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Obama moves to normalize relations with Cuba, “extends a hand of friendship”

cuba_map_480_1WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Obama said Wednesday that the ongoing policy of treating Cuba like a terrorist nation has failed, and his administration intends to move toward normalizing relations with the island nation.

“President Obama is taking action to cut loose the anchor of failed policies of the past, and to chart a new course in U.S. relations with Cuba that will engage and empower the Cuban people,” the White House said in a statement.

“Decades of U.S. isolation of Cuba have failed to accomplish our objective of empowering Cubans to build an open and democratic country,” the President said. “At times, longstanding U.S. policy towards Cuba has isolated the United States from regional and international partners, constrained our ability to influence outcomes throughout the Western Hemisphere, and impaired the use of the full range of tools available to the United States to promote positive change in Cuba. Though this policy has been rooted in the best of intentions, it has had little effect – today, as in 1961, Cuba is governed by the Castros and the Communist party.

“We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. It does not serve America’s interests, or the Cuban people, to try to push Cuba toward collapse. We know from hard-learned experience that it is better to encourage and support reform than to impose policies that will render a country a failed state. We should not allow U.S. sanctions to add to the burden of Cuban citizens we seek to help.”

President Obama also said that Cuba has released some American prisoners as a result of this action, and an embassy will be established in Cuba.  Americans will be ablate travel more easily to Cuba and use debit and credit cards once they get there.

John Kerry
John Kerry

“For five and a half decades … our policy toward Cuba has remained virtually frozen, and done little to promote a prosperous, democratic and stable Cuba. Not only has this policy failed to advance America’s goals, it has actually isolated the United States instead of isolating Cuba,” said Secretary of State John Kerry.

“As we did with Vietnam, changing our relationship with Cuba will require an investment of time, energy and resources. Today’s step also reflects our firm belief that the risk and the cost of trying to turn the tide is far lower than the risk and cost of remaining stuck in an ideological cement of our own making.”

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