Cuba has freed all 53 Political prisoners as apart of its deal with the US.
25 replies, posted
[QUOTE](Reuters) - Cuba has released all 53 prisoners it had promised to free, senior U.S. officials said, a major step toward détente with Washington.
The release of the remaining prisoners sets a positive tone for historic talks next week aimed at normalizing relations after decades of hostility, the officials said.
They described the Cuban government’s release over the weekend of the last detainees on the list as a milestone but said they would keep pressing Havana to free more people the United States considers political prisoners.
The officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, did not say how many prisoners were released over the weekend or identify them. But the White House will provide the names of all 53 to Congress and expects lawmakers to make them public, the officials added.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/12/us-usa-cuba-prisoners-idUSKBN0KL10K20150112[/url]
It's nice to see the US government finally dropping the Cold War mentality towards Cuba. The US could have such a huge influence on the island, but instead they decided not to for decades after the Soviet Union and communist states of the Warsaw Pact collapsed.
obama is weak!
Sweet. Just counting down the days I can take leave and go to Cuba on vacation. I fucking love Cuban women.
[QUOTE=Bonde;46910872]It's nice to see the US government finally dropping the Cold War mentality towards Cuba.[/QUOTE]
The [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Democracy_Act]Cuban Democracy Act[/url] made it clear that continuation of the sanctions was a response to the Castro regime's repression of its people.
We also have embargoes and sanctions against Iran and a number of other countries too, most of which are not ex-Soviet sympathizers. I'm not sure where this idea of the embargo being a continuation of Cold War butthurt came from, we use sanctions and embargoes to exert political pressure on countries that are unfavorable politically. Right now it looks like we're cashing in those chips for the release of political prisoners, which isn't a bad exchange.
[QUOTE=catbarf;46911117]The [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Democracy_Act]Cuban Democracy Act[/url] made it clear that continuation of the sanctions was a response to the Castro regime's repression of its people.
We also have embargoes and sanctions against Iran and a number of other countries too, most of which are not ex-Soviet sympathizers. I'm not sure where this idea of the embargo being a continuation of Cold War butthurt came from, we use sanctions and embargoes to exert political pressure on countries that are unfavorable politically. Right now it looks like we're cashing in those chips for the release of political prisoners, which isn't a bad exchange.[/QUOTE]
because unlike iran, the last time cuba did anything of note was 1963, compairing them to iran is apples to oranges, cuba isn't trying to build nukes, they aren't funding terrorists
[QUOTE=Sableye;46911952]because unlike iran, the last time cuba did anything of note was 1963,[/QUOTE]
They've been involved in a lot more than that. The Angolan civil war comes to mind.
[QUOTE=Sableye;46911952]because unlike iran, the last time cuba did anything of note was 1963, compairing them to iran is apples to oranges, cuba isn't trying to build nukes, they aren't funding terrorists[/QUOTE]
Cuba has been doing things of note for decades. One of the best healthcare systems in Latin America and sending more aid [than the west] to Africa during the Ebola Outbreak are two examples. Cuba has been one of the most successful embarrassments for the American Government.
[editline]12th January 2015[/editline]
And yes, the Cuban Government has definitely funded groups that the American Government would designate as "terrorists".
[QUOTE=Deng;46912089]They've been involved in a lot more than that. The Angolan civil war comes to mind.[/QUOTE]
Yeah well, It's not like the States haven't been in any shady thing since the sixties. How is that nobody places embargoes on them?
Cuba 51st state when?
I suspect the US is trying to head off any Russian influence over Cuba.
[QUOTE=Axsisel;46912298]How is that nobody places embargoes on them?[/QUOTE]
Because our economy is sufficient valuable that the political use of sanctions is more damaging to whoever would use them against us.
A sanction is not an international tribunal, it's a tool to exert political pressure on other countries for perceived wrongdoing. We throw sanctions at countries that commit human rights violations or prop up corrupt governments, so long as they're not so important that we'll hurt ourselves by doing so. It's as simple as that.
[QUOTE=catbarf;46912349]Because our economy is sufficient valuable that the political use of sanctions is more damaging to whoever would use them against us.
A sanction is not an international tribunal, it's a tool to exert political pressure on other countries for perceived wrongdoing. We throw sanctions at countries that commit human rights violations or prop up corrupt governments, so long as they're not so important that we'll hurt ourselves by doing so. It's as simple as that.[/QUOTE]
How's that different from bulling? If countries were people they would be attacking the weakest ones that don't do what the USA desired. Are those sanctions legal?
[QUOTE=Axsisel;46912371]How's that different from bulling? If countries were people they would be attacking the weakest ones that don't do what the USA desired. Are those sanctions legal?[/QUOTE]
Because it's the international stage and not a schoolyard?
[editline]12th January 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=Scurvy;46912252]And yes, the Cuban Government has definitely funded groups that the American Government would designate as "terrorists".[/QUOTE]
They're probably designated as terrorists because they're terrorists.
[QUOTE=ImperialGuard;46912676]They're probably designated as terrorists because they're terrorists.[/QUOTE]
This is an odd thing to fixate on considering it wasn't really the main point of what I was trying to say. Whether some group is designated as terrorist or not is mostly inconsequential to my argument. Rather, I was trying to make the point that Cuba is not just some tiny island that has been doing absolutely nothing for 5 decades. It's active in international affairs as much as it is able to, often in ways that are opposed to American foreign policy.
[QUOTE=Scurvy;46912252]One of the best healthcare systems in Latin America[/QUOTE]
It's actually remained stagnant for half a century, and has seen little improvement. Also the best care is reserved for party members, if you happen to be the vast majority of the population the standard of healthcare is effectively fifty years behind everyone else.
[quote]and sending more aid [than the west] to Africa during the Ebola Outbreak are two examples.[/quote]
Source?
[quote]Cuba has been one of the most successful embarrassments for the American Government[/quote]
The american government is a bigger embarrassment to itself than Cuba ever will be.
[QUOTE=Deng;46912879]It's actually remained stagnant for half a century, and has seen little improvement. Also the best care is reserved for party members, if you happen to be the vast majority of the population the standard of healthcare is effectively fifty years behind everyone else.[/quote]
Sure, but that's why I specifically qualified that it was best in "Latin America", where much of this is the norm.
[quote]Source?[/quote]
[url]http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/12/cuba-leads-fights-against-ebola-africa[/url]
[quote]The american government is a bigger embarrassment to itself than Cuba ever will be.[/QUOTE]
I can certainly agree with this.
[QUOTE=Scurvy;46912897]Sure, but that's why I specifically qualified that it was best in "Latin America", where much of this is the norm.[/quote]
Maybe if you were in Venezuela, but as the rest of Latin America modernizes it's being left behind. Cuba can't exactly be proud of their healthcare anymore, especially when pregnant women get forcible abortions if it looks like the baby is at risk (part of the reason why they have low infant mortality).
[quote][url]http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/12/cuba-leads-fights-against-ebola-africa[/url][/QUOTE]
The USA pledged at least 100 million dollars to build treatment facilities, buy equipment and medical supplies, plus obtain staff. [url]http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-agency-pledges-nearly-100-million-in-ebola-aid-1409862892[/url]
Can I get a non-WSJ source on that? I don't have access to the article.
[QUOTE=Scurvy;46912991]Can I get a non-WSJ source on that? I don't have access to the article.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/sep-9-2014-usaid-will-mobilize-100-additional-african-health-workers-ebola-outbreak[/url]
[QUOTE=Bonde;46910872]It's nice to see the US government finally dropping the Cold War mentality towards Cuba. The US could have such a huge influence on the island, but instead they decided not to for decades after the Soviet Union and communist states of the Warsaw Pact collapsed.[/QUOTE]
Problem is that we still got paranoid republicans saying that obama is communist because of this.
This is 100 workers versus the 165 Cuban workers at the time of the article. If Cuba is not outdoing the USA, it is coming very close to it.
[QUOTE=Scurvy;46913067]This is 100 workers versus the 165 Cuban workers at the time of the article. If Cuba is not outdoing the USA, it is coming very close to it.[/QUOTE]
The source mentions the funds spent to be in excess of 100 million.
Also this was before the US sent several hundred more health workers, and soldiers.
But what if they've been turned?
[QUOTE=MoonlessNight;46927659]But what if they've been turned?[/QUOTE]
honestly who cares
it's not like they're secret communist agents
[QUOTE=Snoberry Tea;46912318]Cuba 51st state when?[/QUOTE]
after we rename puerto rico "cuba"
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.