Should the United States lift the Cuban trade embargo?

Topic:
U.S. Political Debates

15 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
80% of users

  • The Cuban trade embargo is senseless and counterproductive.

    The current trade embargo on Cuba is a relic of the Cold War, which is long since over. Continuing it serves no rational foreign policy goal. Communism is a mostly-dead ideology, and there's no reason that simply trading with a Communist country would validate that ideology. Fidel Castro is not Saddam Hussein, and the country currently poses no threat.

    Yes EqualClaud72

  • Trade and good relations will help the Cubans break free of communism

    China has shown that we can have peaceful and beneficial relations with a communist state. We have not become more communist in the process, they have become more capitalist. The same would be true for Cuba.

    Yes Anonymous

  • The Cuban embargo has not been helping American interest for a while now, and it's time for America to stop ignoring Cuba.

    The Cuban embargo is way too old to still be in effect. If it was going to do any good, it would have done so from the start, and not dragged on decades later, with the Cuban government no closer to giving in to American demands. Because it has gone on so long with no real effect, I say drop the embargo. If the Cuban government remains a problem, something more drastic has to be done.

    Yes H_Baird

  • Yes, because Cuba poses no threat to our country.

    If we lifted the trade embargo in Cuba, in my opinion, it would show good faith to the people of Cuba. After all, we need to look at the situation in that country, and think about the people. It's not the people we have a problem with, it is the government. The people have no say-so, and they are only used as pawns. The ones who suffer in that country from the embargo are the children. If we lifted the embargo, I feel, over time, the people would slowly realize that they are not being treated right by their government, and they may one day step up and say this is enough. Only then, do I think they can change the way their own government is running their country.

    Yes SlipArnal

  • In the spirit of global equality, yes, the U.S. needs to remove the Cuban embargo and make equal rights to all.

    I think that the embargo is very outdated and it is time to provide Cuba with the same opportunities as every other country. If the world is going to come together as one some day, things such as this need to be changed as soon as possible in order to promote unity.

    Yes 54mIsdead

  • I believe that the United States should lift the Cuban trade embargo as it is a human rights violation.

    While there have been some easing of the restrictions surrounding the trade embargo which now allows for more interaction between people in Cuba and on the outside, there continues to be an adverse health impact on the residents of Cuba especially on the children. Because of the embargo, children are not being given adequate treatment for diseases such as HIV/AIDs, etc. It is for this reason that I am against the Cuban Trade Embargo. I do not believe that the desire to punish a country that is considered to be an enemy is enough justification for unnecessarily harming young people.

    Yes SportyHart

  • A lot has changed since 1959 and the US should lift the Cuban trade embargo.

    I understand why the Cuban trade embargo was enacted but I believe it is time to lift the embargo. Cuba has learned to live with the embargo. They have found trade and investors in other countries. They get a lot of supplies for Brazil and Canada. With the state of the economy in the United States, I believe it would be beneficial to lift the embargo.

    Yes SleekTom

  • Yes, this has gone on for way too long.

    The United States should lift the trade embargo and try to establish relations with Cuba again. This is a neighboring island country, and we should be friendly with Cuba. This has gone on far too long, and we should try to have some kind of a positive relationship with Cuba. This country shouldn't have neighbors who are friendly with our enemies. We need to step up and open up the borders, so to speak.

    Yes PinkMych

  • It doesn't help us or Cuba.

    There are Canadian jokes about Cuba being a great place to vacation because there are no Americans. Europeans visit Cuba often. Cuba does suffer from the embargo, since their relatives in Florida cannot easily send money or relief supplies. However, Cuba's trade with South America, Europe, Mexico and even Canada continues unimpeded. The United States embargo does affect their economy, but the results are far less than the effect of forty years of communism.

    Yes Pir4And

  • The Cuban trade embargo should be lifted because it hurts the local Cuban population, and it failed to topple the regime.

    The Cuban trade embargo was enacted to suppress or devastate the local (Cuban) economy for the purpose of eventually overthrowing the regime. This strategy has never worked. This concept of containment and isolation has only strengthened the resolve of the Cuban government. Although it is common knowledge that Cuban citizens who attempted to leave the country were tortured or harshly mistreated, it is important to explore the possibility of opening a new chapter in our relations with this country for their sake. The current Cuban president seems more flexible in dealing with us and is making friendly overtures, which could very well be a good time to reexamine our diplomatic ties and set a series of preconditions that they need to meet in order for us to negotiate with them. These conditions could be the release of political prisoners, allowing UN Human rights workers into the country, adopting democratic ideals, holding free and fair elections, and compensating millions of oppressed families who lost loved ones under questionable circumstances in the last forty years.

    Yes I3nnJan

  • The embargo was created in October 1960, is a ghost from the past.

    The trade embargo with Cuba is a ghost still haunting the United States, Cuba and the world from the early years of the Cold War. Nowadays, the majority of the Americans want to get the embargo lifted and agree with Obama's efforts in that direction.

    Yes AdityaF

  • Cuba can develop only when the ban imposed is released.

    USA should give time for them to reform themselves. Instead of banning them, they should teach them what is right, etc.

    Yes ladamir
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No
20% of users

  • The United States should continue the Cuban trade embargo, since nothing has changed in Cuba, in regards to its attitude towards our country.

    One of the ways the United States shows its opinion of political practices in other countries is through trade embargoes. We established one against Cuba, many years ago, in protest of their treatment of their own citizens, and nothing has changed in that country to warrant a change in our policy.

    No ColossalJeramy56

  • Castro is still in power in Cuba, and we have fought and had hostilities towards him for many years.

    If you recall the events in the early 1960's, when the United States of America was almost incinerated by a nuclear bomb by Castro's regime, then you would agree that free trade sanctions should not be lifted with Cuba. They're our enemies, and have been for many years, even to this day. We should not trust them.

    No ShutDana69

  • They'll walk all over us

    We can't let the Cubans think they can do whatever they want with no consequences. We need to remember why that embargo is there in the first place. We can't let them take advantage of us again.

    No Anonymous
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Should the United States lift the Cuban trade embargo?
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