On this day in 1961, 49 years ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba’s government, and began a trade embargo designed to bring Fidel Castro’s government down.
Through eleven Presidents now, from Eisenhower at the end of his term in office to the early stages of the Obama Administration, this embargo and diplomatic non recognition has continued, and the end result is that NOTHING has been achieved!
Now it is Fidel’s brother, Raul Castro, who runs the government, and Cuba’s willingness to allow American planes to use the airspace over Cuba to help bring relief supplies to Haiti after last week’s disastrous earthquake should be an opening to the idea of finally restoring diplomatic relations and ending the embargo, which has harmed the population but had no effect on bringing down the now 51 year regime of the Castros.
There have been earlier signs of a possible thaw between Cuba and the United States under President Obama, and it is hoped that realism will set in and the President will take action soon on this matter!
If we can deal with other “evil” governments around the world, then we can deal with the Castro government in Cuba!