U.S. Embargo of Cuba Fades Away

The full scale U.S. embargo of Cuba has ended. With no fanfare or "fall of the Berlin Wall" celebration, a mighty flow of American goods is streaming into Cuban stores and kitchens.

In 2000, Cuba ranked dead last among all 180 nations in terms of agricultural purchases from the United States according to U.S. government figures. In 2001, Cuba's ranking rose to 138. This year Cuba is poised to finish at 45th. Next year, Cuba will likely buy $260 million in agricultural goods and be 33rd on the list. Not bad considering the two countries haven't had diplomatic relations for over 40 years.

In September, over 150 U.S. companies, organizations and state offices will participate in a huge U.S. Food and Agriculture Exhibition in Havana. The event, authorized by the U.S. Treasury Department, will feature over 1000 brand name, American products including cheese, ice cream, beer, pet foods, cotton, tobacco, lumber, vitamins, and many others. For the first time in 43 years American buffalo, beef cattle, dairy cows, hogs, and chickens will be shipped to Cuba as part of the show.

As recently as last May, President Bush vowed not to ease the trade ban on Cuba. He said, "Well-intentioned ideas about trade will merely prop up this dictator, enrich his cronies and enhance the totalitarian regime."

globalization.about.com

...this dictator, enrich his cronies and enhance the totalitarian regime."

Uh-huh. But quietly allowing some American corporations to participate in the U.S. Food and Agriculture Exhibition in Havana will merely prop up those corporations and fatten the Republican coffers.

Not a problem. Nope. Nothin' to see here, folks. Move along.

When our own dictatorial government allows us to travel unfettered to Cuba we will be able to freely see that the wool has been pulled over our collective eyes regarding the island, its people and their government.

UnitedStatesians will be freed when they take the trouble to
free themselves, just like anywhere else. Nobody gives you
freedom, it has to be taken.

There is an interesting, if somewhat propaganda laced, piece on
Cuban agriculture since the collapse of the USSR in this months
Harper's. A good deal on organic and labor intensive methods and
the high resulting productivity, and a good deal of blather
about how it can't "compete" against petroleum farming, and the
horrors of feeding yourself instead of selling everything on the
world market.

But, during markup committees the amendments/bill are disappeared.


I do know about Cuba's organic infrastructure, I've seen it in action with my own eyes.

in the US Congress with some success. One has to wonder at what point
the heavy handed congressional "leadership" gets itself overruled.
I suppose our congresspersons could use a bit of liberating too.

Yes, the Diaz Balart's are Castro's nephews.

Face to face with Fidel Castro

As a high school freshman in 1962, Robert Barham could sense the tension that even reached Oak Ridge High School during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was only years later that he realized "just how close we actually were to having a nuclear war."

"Now forget that I'm a senator," Barham said Monday. "Here I am, a country boy, sitting across the table from Fidel Castro."

The Republican state senator from Oak Ridge was part of a delegation of state officials and businessmen who traveled last week to Cuba with a mission of creating new markets for Louisiana agricultural products.

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Just before the luncheon ended, Barham remembered something he had picked up in a gift shop at the airport in Cancun on their flight into Havana. He had picked up a paperback book titled "The Cuban Missile Crisis."

"Since we had been on our way to the airport, I had it in my carryon bag. I pulled it out and asked him if he'd sign it. He looked at it and said, 'That was a long time ago,' then he signed it.

http://bastrop.townnews.com/articles/2005/03/16/news/news7.txt