A good cigar

                       
I turn on the morning news and the big story is the United States is moving toward normalizing relations with Cuba. A prisoner exchange has already taken place. It is all about economics. No surprise there, it is usually all about the cash. So far there is no promise of change for the Cuban people. Not being an expert in foreign policy and relations I must reserve judgement on this. I have already heard substantive arguments pro and con. Call me a skeptic but maybe it is just that the wealthy in the United States are looking for another vacation spot. Havanna used to be a booming place and I suppose it can be again.
I did find it amusing that the embargo on Cuban cigars has been lifted. You are now permitted to bring in one hundred dollars worth of Cuban cigars from any country that sells them. I think it is funny given our governments interest in smoking prevention. Isn't that why the taxes on tobacco products are so outrageous ? Isn't that supposed to be a deterrent ? Well I guess imported Cuban cigars aren't that bad. You can only get a little bit of cancer from them, much the same way marijuana is only a little illegal. That's the liberal logic in this move.
Machiavelli said, " keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Is that the thinking behind this ? There is talk of building an embassy in Havana.  Can the Copa be far behind ? But what of the Cuban people ? Are they going to be free to leave the island nation ? And if they are ,are we the United States then going to assume the burden of feeding and caring for them ? It may sound cold but it is a reality. With the influx and possible amnesty for the latin America " immigrants " what impact would hundreds, possibly thousands of Cuban " immigrants " have on our economy ? Will cigars pay for that ? I don't know,as I've said, not much on foreign policy. It does seem to me, at least on the surface of things, that our President is giving a whole lot more than we are getting in return. Yes, Alan Gross is back in America, freed after five years and I am happy for him and his family. As to the reason behind his imprisonment in the first place I cannot speak. He claims complete innocence, but doesn't every criminal say that ? Believing what you were doing was correct doesn't make it so. Sometimes even doing what is necessary and right is still contrary to the law of the land.
The news is reporting that only Congress can lift the trade embargo with Cuba. President Obama is going to ask them to do that. Given his track record if they do not agree it will make little difference. Can anyone say, executive privilege ? I see another " order " being signed.
This came as a surprise. They say not even Alan Gross knew about the deal. Wonder how that happened ? There certainly doesn't seem to be a whole lot of " secrets " from the media these days. The evening news reports on impending invasions and the battle plans. Must have went through the IRS, they are good at keeping secrets and losing e-mails. I have heard the economy of Cuba is struggling a bit. Coincidence ? Could be Raul Castro just wants to be friends because, you know, his brother Fidel was a bit abrasive.
I did read some of Raul Castro's' speech to his nation. I found it very telling but I'm no diplomat. I did hear him say, quite clearly, that he wants to do business with the United States to stabilize an economic model to sustain Socialism. He went on to say he had a 45 minute conversation with President Obama. He understood that the law in the United States prevents trade with Cuba. Then he went on to say, and I can't help but wonder where he got that idea from, that the President of the United States has the ability  to " modify " it's implementation. Raul Castro then went on to acknowledge that there are " profound differences " between our two nations. He said two of those areas are democracy and human rights. Yup, sounds like a man I want to negotiate with alright. He is telling us what he wants, we give it him, and we get cigars in return. Well I suppose a retired president has to have something to do. May as well enjoy retirement with a good cigar.