar a day (which I spend on food that same day) then my net worth is zero.

I am aware of the definition of net worth. I was assuming that Fidel got similar perks as the President of the US, one being they do not need to pay for there expenses.

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Then why is Cuba still locked in the Fifties? They are still driving cars that were made before the embargo... If a windshield breaks, they melt it to reform into the shape of the windshield using a mold. If the car needs new breaks, they press the asbestos in the mechanic’s shop. Don't make it seem as if Cuba doesn't show any economic effects that resulted from the blockade.

I wish poeple would stop using automobiles as the symbol of Cuba's economic position. They are a small, poor country with few factories and a population under 15 million. Should they be expected to have a thriving car industry?

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Then why is Cuba still locked in the Fifties? They are still driving cars that were made before the embargo...

Yes, there are cars from the fifties, but there are also other cars. I've even seen sport cars in Cuba. Plenty of modern cars in Cuba, and the old U.S. cars seem to wither away.

Cuba isn't locked in the fifties; Cuba has traces of the fifties.

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and the United States remains sour for the fact that Cuba never kissed the United States' ass like every other nation in the world

The Cuban "government" kissed the U.S. ass from about 1902 to 1959.

The second most important man in Cuba (at certain times the most important) before the rebellion was the U.S. ambassador.

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Yes, there are cars from the fifties, but there are also other cars. I've even seen sport cars in Cuba. Plenty of modern cars in Cuba, and the old U.S. cars seem to wither away.

The problem is that photographers are more interested in taking pictures of old cars on Cuban roads than pictures of ordinary ones that could be seen in other countries too.

US trade sanctions on Cuba is just idiotic.

Also hypocritical of US politicians. I wonder how many of them smoke Cuban cigars. Man I love those.

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The problem is that photographers are more interested in taking pictures of old cars on Cuban roads than pictures of ordinary ones that could be seen in other countries too.

Very much true.