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Massive UN Vote in Support of Lifting US Embargo on Cuba
UNITED NATIONS - The UN General Assembly on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly for the 17th year in a row in favor of lifting the 46-year-old US trade embargo on communist-ruled Cuba, as Havana hoped for better ties with a new US administration.
The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly for the 17th year in a row Wednesday to demand an end to the 46-year-old US trade embargo on communist-ruled Cuba, with only three countries saying no. Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, seen here on October 21, 2008, welcomed the assembly vote but also looked ahead to future US-Cuban relations after next week's White House election. (AFP) Some
185 of the assembly's 192 members approved a resolution, which
reiterated a "call upon all states to refrain from promulgating and
applying laws and measures (such as those in the US embargo) in
conformity with their obligations under the Charter of the United
Nations and international law."
The United States, Israel and Palau voted against the resolution, while Micronesia and the Marshall Islands abstained.
The margin of support for ending the embargo has grown steadily since 1992, when 59 countries voted in favor of the resolution. The figure was 179 in 2004, 182 in 2005 and 184 in 2007.
Ronald Godard, the US State Department's senior advisor for Latin American affairs, defended the embargo and blamed the communist regime in Havana for Cuba's woes.
"The real reason the Cuban economy is in terrible condition and that so many Cubans remain mired in poverty is that Cuba's regime continues to deny its people their basic human and economic rights," he told the General Assembly.
Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque welcomed the vote but also looked ahead to future US-Cuban relations after next week's White House election between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.
The US economic, trade and financial sanctions were imposed 46 years ago following the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of the Caribbean island nation by US-backed Cuban exiles.
Noting that the US embargo is "older than Barack Obama and my entire generation," Perez Roque said the new US president "will have to decide whether to concede that the embargo is a failed policy which each time creates greater isolation and discredits his country or whether he continues, with obstinacy and cruelty, to try to wear out the Cuban people with hunger and diseases."
McCain has promised that if elected he would press Cuba's communist rulers to free the island's people.
"If I'm elected president, I won't meet unconditionally with the Castro brothers, while they keep political prisoners in jail, stifle free media and block free elections in Cuba," he recently told a rally in Miami, home to a huge Cuban exiled community.
The comment was a swipe at his 47-year-old Democratic rival, Obama, who has said he would meet with the leaders of countries that are enemies of the United States.
A national survey by the Zogby polling organization, released on October 2, noted that 60 percent of Americans believe the White House should change its policy towards Cuba.
In an apparent reference to Obama's campaign theme of "Change," Perez Roque said that "to be coherent with the theme of change in this country (the United States) also means to change the embargo against Cuba and maintain normal and respectful relations with our country."
But Perez Roque warned that "if group interests prevail, notably those of the Cuban (exiled) mafia which controls southern Florida and which exerts great influence, then there cannot be any progress."
In Cuba itself, authorities were jubilant after the UN vote.
It reaffirmed "the world rejection of the genocidal and criminal policy of this siege and the failure of the George W. Bush administration in its aggression against Cuba," Fernando Remirez de Estenoz, head of the Cuban Communist Party's external relations department, told the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina.
Speaking on behalf of the European Union, France's UN deputy ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix meanwhile said the 27-member pan-European bloc rejects "all unilateral measures against Cuba which are contrary to common accepted rules of international trade."
He said the EU believes that "the lifting of the US trade embargo would open Cuba's economy to the benefit of the Cuban people."
Antigua and Barbuda's UN Ambassador John Ashe, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said the 132-nation alliance renewed its call on Washington to lift sanctions.
The embargo not only undermines the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and international law, but also acts to "severely threaten the freedom of trade and investment."
- Posted in
64 Comments so far
Show AllWow, one of Obama's core foreign policy positions has already been rejected by the entire world.
Cool.
See Obama fans, he's just more of the same.
Barack Obama was for single payer before he came out against it.
Obama has stated he would start addressing the embargo on Cuba by lifting travel restrictions and seeing how Cuba responds.
Obama has frequently stated in the past that he supports lifting the embargo. I believe his more cautious approach revealed in the Presidential campaign is to avoid turning off moderates at the polls. Once elected I expect a full reversion to his former policies.
I hope you are prepared to eat crow...
Truthaddict is correct.
Why do you oxymoronic 'progressives' for Obama think he is somehow going to reverse his history of support for conservative policies? What is your evidence?
His self chosen Senate mentor was Lieberman! He's deeply conservative and in his most recent book endorsed Ronald Reagan's foreign policies. Actually read the book.
He's said his foreign policy is going to be like George H.W. Bush and Reagan (and also Kennedy, another right winger on overseas issues).
Actually listen to what he has said: he is in favor of keeping the illegal economic blockade on Cuba. That is a violation of international law, a criminal policy.
Barack Obama was for single payer before he came out against it.
So Why sound like such an ignored profit?
When Obama starts to relax the embargo you can take credit for daring him to do it by your cynicism.
Look, if Obama lifts the embargo, it will only be because Fidel is close to death. And with Cuba just having discovered oil, the newly renewed post-embargo relations between the U.S. and Cuba will be manipulated (perhaps not by Obama, but by an administration to follow him) to create some small incident as a pretext for invading and getting that oil. On that you can mark my words.
Maintaining the embargo is honestly probably the *best* thing that Cuba could hope for the U.S. to do towards it.
In foreign policy matters, Democrats and Republicans typically look exactly the same, although they go about it in different ways and perhaps for different reasons. Republicans cynically manipulate public opinion in favor of their little interventionist schemes, whereas Democrats somewhat more reluctantly engage in the same type of actions so they can appear "tough", get re-elected, and continue to pursue their domestic agenda. Needless to say, both parties' programs value the lives of Americans about 100 times more than those of foreigners, especially poor foreigners. But the question I would ask is: do you think it really *mattered* to the people of Vietnam, who had 8 million tons of carpet bombs dropped on them (over 3x the total amount dropped in WWII), what JFK's motivations were for starting that slaughter? LBJ and Nixon carried it through to more murderous heights, but JFK started it. I don't have any real doubt that Obama could play a similar role with Cuba, or Venezuela, or Iran, or North Korea, or any other country he tries to act "tough" with for the sake of the American public.
One man can't change the course of this country, no matter how many "Change" or "Hope" lawn signs he prints up. And the course of this country is an imperialist one.
This isn't a rhetorical question: If they've been voting in favor of this for 17 years, and nothing has changed, doesn't that mean the vote is meaningless? And why wouldn't the member nations who voted against the USA embargo impose their own embargo against the US until we lift the embargo against Cuba (not that I want an embargo against US)?
Yet another reason we're so "loved".
Miami Cubans automatically assume that lifting the embargo means Communists won.
How long will they take revenge on their countrymen when the best way to win over communists is to end the embargo?
The embargo on Cuba is self-defeating for the US. I cannot understand how we can have so many stupid people in our foreign policy departments.
Ike said you could catch more flied with honey than with vinegar. Treat the people of Cuba as they sould be treated - like human beings and citizens of this planet.
What makes the United States' position so rediculous is that though they cannot deal with Cuba based on their Communist rule and imprisonment of political dissidents, it is perfectly ok to have a 100% open relationship with China, whose Government, policies and actions are cut from the same cloth.
This is nice to read a little bit of good news. (:
Has everyone heard that Obama is considering keeping on Secretary of Defense (really: Sec. of Endless Wars) Gates in HIS administration? Yet another in the endless reasons not to vote for him!
OK, so vote for Nader or Barr so McCain gets elected and see the true definition of endless wars.
I know the present situation of only two viable options isn't ideal, but it's REALITY.
I love these lies of omission you Obama supporters use to try to intimidate other people into voting for the candidate of YOUR choice.
IT IS ONLY A "REALITY" IF YOU LIVE IN A SWING STATE--and then it's only worth considering voting for the lesser evil IF the race between the two corporate-imperialist candidates is actually VERY CLOSE. But you DPAs know that don't you?
You just don't want other people to remember the (admittedly archaic and undemocratic) ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
I believe that it is the DUTY of every real progressive who lives is a state that is "safe" for either the Democrats or the Republicans to vote for Nader or McKinney, so the duopolists will finally learn that the old, tired "you have nowhere else to go" BS can be finally tossed into the dustbin of history and the major parties will have to start EARNING people's votes instead of trying to bully voters with statements like yours.
good point
Keep repeating it and maybe they'll understand it after a while.
"Keep repeating it and maybe they'll understand it after a while."?
To Bully people by working with reality?... You guys constantly insult any realists here on CD and that is Ok but for a voter to remind us of reality, you claim you are being intimidated and bullied. Maybe politics like reality is too hard ball for you.
All this about swing states is a gamble when we have voter suppression and electronic votes that can't be recounted... a landslide is the best result unless yo want more of Palin and McCain madness and red baiting. How do you feel about them reading your posts and email? I'll take Biden anyday... Fisa/Shmisa.. a vote for 3rd party helps the right wing nuts.
Yeah I know we don't want anyone reading our mail, but a 3rd party vote helps insure the worst policy towards Cuba and all other nations by the USA and weakens the best possible Now.
Yes "Keep repeating it", and keep out of touch.
And exactly WHO in congress will follow Nader or McKinney, eh? These two couldn't even pass gas in the White House, even if they ate a pot of beans.
Phoenix Down:
"WHO in congress will follow Nader or McKinney, eh?
These two couldn't even pass gas in the White House,
even if they ate a pot of beans."
------------------------------
Point well take, Phoenix.
It would, indeed, be impossible to surpass the great success of the Democrats in passing gas in our Congress!
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Forever keep other ideas out of the debates and Other Voices and Other Choices from the election. Off the ballots, and out of the news. Yes, indeed. Now THERE'S a blueprint to build our democracy. And to prevent abuse by our leaders, too. Indeed.
See how well it has worked?
Just a quick quiz now, kiddies. Just how many minutes and how many dollars did the Democratic party spend on investigating (and, gasp, preventing) election fraud since 2000?
Some smug folks out there think it laughable that a number of voters might try very hard to get a new Agenda and Narrative jump-started in America, where we actually try to address the sticky problems and seek to speak the truth through candidacies not sponsored in the high millions by corporations. How friggin' FOOLish of them.
Chuckle away, smug Democratic friends (and I truly believe some of you are as sincere as you are unable to connect the dots).
Gas, folks?
Considering how much the elected Democrats have actually DONE about:
(1) what their voters asked them to do since 2006, and
(2) addressing the most egregious crimes to our nation, our name, our well-being, our image, our laws, our Constitution, our economy, our rights, and our security, not to mention the violation of laws and wanton taking of life around the globe...
...I think you could safely make the case that, in terms of preventing America from incurring or inflicting Harm, a Democratic vote is equal to a NULL VOTE.
A waste of time, of money, of hope. Time, money, love, and energy better spent on planning and BUILDING something new. Something like the humane and visionary Green Party that leads AWAY from the Edge of the Abyss and not merely slowing down our deadly movement TOWARDS that Edge.
Between ALLOWING/ENABLING the Constitution to die an inglorious death, unquestioned by our "champions of democracy", not stopping an illegal war, not questioning torture, not suing the federal government for criminal negligence in the death of over a thousand citizens from Katrina, We'd actually be SAFER in a room full of gas. Some of us might make it out alive.
YOU, folks, don't get it. At least not yet.
You may not believe it yet, but some day we will VERY much NEED that and be happy it's there when the bottom REALLY falls out, and the 'old ways' just won't work any more. You'll want it built, you'll want it tested, and, if you care, you'll want to help build and shape it -- to be a part of articulating the new vision.
It is your CURRENT thinking that has brought us this close to the Edge. That 'Demo-think' couldn't defeat a Bush who has trouble making a sentence -- even when he had fewer votes ('cause he had slick friends who would stop at nothing, and who scared you), and couldn't stare him down as he and his cohorts stole from you -- more than once, insulted you, spied upon you, and spat upon our nation. Yet you chuckle, huddled together, and say WE don't get it. My, my. My, my.
And your party works at silencing WHOM? Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz? Rove, Addington?
No. Antiwar activists, impeachment advocates, Dennis Kucinich, Cindy Sheehan, Cynthia McKinney, Ralph Nader, Code Pink, Rev. Wright.
My, my. Have you no shame?
Always C L O S E R to the Edge, just slower....
I agree. Unfortunately, I live in a very close swing state...Hell, everyone in the DNC is coming to Florida this week.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think, therefore I am dangerous.
"Reality" is highly over-rated.
YOU, and many other so-called progressives, are creating this reality by refusing to consider an alternative to the Two Party system.
Vote for anybody but the two parties
3rd party votes only strengthen the Two party system in the worst way..... it is how they divide the left and thus weaken any movement to correct the US turn to the right.
A third party vote has even less of a chance to change the system than to
get Nader or Mckinney in the White House.
Saying you will change the system by voting 3rd party is false advertising at worst and and a fantasy at best
Reality hurts most when you deny it.
If you want it all now, You won't get it.
If President Obama does anything to ease this embargo it won't be until his second term (if he gets one) because Florida has too many electoral votes to put in jeopardy.
How is it that the "land of the free" has a government that does not allow its citizens to travel to a certain country, let alone enjoy its delicious cigars.
As a Canadian one of the main reasons I like to vacation in Cuba (other than the very inexpensive all-inclusive packages) is the fact that there aren't any arrogant Americans there. Unfortunately there aren't any humble Americans there either.
No need to change course now... the ever important Palau vote unequivocally proves the overwhelming wisdom behind the conjoined twins (US-Israel) righteous exercise of their god-empowered military might and world dominance.
The US should continue to torture Cuba into signing the "Attempt to Take Over the World" confession! We all know they are guilty as charged.
... and to hell with Micronesia and the Marshall Islands! Who needs their support anyway!!!
I don't understand your sarcasim. Lifting the embargo would make it better for the human race, don't you think? The world should do an embargo to Israel and the US of A. for their imperialistic dominance in the world.
AldoinSF
"I don't understand your sarcasim."
Yes, translation is always at risk of being the first thing lost through blogosphere text.
In a virtual world, putting the "face" in facetious with any degree of success, is always tenuous at best. Apologies.
I am part of a sizable artist group that regularly invites international participation in creative projects... estimates are somewhere between 20 to 30 thousand. Although I've traveled a bit, I turn down many invitations to go analog and visit different countries... for various reasons.
However, I am always more than disgusted at this purportedly "democratic" American government that disallows travel privileges to countries that are on their (s)hit list for ideological reasons only.
There are ways that I could get into Cuba to visit my artist friends... but they are "illegal"... strictly as a means of appeasing those corporatists who "lost" their Cuban empire holdings.
Cuba is NOT now a threat, nor has it been for a very long while... but we could make it so once again by continuing to apply the failed adversarial policies that America currently chooses as its first line of "world political and military supremacy".
It's past time to change this regressive policy of exclusion.
I understand your sarcasm.
I'm in the sarcasm game myself, of course. And being misunderstood is an occupational hazard in the blogosphere.
One can use emoticons or tags to explicitly identify sarcasm, but practicing safe sarcasm is like putting on two condoms.
And I feel a little ashamed when I post a sarcastic note, and someone thinks I'm being serious and enthusiastically agrees with me. I'm sure it happens to Stephen Colbert all the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa-4E8ZDj9s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QquTUR9nbC4
Palau, like the Marshall Islands and Micronesia, openly whore themselves out to Uncle Sam for some cash and the ability of their "citizens" to live and work here unimpeded.
They're supposed to be independent nations but when one looks beyond the surface they appear to be de facto territories.
We're still waiting for someone to explain why lifting the US trade embargo would benefit Cuba, and the world. Cuba has no shortage of trading partners outside the US sphere of influence. And outside the US sphere of influence is exactly where peak benefits to both Cuba and its trading partners are found. Please allow Cuba to continue growing a legacy of production and trade that transcend neoliberal capitalism, crony capitalism, monopoly capitalism, destruction capitalism, imperial capitalism, predatory capitalism. Let the USA continue to BLOCKADE ITSELF. Let Cuba continue to provide the world a great example of relatively pure socialist progress.
... and, dare I say it, free health care?
Let Cuba continue to provide the world a great example of relatively pure socialist progress.
What are they? (seriously)
Not quite, take Canada for example, we do have trade with Cuba but only as long as no U.S.-made parts, components or parent companies are involved. That applies to about 70% of Canadian industry. For example, if a Canadian Home Depot store wanted to ship to Cuba, it is 'verboten' i.e. disallowed, the same goes for Canadian-made American brand cars, trucks etc. In any case, we are going back to Cuba on vacation next month, the fourth time in three years. People are extremely friendly,crime against tourists is unheard of and when I hear others tell, 'but Cuba is so poor', I always suggest to them to take a vacation next door in the "democracy" called Haiti for comparison.
And the US has a rule that ships who dock in Cuba are not allowed to dock in an American port for 6 months. Basically, the world can choose to trade with us or little Cuba.
We're still waiting for someone to explain why lifting the US trade embargo would benefit Cuba, and the world. Cuba has no shortage of trading partners outside the US sphere of influence. And outside the US sphere of influence is exactly where the peak benefits are found. Please allow Cuba to continue enjoying those peak benefits, grow a legacy of production and trade that transcends parasitic/predatory capitalism, and provide the world a great example of relatively pure socialist progress. Let the USA continue to BLOCKADE ITSELF.
Because Cuba and the rest of the rational world wants to have friendly relations and end this old Cold War madness.
Is that kind enough for you?
Want to know what will end the USA illegal blockade of Cuba? It's the same thing that always does the trick. OIL! 50-billion barrel reserve discovered off the western tip of Cuba in the Gulf of Mexico. This makes Cuba one of the top ten oil reserve nations in the world. Companies from many countries worldwide are bidding for drilling rights and acquiring them, including China. US oil companies are chomping at the bit to in on the action just 60 or so miles away. After the Obama electoral landslide, and the inauguration, how long do you think it will be before this criminal act of war, the blockade, comes to an end? Obama's first year in office will end it. Finally.
Brazil is already signing contracts.
Our beloved Congress is considering a law that will exempt Oil companies from the embargo. Just the oil companies keeping the rest of it in place.
That well may be, but do you think the Cubans will allow US companies to bid without first seeing an end to the blockade? I doubt it. They're not as dumb as we look.
LIKE IRAQ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_actions_regarding_Iraq) U.S. DEFIES SEVENTEENTH SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION REGARDING LONG-TERM VIOLATION OF UN CHARTER OBLIGATION
No mention of "serious consequences" for continued non-compliance.
Did Clintok support Cuba's independent progress? No. Will O'Bama support Cuba's independent progress? No. A vote for O'Bama is a vote for Washington's continued subterfuge of the truth in the public discussion. The question for US voters is whether they plan to ride the gravy train or help shut it down. To help shut it down, vote third party.
"A vote for O'Bama is a vote for Washington's continued subterfuge of the truth in the public discussion."
When did Barack Obama become Irish?!?
There's been a green banner or poster stuck for months on the ceiling of an El station stairway; it's emblazoned "O'Bama" within the outline of a shamrock. ?
You tell me.
why? i don't get it
This might help
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=EADUQWKoVek
With massive weapons systems, the US is 'brave.'
When it comes to words and thoughts this country is a coward!
It is only prepared to win with stones and sticks.
Only Democrats & Republicans in the Debates. No one else. The myth peddled by the media: we couldn't handle anything else.
Just like the Debates, we (they, actually, the Corporatocracy -- or, if you will, the fuquecracy) can't handle Cuba being there as equals on the international stage.
The corporate Rulers are deathly afraid of any war of ideas (just as they are of any real competition on a level playing field): they're afraid they'd lose. They'd have to get physical to win. The tactic of any dim-witted bully.
This is an excellent example of how isolated and hated the Neocons are by the entire world's population.
What 3 states? There were 2: USrael and Pulao (or Palao, or was it Pilau? Is it on the moon?)
A. I'm astounded that many here think the world/government/ Presidents are stagnant. I'd hate to be held to something I said 1.5 years ago or last month if things change. And they constantly change. Circumstances dictate many things. So cut Obama some slack till we see which way he's going.
Cuba is an extremely poor country, it doesn't have a particular industry I'm aware of nor does it have any resources....except some possible oil.
It would benefit them tremendously to have a trading partner a few hundred miles away, restore many family links and bring an immediate injection of much needed cash from Cubans here.
Its absolutely stupid to continue this blockade, should have been ended years ago. Communist/Socialist government? So what. We deal with China. Why not Cuba. Except this time, keep the Corporate types in line.