USA and Cuba to discuss Diplomatic Relations after 50+ years

[badbadboy]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-30516740

Both Obama and Raul Castro announced today the two countries are working towards re established diplomatic ties. USA is to reopen their Embassy soon.

 

[Fullhouse]

I thought they would wait for Fidel to die before they made such big changes.

Wait a week or two, the shock of this may kill him..

 

[westwoody]

The rednecks on the biker board I'm on is flipping out over this.
They are saying Obama has caved in to Castro's demands. Fact is both Castros are going to be dead and buried soon enough. It's time to deal with Cuba instead of pretending it does not exist.
American politics are like two dogs barking at each other on either side of a brick wall. No reasoned debate possible.

 

[manni]

glad to have seen Cuba in 2007 before all this.
I'm guessing it won't be long until those beach resorts resemble a mini Miami.
at the same time, could be a pooner's paradise with social changes.
there's definitely stunners in that country.

 

[westwoody]

The downside for sure will be the Americanisation of Cuba.
The best thing about Cuban resorts is the lack of boorish Americans.

 

[badbadboy]

The downside for sure will be the Americanisation of Cuba.
The best thing about Cuban resorts is the lack of boorish Americans.

I've heard lots of boorish Russians are already there. Could be interesting to see which group is more boorish

 

[encarsia]

I was in Cuba last fall and there was talk of Cuba slowly changing. One thing was to allow foreigners to purchase property. One thing that wont happen right way is Americanizing of the island. I think there will be more influence from china than the US. One bad thing now will be Americans will be able to buy cigars. prices will go up

 

[1nitestan]

I was in Cuba last fall and there was talk of Cuba slowly changing. One thing was to allow foreigners to purchase property. One thing that wont happen right way is Americanizing of the island. I think there will be more influence from china than the US. One bad thing now will be Americans will be able to buy cigars. prices will go up

Actually it may be the opposite. Americans will legally be able to buy Cuban cigars and thus the supply will increase. Econ 101 tells us prices will go down. One thing for sure is that since production will have to increase, you can bet that the quality of a good Cuban cigar will go down as they cut in the less-than-optimum tobacco.

 

[lenny]

"Cuba is the only country in the world the U.S. government restricts its own citizens from
visiting. Americans can go to Burma, Iran, even North Korea if those places give them a visa.

"The Obama administration has now relaxed travel rules for Cuba, leading to a surge in U.S.
-government approved tours to the island....

"Last year, some 400,000 U.S. travelers visited Cuba, making the United States the second-
largest source of foreign visitors to the island after Canada. Most were Cuban-Americans
coming to see family...

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/06/146474813/u-s-travel-to-cuba-grows-as-restrictions-are-eased

"Tourist travel to Cuba is prohibited under U.S. law for citizens and others under U.S.
jurisdiction.

"Authorized travelers to Cuba are subject to daily spending limits. See the Office of Foreign
Assets Control page of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/cuba.html

 

[wilde]

Having been to Cuba a couple of times, I think this is a step in the right direction to improving the lives of the average Cuban residents.

 

[vancity_cowboy]

 

[bcneil]

Wonder what will happen to the cigar industries in the other countries.

I think this upsets so many americans, cause in time it will make Florida a permanent blue state.

 

[uncleg]

I've heard lots of boorish Russians are already there. Could be interesting to see which group is more boorish

Probably a toss up.......but at least the boorish Russians bring along better looking female companions then the boorish Americans.

 

[vancity_cowboy]

bringing a female companion to cuba is like bringing a bag lunch to a smorgasbord...