Not really, they are doing quite well on their own. Everytime I fly into havana I can believe the amount of large foreign aircraft flying in there. It an awesome island and very pretty, If they did open it to americans it would spell doom for the bahamas. As for the cigars, email me if you need some.

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I have horrible back problems but I have zero problems staying in an aero position for 180k. Why? Because I ride steep and because I train regularly in that position. Simple as that.....Gerard

The US still has an embargo/blockade toward Cuba because of the political influence of the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF - a group that some would classify as a terrorist organization). Arguably CANF is losing some of its influence. Previously, it was difficult to win public office in Florida without CANF's support. The 2000 election demonstrated how important Florida was, Jeb Bush was an ally of CANF and CANF made significant donations to George Bush's campaign.

What I find most frustrating is that these hypocritical Miami Cubans ("exiles") despise Castro, scream for tougher sanctions, yet prolong his ability to remain in power by illegally sending remittances to their relatives on the island.

Cuba doesn't pose a threat and I agree, if the US wants to oust Castro, all they have to do is lift the embargo/blockade and permit travel for US citizens. Castro blames everything on the "bloqueo" and the "imperialistas". Get rid of his scapegoat and he'll have to start taking responsibility.

Cuba's cultural richness will never be the same after Castro falls. I would be saddened and it would be a great loss if Cuba became filled with Disney and McDonalds.

Scott

As a proud Canukstani let me at least rub it in your face that we're allowed to visit anywhere ever we want.:)

We've been to Cuba several times as tourist/scuba divers and absolutely love the place. We intend to go again and again. The Cubans are the nicest people I have ever met.

In one sense it makes me realize how assinine and out of step US foreign policy is with the rest of the world, all for a few fanatical anti-Castro votes in southern Florida that Dubya and brother Jeb depend on.

The Missile Crisis was forty years ago. The Soviet Union doesn't exist any more. Cuba is not a threat - get over it.

Americans are the only people on the entire planet that has a government that prohibits their citizens from visiting Cuba, despite all the constant American rhetoric about "freedom".

I've talked to many Cubans, visited them in their homes and they do speak their mind freely about Castro without impunity. For the most part, they seem to feel that Castro was good thing and that Che was a genuine hero, but they also feel it's time for a change and would like to see a closer relationship with the United States. They realize that the time for communism has passed for them just as it has in eastern Europe. On the other hand they would prefer to develop a Euro/Canadian style rather than an American model of society since they want to preserve their free education and health care.

On the other hand I'm actually glad that there is no American involvement in Cuba. The island is a pure and uncorrupted "the way it was" Caribbean destination that hasn't yet been turned into a Disney World South. And there are no McDonald's on every beach so the Cuban are still slim and attractive instead of obese.

The sad thing is that will change. Cuba has remained a poor country because of the American embargo and the people rightfully want a higher standard of living. A lot will be gained for Cuba with a better relationship with the US but also some will be lost. Once we start seeing casinos, monster cruise ships and McDonald's on every beach that's when it will be time for us to find another scuba dive location.

But until then, we intend to keep going back.

I totally agree. By the way when I say neighbours that's as in I live in Calgary and my neighbours bailed after the -42 temps of last week.

The American policy mystifies me. Look at the great job the stormtroopers did in Russia. Mcdonalds in red square and it was all over. I thought that after a while the blockade would come down and Cuba would just be added to the Keys, obviously to the annoyance of Key West.

Still can't work out why the blockade though but happy holidays. I'm sure when we;ve settled in Calgary in a few years we'll be snowbirds as well.

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God, I hate all this yuppy crap about Cuba not being ruined by the Americans, no McDonalds, still being 1959 and all that. Truth is, Cubans can't speak their minds, and are scared shitless to say anything against the government. Most are starving, and many Cubans have to work as prostitutes to make a living. I'm against the embargo since it hasn't worked in 40 years but at least the US, as inept as its policy has been, has taken up the cause while the rest of the world bascally gave Fidel head for the last 40 years.

Viva Cuba libre!

[reply]As a proud Canukstani let me at least rub it in your face that we're allowed to visit anywhere ever we want.:) ................ On the other hand they would prefer to develop a Euro/Canadian style rather than an American model of society since they want to preserve their free education and health care..... [/reply]

WOW FREE EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE.. Please how does this work, were do the books, buildings supplies come from do they grow on Trees or fall from the sky like mana from heaven. Do the teachers just live on good looks cause they must not get paid if its free same for Dr.s and all.

Please explain how this FREE education and Health care works.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Children, if you can't play quietly it's bedtime.

This thread was not intended to be a Yank bashing session. I'm from England and I've travelled all over the US and worked with their military and I greatly respect the US. This was a genuine question. I just can't understand why the states wastes it's time on the Cuba question when bringing down the blockade would hasten the demise of the old regime.

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Well from this Yanks position as long as Castro's still alive the US just aint going to play ball. Dont be surpirsed the minute he's gone, they might not wait for the body to even be buried, they'll open it up.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

"God, I hate all this......"

Hey Alberto, now that you've spoke your mind, how many times have you been to Cuba?

And of course prostitutes aren't found anywhere else besides Cuba. Got more news for you - they were there in Baptiste's time also.

"I just can't understand why the states wastes it's time on the Cuba question when bringing down the blockade would hasten the demise of the old regime. "

Consider the results of the both Dubya's first term and Jeb's state results. The elections tend to be so close that they need to cater to the southern Florida vote which is heavily populated with Cuban ethnics, many who are now American born and have ever been to Cuba but still maintain a very anti Castro rhetoric. Dubya's policy towards Cuba seems to be a direct result of courting these votes.

You're going to get very emotional responses from two groups:

1) extreme right wing conservative Republicans who want to believe that the cold war is still on and Cuba is still some of a threat.

2) Older Cuban-Americans of the mafia/Babiste area or their children who have never been there.

The American policy towards Cuba is strictly a stand alone policy and is contradictory to the rest of the world. Go to Cuba and you'll meet tourists from all over the world, anywhere except the USA. Actually not true because I have met lots of Americans there, but they are there illegally and risk punitive action if they're caught.

The American policy makes very little sense and only helps to alienate them from their allies in other areas of foreign policy in which there may not be total agreement. At the same time it's totally hypocritical to claim that the Cuba embargo is legitimate because of communism/human rights issues while at the same time courting countries like China.

People who may not agree with me can rant and rave all they want but it won't stop my wife and I from going back to our favorite Carribean destination. At least we can say that we come form a country that allows it's citizens the freedom to visit the place and make their own decisions, which makes me wonder what the US government is so afraid of.

Thanks for the comments. I think I get the drift now. I think that when Castro goes to the ditators compound in the sky the blockade will be down. I didn't realise that the Cuban ex pat vote was so strong in Florida but it certainly explains the great interest in that state during the election.

Thanks all for the education.

Off out for a run as it's a balmy +3. Cheers.

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To put it in perspective and how much in bed the southern Florida Cuban expat vote is with GWB, consider how close the election was for his first term where the entire US election hinged on a very close and contraversial vote.

In July 2001 the US House of Representatives voted to lift the travel ban to Cuba. Dubya's immediate response was to veto it and then he later even tightenned travel restrictions. So for the sake of the expat Cuban lunatic fringe vote in southern Florida he is restricting all other US citizens from visiting Cuba and continuing with a forty year old policy of economic embargo that clearly has not been effective in bringing down Castro.

If they really wanted to bring down Castro, a far more effective policy would have been to normalize relations with the island and eventually Cuba would have moved to a higher standard of living and a more democratic government.

But the Cuban expats have to realize that Cuba will never return to a Baptiste form of government. Those days are gone forever and who would want that anyways- a corrrupt dictator who protected rich exploitive landlord interests and Baptiste himself was controlled by US mafia interests. My feeling is that the average Cuban wants more political and economic freedom but at the same time wants to maintain the universal advantages in health care and education that they can have under a more socialist system. The average Cuban is more lilkely to regard somewhere like Sweden as a role model to pattern themselves after than they are the US.