The Cold War ended over 20 years ago, and with it, went old suspicions and rivalries with our real and imagined adversaries, including Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and other former Warsaw Pact countries. We have developed an intimate trading relationship with China; a deep political relationship with the former Soviet Union; even recognizing a former bitter enemy in Vietnam.
So why Cuba?
Sure, we don't like Castro, Fidel and Raul, never have, never will. Since January, 1959, we have fully blocked Cuba from trading with the United States, have prohibited our citizens from traveling there and have made it difficult if not impossible for Cubans to legally emigrate to our shores.
Why?
The Cuban people haven't done anything wrong to us; most Cuban-Americans have quietly assimilated into American culture. Learned the language. Pay taxes. Create jobs. And their children have become major figures in American life, such as, Judge Alex Ferrer, Judge Marilyn Milian, Senator Marco Rubio, Mary Jo Fernandez and Ryan Lochte.
So, why?
The death of Hugo Chavez brought Cuba and Castro to light last week for this writer and I began to question our non-relationship. Someday in the relatively near future, one if not both, Castros will die. They can't rule from the grave, much as they plan to try, and govern Cuba without respect for their own mortality.
So, why?
The old adage, "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know" is never more clear than this in the Cuban-American relationship. When the Castros are no more, who comes forward in their places. A socialist? A communist? A pro-American reformer? Chances are remote for now to get the reformer unless we change the relationship. To guarantee this result, it would be in our best interests to end this kelvin cold relationship and recognize Castro's Cuba before it's too late.
Why?
If we bank on the next government in Cuba to be pro-American, we also take the chance that instead, we will see the rise of an even more fearsome adversary, who doesn't give a gnat's butt about the USA.
Why?
Latin America has always been a powder keg in the Western Hemisphere that every president since Truman has treated with benign neglect. In terms of our view of Europe, the Balkans have been its powder keg. Dealing with that kind of turmoil has resulted in a major war and several skirmishes there during the last century, it could happen here.
Why?
The replacement of the Castros by a strong anti-American leader, like Chavez was in Venezuela, could result in an uprising in all of Latin America. The reason Chavez wasn't that person is geography. Chavez was almost 1,000 miles from the USA; Castro isn't. Cuba is 90 miles away, and the view from there is irritating at best, dangerous at worst.
So, why?
If we recognize Castro as the legitimate ruler of Cuba and develop a "favored nation" trading relationship before either one dies, in a very short time Cuban products will outnumber all other countries' products combined on American store shelves. And the reverse will be true in Cuba. The political ramifications would be
extraordinary because Cuba and the United States would be joined at the hip, more so than the old Soviet Union ever was.
So, why?
Castro has outlasted 10 American presidents and if he makes it to noon January 20, 2017, it will be 11. So, it is important that we guarantee ourselves someone who is not so anti-American as Castro has been over the last 50+ years. Instead, if we made the first move to defrost that relationship, Castro would probably agree, and we would have a friendly government in place to replace him.
Why not?
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