Trump announces revisions to parts of Obama's Cuba policy

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post



By Karen DeYoung and John Wagner June 16 at 1:52 PM

MIAMI — President Trump announced a new policy toward Cuba Friday that prohibits any commercial dealings with its economically powerful military and somewhat limits the freedom of U.S. citizens to travel to the island, but leaves in place many changes implemented by his predecessor.

In a speech delivered in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana, where an older generation of Cuban Americans has long objected to normalization of relations with the communist government of President Raúl Castro, Trump declared an end to what the White House has characterized as the Obama administration’s policy of “appeasement.”

“With God’s help a free Cuba is what we will soon achieve,” Trump, accompanied by Vice President Pence, said at the Manuel Artime Theater, a highly symbolic venue named after a leader of the Bay of Pigs exile invasion of Cuba in 1961, a failed U.S.-backed attempt to overthrow the revolutionary government of Fidel Castro.

“We will not be silenced in the face of Communist oppression any longer,” Trump said. “Last year, I promised to be a voice against repression... and a voice for the freedom of the Cuban people. You heard that pledge... and here I am.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-announces-revisions-to-parts-of-obamas-cuba-policy/2017/06/16/dee8671c-52ab-11e7-91eb-9611861a988f_story.html?utm_term=.21fe9156fbc9&wpisrc=al_alert-COMBO-world%252Bnation&wpmk=1

[louis-t]

1. He's there bragging about how popular he is.

I'm not kidding.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Behind all of Trump's bluster and bullshit

is a favorable real estate deal for Trump Inc.
Believe me. Count on it.

[That Guy 888]

10. Banning INDIVIDUAL travel to Cuba, not through groups like Trump Tours

Cuba People to People Tours

http://holacubatours.com/index.html


"If you booked an ocean cruise or group tour to Cuba before President Trump announced his policy shift Friday, don’t panic.

Cruises and group tours are unaffected by planned revisions to travel rules eased last year under President Obama. Flights by U.S. commercial airlines also will continue.

Carnival Corp., the big dog in the Caribbean cruise world, on Thursday released a statement to reassure its passengers ahead of Trump’s announcement.

The company said it was pleased the policy changes “will allow our ships to continue to sail to Cuba.”"

http://www.latimes.com/travel/cruises/la-tr-cruises-cuba-sailings-20170616-story.html

[tonyt53]

3. Evidently Putin neglected to tell Trump ho to beat somebody without firing a shot.

Just a matter of time before Cuba becomes a full democracy. Money flowing freely will do that usually. The Cuban people want it. Trump and his supporters think we should try to move them in this direction by isolation. It hasn't worked since 1959, so why would it work now?

[Igel]

5. I used to believe that.

It was also a common conservative talking point for a while, used to justify things like increased trade with China.

It did work in places like South Korea.

It didn't work there. Or in Russia. Or in a lot of countries.

Conservatives were mugged by reality so you stopped seeing that in print perhaps 4, 5 years ago.

It was supposed to work in Syria, but for all the good press about how the protestors were "just like us" and the country had a large secular, tolerant, free-thinking middle class that supported Western democratic values, I just don't see any trace of that. And haven't since shortly after the protests and the news stories making those claims.

If money flowing into a country usually leads to democracy, then we have high hopes for Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

[matt819]

4. Blah blah blah

This is about two things.

First, it's what Putin wants.

Second, if he can't build hotels and golf courses there, no American can. If Canadian or European countries invest, or Russia or China, so what? As long as he can't make money, he just doesn't give a shit. Yet another way he is diminishing the US on the world stage.

[Raker13]

6. There is more here than meets the eye

[link:https://qz.com/1007416/donald-trumps-cuba-trade-and-travel-roll-back-is-another-gift-to-russia/|

Russia wants a military presence in Cuba. Russia can step in and supply oil and gas to Cuba. It's a win/win for Putin if we reduce our new found relationship.

[atreides1]

7. Cuba wasn't free under Batista, either!!!

The Batista government was a sadistic regime, that had deals with American organized crime and treated the Cuban people like they were nothing! It was Batista that provided Castro with what he needed to convince the Cuban people that it was a time for a change, and unfortunately for the Cuban people, Castro turned out to be just as bad!

The population in Miami's Little Havana, don't care about a free, democratic Cuba...they want to re install a Batista style regime...and once again treat the Cuban people who remained as if they were there to serve them!



Cuba was not a democracy under Batista, under Fidel Castro, or under his brother Raúl Castro. Cubans suffered and are suffering under them all. Fifty years of bad U. S. policy simply made the pain worse for the average Cuban.

[left-of-center2012]

8. From the linked article :

Trump’s rhetoric in many cases outstripped the reality of what his order will accomplish.

... “the administration’s intent,” the official said, “is not to disrupt existing transactions that have [already] occurred.”

Regulations allowing U.S. commercial flights and cruise ship to travel to Cuba will not be affected, the officials said.
Diplomatic relations established by Obama will remain.

Airbnb, which has built a multimillion-dollar business among Cubans who rent out rooms to foreign visitors, is not affected by the new policy.
Americans will also still be allowed to bring back unlimited amounts of Cuban products — including rum and cigars — for personal use.

[Ray Bruns]

9. Einstein defined insanity as -

doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. It hasn't worked for 60 years, it is not going to work now.

[Cha]

11. Why Trump's Cuba Policy Will Fail

Link to tweet

[Cha]

12. 1. By canceling Obama's Cuba policy, Trump today bribed Marco Rubio

Link to tweet

[sinkingfeeling]

13. Because Cuba's human rights violations are so much worse than Saudi Arabia's.

[AC_Mem]

14. I browsed several forums including Yahoo

and the feedback is stunning. I would say a good 99% of the yahoo feedback on this story is negative. And the theme that is out there is that 45 is out to un-do anything President Obama did, whether it will be good for us or not - that his blind jealousy is leading his decision making.

Its very very interesting to read these comments. Even R's are saying that they voted for him but they do not support him now and that they are disappointed in him because he isn't doing anything new - just trying to erase President Obama because of jealousy.

Democrats need to pick up the organizing NOW. Time is moving quickly and 2018 will be here before we know it. We need to keep the energy high and keep people educated on what this country is going to look like when these radical changes start to affect our lives in a horrific way (and it won't be long before we start to feel it).

[Marthe48]

15. Time and vindication are on President Obama's side

trump can do his ineffective worst and President Obama's accomplishments will still shine like the sun. Racists lose. Entirely.