Time To End The Cuban Embargo

The United States has treated Cuba as an enemy for over 50 years now, because we didn't like the style of government they have chosen for themselves. Prior to 1959, the Cuban government was one of the most corrupt governments anywhere in the Americas. It was controlled by United States corporations and by elements of stateside organized crime. This had made the ruling elite very rich, while most of the people were without even the most basic necessities.

In 1959, Batista and his corrupt cronies were overthrown by the rebels led by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. These men and their rebel army could have chosen to replace the ousted government on the payroll of corporate and criminal elements, but they didn't. They kept their promise to the people of Cuba, and that made the ruling elements in this country very angry.

Castro had no desire to make an enemy of the United States. That was a decision made in this country. When Castro initiated a socialist style of economy, giving the people universal and free education and healthcare, we branded him as an enemy and drove him to accept help the only place it was offered -- from the Soviet Union. It was a classic case of making an enemy of a country simply because they wanted to make their own decisions and do things their own way. We have repeated that same mistake many times since then.

One of the biggest mistakes was to institute an embargo on travel and trade with the island nation. We did it to force them to do things our way, and it has been a spectacular failure. It did do serious damage to the island's economy, but they have never wavered. Whether we want to admit it or not, the people of Cuba are better off under their current system than they ever were under the corrupt government that preceded it. They could have been even better off if we had not tried to destroy their economy.

Has the Cuban government been perfect? Absolutely not. While the people now have food, healthcare and education, there are some serious questions about freedom of speech and treatment of political dissenters. It is quite possible that if we hadn't been so intent on destroying their economy and government, we could have helped to guide them in these areas.

But that is the past, and both countries are now looking to a new future. In the United States, a new generation of leaders are taking power, and hopefully will provide a new direction for our country. In Cuba, Castro and his contemporaries are growing old and must turn over the reins of government there to a new generation very soon. With a little understanding and foresight, there is no reason why the two nations can't finally become friends.

A good first step would be to abandon the ridiculous embargo. It is a relic of the past that is hurting both countries. Europe and the rest of the world abandoned this tactic years ago, and it is time for us to do the same. Even the normally very conservative business community in the United States is beginning to see the need to discard the embargo.

United States business leaders and organizations like the American Farm Bureau Federation, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, National Retail Federation, Grocery Manufacturers Association and the National Foreign Trade Council are urging President-elect Obama to initiate talks with Cuba with the ultimate goal of dismantling the embargo. I hope he is listening.

Obama has the perfect man in his new Cabinet to begin this process -- Bill Richardson, the newly appointed Secretary of Commerce. Richardson's diplomatic skills are superb, and Obama should take advantage of this to get the ball rolling on a new era of cooperation and friendship with Cuba.

The embargo is doing no one any good. It should be abolished as soon as possible.