Via the BBC: US in $80m ‘Cuba democracy’ plan

US President George W Bush has approved an $80m (£43m) fund which he says will go towards boosting democracy in Cuba.

Mr Bush said the fund would help the Cuban people in their “transition from repressive control to freedom”.

All well and good, but how about putting the Cold War policies on Cuba out of their misery and open up relations? If the goal is to help the Cuban people and to contribute to the liberalization of its government and economy, then nothing would help accomplish this feat like a flood of US dollars, products and citizens into Cuba.

Aside from the obvious political ramifications in the Florida electorate, it is unclear to me what the negative ramifications of such a move would be. If we can make nice with Qadhafi, not to mention the Chinese, then I don’t see why it is beyond acceptable to normalize relations with Cuba.

Indeed, in terms of US goals vis-à-vis the island, it would make more sense to start making connections before the death of Castro and the uncertainty that that will create.

For those utterly opposed to lifting the sanctions on Cuba, I would ask: precisely why? What is the risk to the United States of such a move? Yes, Castro is a dictator and a bad man, however our current policy is hardly affecting his power and influence (arguably it enhances it, by giving him an scapegoat to blame for Cuba’s ills). And it isn’t as if we deal with with only nice guys. Quite frankly, the government in Saudi Arabia is more of a security risk to the US than is Castro.

And, ultimately I would argue that these kinds of moves by the US actually helps empower the Castro regime by allowing them to argue that they are being attacked, and thereby giving the regime the ability to act as if they are protecting their people from the imperialist North:

The president of Cuba’s National Assembly, Ricardo Alarcon, said the world should be outraged by the actions of the US.

“They will not destroy the nation. They will not succeed in doing that. But they will cause harm and deprivation and suffering of individuals,” he said.

Indeed, the US sanctions allow the Cuban regime to argue that the problems of the Cuban people are not the result of the failure of communism or the Castro regime, but rather because of the machinations of the Yanquis. Hence, our sanctions help empower Castro.

The entire approach to Cuba by the US is counter productive.