British Expatriate Network

Now the American media is crowing about the transfer of power in Cuba, seeing it as the beginning of the end. It just makes me sick that they can’t temper the positive benefits of the revolution with its more problematic aspects. No, they can’t get over that their armpit of an abusive playground was taken away from them.

Lets hope that the Cuban authorities have ensued a long and prosperous consolidation of the revolution. If the Americans get their grubby little paws on that island again, they’ll screw it up just like have on every other Caribbean island they sully their presence with.

On a good note, it’s a lovely 71 degrees today in Vancouver, with a light offshore breeze. 8)

I was think much the same thing as I listened to NPR on the way into work this morning.
Cuba that is, not the weather.

Of course there is always the thought that a few milllion folks in cuba will be able to live a life with more freedom . in travel , speech . commerc etc .

Expats will return to there homeland and we may for those that are interested get cuban cigars on the free market again .

You of course only dwell on the perceived negatives as always.

John A.
We all hope that there will be freedom and democracy - a renaisance like that in Eastern Europe following the fall of the iron curtain.
The fear is that in fact the place will decend into the sort of US sponsored mess that we see else where in latin America, South America and the Caribbean (Haiti?)
America's track record of bringing freedom and democracy to the world is less than stellar and all those ultra right wing cuban americans down in Miami are just looking to line their own pockets.

In the "free market" here in Canada, we can buy Cuban cigars. Maybe in the US the market is not as free.

Yep, and Canadians (and Brits) can freely travel to Cuba. American's can't.
Maybe America has travel restrictions too?

Have you noticed that the Cubans in Fla. all look European and the majority in Cuba look to be mixed race. It was the same there as in other South American and Caribean countries. If the American Cubans get control of the island, the present inhabitants will find that they own nothing and they will become peons again

In Cuba, as in Russia, as bad as the communist governments are/were, the majority of the people were better off after the revolutions. And we still support dictators cos the people will elect people we don't like, people who don't like us.

Do they put something in the water in Kyle?

Does anyone think that Castro's brother will allow democracy and freedom to be part of the agenda? I don't know much about him, is he as fervent as Castro? I hope the U.S. won't get a chance to put their paws in Cuba, they will destroy whatever they can put their hands on-including the cigar folks!

Clinton will be a happy man once again, at least he won't need to take the label off! mrgreen

Kinky Freedman still smokes cubans,

he claims he's burning Castro's fields lol

And the ultra left wing zeolots in socialist run counties line there pockets to there was more povertry in russia under communist rule than there was before or after and the very rich elite.existed then as they do now .
Wake up and smell the roses .
MONEY /POWER is not the exclusive goal of right wing americans. its just those on the right wing are more knowledgeble as to how to obtian it

You are quite wrong John.
In Russia, the numbers living in poverty has increased since democratization.

I wouldn't like to live under either a right wing dictator or a left wing. But I do object to the way that the US tries to impose changes in other countries.

Cuba may not be a country that you think is democratic, but it's people are much better off than most south american countries, especially those favoured by the US.

You are quite wrong John.
In Russia, the numbers living in poverty has increased since democratization.

I wouldn't like to live under either a right wing dictator or a left wing. But I do object to the way that the US tries to impose changes in other countries.

Cuba may not be a country that you think is democratic, but it's people are much better off than most south american countries, especially those favoured by the US.[/quote]


And they'd be a lot better off still, if American sanctions were removed.

Exactly.

I find it quite disturbing that Americans can't see the connection to the Poverty in Cuba and the restrictions the US has placed on them.

By the way, how long has it been that Americans have been allowed to travel there? Don't the US government still make it illegal for Americans to go directly there? Or did they change that policy once they realised that Americans can get there via Europe?

Ben USC and Permanent Residents need a license to travel to Cuba. Tourism is not a licensable activity - including travel through third countries.
http//travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1097.html

edited to add http//archives.cnn.com/2001/TRAVEL/NEWS/08/23/cuba.us.travelban/index.html

John A All Cuban's have better access to health care than approximately 45 million Americans.

That Cuba is not democratic and suppresses politcal opponents is no small matter, but don't presume that the collapse of the Castro regime will lead to unmitigated benefits.