Embargo Lifted, Fidel Alive!

Boy, those Cohiba Commies better watch it, or Obammy's gonna stop the seas from rising and flood Havana.

Cuba will come back to the negotiating table when Obama gives it Gitmo. As
Carter did with the Panama Canal, it will be given back as it is a vestige
of colonialism. Cuba will own the naval base and the Russians and Chinese
will bribe Cuba to use it for spying on the US and have a naval presence
in the Caribbean.

Should have been "not" stop...

" The warming of relations has spawned new demands in the U.S. for the State Department to seek the return of fugitives including Joanne Chesimard, a Black Liberation Army member now known as Assata Shakur, who fled to Cuba after she was convicted in 1977 of killing a New Jersey state trooper."

Given the recent Ferguson insanity, I'm not holding my breath on whether President Sharpton-Obama and Black Panther/Attorney General Holder will press Cuba on this.

Don't worry Oblameya will move to make the good ole USA more like Cuba to ease the tensions and restart the negotiations. It's all in the best interest of the environment, you know.

"What a maroon." -- Bugs Bunny

Admittedly I haven't really been following this closely however I expect that the U.S. would think Cuba would be beside itself with the possibilities and they would just bend over and let the U.S. do as it pleases. Such is the arrogance.

Watch how the Cuban communists will not give an inch for they don’t have to. They are living well off the plebeians and plebeians don’t know any better.

The current occupant of the White House in actual fact does not expect the communists to change the course. Remember, he only makes proclamations, they don’t mean nothing. It will be said in future that he changed the world that is the only thing he expects and cares about. It’s about him, not ‘mericans, not Cubans, not nobody else.

End of story. Period.

It is though a matter of historical perspective that Cubans will change into a democracy. When you wallow in socialism run by assortment of fascists, socialists and communists you hit the bottom.
From the bottom, there is only one way to go. It may take a while though change it will.

Much like democracy self-destructs, same happens to all political schemes.
It is all a matter of time.
Could it be that the “time” is great equalizer?

This is what happens when each side of the negotiating table is on the "same side", like an NDP government negotiating with unionized public sector employees "against the taxpayers". Obama prefers Cuba to America as envisioned by its founders and its Constitution that he swore to protect.

"One can't think that in order to improve and normalize relations with the U.S., Cuba has to give up the principles it believes in," Cuba's top diplomat for U.S. affairs, Josefina Vidal, told The Associated Press after the end of the talks. "Changes in Cuba aren't negotiable."

Sure they just shoot, imprison or run you over with patrol boat; all those who disagree with the regime.

http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2014/12/23/cuban-government-sinks-boat-carrying-32-refugees-including-children/

The maritime horror that has become a centerpiece of the Cuban experience will continue even after President Obama’s overtures to the communist regime, it appears. According to witnesses aboard, the Cuban government sank a boat attempting to reach American shores carrying 32 people, including an 8-year-old child, and some passengers remain missing.

The Miami Herald reports that Masiel González Castellano, a woman who was aboard the boat with her husband and 8-year-old son, told reporters her husband remains missing after the assault. She and all those the government could pick out of the water were arrested, and the men remain under custody. “We were screaming and crying for help as the boat was sinking. But they ignored us. Instead, they continued charging against our boat. Some people dove in the water and others stayed aboard as the boat sank,” she explained. “They knew there were children aboard, but continued to charge against us. They didn’t care.”

The communist idea of freedom is that all those who believe in it; can be casually exterminated.

Cheers

Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief

1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group 'True North'

...each side of the negotiating table is on the "same side...

But in this case the Cuban commies don't yet trust the Washington commies.

As a Cuba-phile (I've been there 20 times and have travelled the entire country staying with Cuban families) I find a lot of the the comments here to be quite naive. First of all there is more free enterprise there than one would think exists in a communist country. Secondly it's only a small group of hotheads that are dissenters. Most Cubans are quite content to have free rent, pay no utility bills, free medical care, pay no insurance premiums, stress free slack jobs and beautiful weather.

Americanization might bring better economic conditions but it will also bring everything that's wrong with America as well. If I ever see an iHop or McDonalds there it'll be the last time I visit.

Shows you: the Cubans are murdering bastards, but they have integrity. The Americans have none.

glasnost, Are you making things up? When was the last time you spoke with Cubans on the streets of Atlantico, Guanabo or Cienfuegos?

Don't worry. As Obama turns the US into the Marxist utopia he envisions, the Castro's will
not only embrace the new America, they'll likely be important consultants during the transition.

Hans, Because there are no Kardashians or cocaine in Cuba.

Gee, I am starting to think Obama's team are kindergarten kids playing Go Fish in a cut throat poker tournament, with professional card sharks.
; )

I have always avoided vacationing in Cuba as I abhor giving any support to the communist regime.
This year however, over 18 family members booked together so I was kinda forced into attending.
The resort was fun but centrally controlled government was obvious. The land was awesome and obviously fertile beyond belief. The restaurants on the resort tried mightily, but meals without fresh produce are hard to make appetizing. If you were to drop a tomato seed anywhere, it would grow to epic proportions, yet I never saw a fresh tomato or a head of lettuce. Communism truly is the law of shortages.

"Cuba leaves talks on US ties...."

The one in control can get up and walk away knowing that the weaker negotiator will come crawling back to the table as soon as the one in control says so.

Salsa--

Apparently you have no problem with a regime where most of the population makes 20 bucks a month,
every neighborhood has its government informer and the grateful regime gives a family a rice cooker.
You actually admire that? You'd rather have that kind of existence as long as it keeps MacDonalds out?

If that's the case then stay out of my neighborhood.

Why do you all assume this is incompetence. It's clear Obama considers this mission accomplished.

What a contradictory character Mr Obama is. On domestic policy, he rules like a jealous king from his White House palace, holding off the lords of Congress, perhaps later forced to sign his own Magna Carta. Internationally, he is loosey goosey, making meaningless proclamation "agreements" with China and Cuba, letting Iran be the spoiled child, with a not problem, if you're happy I'm happy delegating demeanor. Actually it's if I'm happy I'm happy.

The only good commies are dead ones.
Many great comments above. The commie sympathizer's not being among them.

"...but Vidal said officials on the island want to know if Cuba can buy such gear on credit..."

Har har har! the bastards haven't even started trade talks,but already they're asking for credit!

I expect Obama will give them credit,which will NEVER be repaid. Just more American taxpayers dollars pissed away on people who are NOT our friends.

Why is it that Canadians who have 'been to cuba' are experts on the regime? Staying at some all inclusive, access restricted, rum soaked, bad buffet resort staffed by people working for a pittance makes you some kinda expert on the place?

Back in the 50's Cuba was the star of the Caribbean. Highest wages, best standard of living and then the castro brothers and the murderous che showed up. What followed was death squads, jailed journalists (highest per capita in the world), starvation, farming with beasts, full blown acceptance of a joe stalin style of government, Bay of Pigs, a third world lifestyle...need I continue?

Maybe it's time for cuba to re-enter the 1st world, but the Cuban people need to rid themselves of the oppressive government that got them to this state in the first place. The Americans occupy Gitmo as a result of driving the oppressive Spanish out of Cuba (Spanish/American war) and freeing the people of a treacherous exploitive occupation. The Cuban people are still very grateful for that.

The castro brothers and their communist accomplices need to be removed in order to restore Cuba to it's rightful place. Obama is a naïve fool if he lifts the embargo without extracting concessions. Nothing will change for the people until the communists are gone.

One last proviso. Even when the castro's are gone the military will install their puppet replacement.

Just how dumb liberal musheads feel I wonder if Jimmy Carter will be showing up to serve peanut butter sandwhiches to everyone there?

To all you malcontents and would be face punchers. I think some anger management training would go along way. I'm glad they look over their shoulders when they're talking to me. The police are just looking after the safety of tourists.

And if your ever in Havana try 'Pizza In the Sky" This lady runs a booming pizza business that's located on the 3rd floor of an apartment. She has an outdoor winch system that transacts the order and delivers the pizza. Best pizza outside of Italy, all fresh ingredients including lobster, a wide variety of vegetables and baked to perfection.

"...wonder if Jimmy Carter will be showing up to serve peanut butter sandwhiches to everyone there?"

Oh, for sure. As soon as sean penn gets his motorboat bailed out and started, the three of them (penn, jimmah and penn's cameraman) will set off across the billowing sea.

Not a chance I'd ever spend a nickel in Cuba.
Owned and operated by a bunch of murderous thugs and murderers.
Cheap?
Most shit-holes are.
It may be a beautiful island...damn shame about the government.

"...The police are just looking after the safety of tourists..."

Oh, can't be. I mean whatever would a tourist have to be worried about in a commie paradise where everyone is deliriously happy, engaging in free enterprise, and would turn down in a heartbeat a speedboat ride to Miami. Maybe the crumbling walls? Is that it? E! Gringo! Watch out for de walls!

" I think some anger management training would go along way"

In your case, I think some fresh air would go a long way. So get your head and your rose-coloured glasses out of your arse.

"Why should it be illegal to leave Cuba?"

First of all its not. It certainly is difficult but not impossible. A good friend of mine married a Cuban woman. It took about a year for the exit visa and legal immigration to Canada. There was just as much time in getting the Canadian documents as there was the Cuban ones. Some of her family members now live legally in Canada.

Should immigration be easy, do you want boatloads of jihadis and Roma gypsies immigrating to Canada? I'm glad its difficult for anybody to immigrate. My point is, immigration should be tightly controlled.

Those poor souls who took to the high seas knew the risks and even subjected their children to them. They made a serious error in judgement and paid dearly. If they only waited a few years. Cuba is opening up very quickly and once the Castros are out of the picture things will change for the better at a lightning pace. Every successive trip I take I see changes for the better.

Its not the 1950s anymore and don't kid yourself, back then it was a festering cesspool of Mafia controlled Batista slime.

"Should immigration be easy, do you want boatloads of jihadis and Roma gypsies immigrating to Canada?"

Don't know why you switched to Immigration - Oz was clearly clearly talking about Emigration.