These dissidents, independent journalists and opposition leaders are incredibly brave and selfless. We must help them in any way that we can because they will gain strength from learning that they are not alone.

Somehow Amnesty International and Reporteres sans Fronteres are not nearly as energetic about the free press in Cuba as they are in trying to Get Bush. This is a serious travesty and these reporters need to be defended at all costs.

yeah bam and luis moro
what do you say now?
you and the rest of you ,pastores por la paz and you fucking bullshit movie could kiss both sides of my cuban aas...by the way happy 26 de julio cumnistas socarrones.

Ditto, all of the above. There are a lot of bloody hands in cagastros pocket, even hell is too good for them.

These journalists in Cuba are the reason why Castro had his 26 de Julio celebrations held indoors this year!! He knows the end is near, and he is pissed! Castro is calling them traitors, mercenaries (his favorite term for anyone oppossing him)these are the voices of freedom, waking up the masses!!

"Will all you anti-embargo and dialogue with fidel folks "

I really wish you would not group the "anti-embargo" with the "dialogue with fidel" people together, it's really offensive to many of us who are defiantly anti embargo but would never even consider any type of dialogue, unless we were discussing a surrender.

Of course without the embargo, the opposition would be much stronger today. And it would be much harder for the regime to oppress them, plus that very same opposition would have many more contacts and supporter world wide and though out this country today. It would be much harder for the regime to sweep it all under the carpet as he can an is doing now. I mean for the most part, we the exile community are the only ones even talking about the resent crack downs and abuses being committed right now. If it were not for outlets like this one no one would know anything. Of course if there were not an embargo it would surly be a different story.

WTF? madtom, anti-embargo by it's nature is pro-dialogue.

Madtom,

I don't understand your reasoning. You think that a sudden influx of American tourists on top of the throngs of tourists from other countries is going to make the difference?

Logic and factual data tell me otherwise, but I'd like to hear your opinion.

Remember, hundreds of millions of dollars a year already flow to Cuba in remittances from family members in the U.S. We establish contact with our families in Cuba on a regular basis. Cubans desire to live in a free society. The only thing keeping them from that is fidel.

The embargo had it's place in history as part of the cold war, in that respect it was a good and proper response to the Soviet Union and it's imperial aspirations. That war is over now and it's time to rethink our position, The world does not stand still and if we refuse to look forward we will be left behind by the natural forces of change. Today fidel's regime used the embargo as a crutch and a convenient blame all for all his own failures. He also uses it as a weapon against our people that keeps them poor and hungry to stifle descent. A hungry misinformed person is less likely to worry about politics with the more pressing daily needs of finding enough food to put on the table.

Like I said in my last comment. lifting the embargo from under fidels feet would make it so much easier to support the opposition parties in Cuba today. Make it possible to offer them training and logistic support in organizing grass root organizations and public awareness campaigns. Noting I have said here is new or revolutionary, it's the same tactic that has been used all around the world to combat communist authoritarian regimes. For it's part the US is ready to lift the embargo, those US interest in the embargo are long gone, the only thing missing is support from the exile community. And we all know that no one is going to openly go against the Cuban lobby on this matter. But the sorry fact is that for the most part, the embargo is dead anyway. Today it's only an embargo between the exile community and the people back on the island. And embargo between the most interested parties. Those that have the most to lose.

Tom,

Im all for lifting the embargo.

I just have a few loose ends.

"I just have a few loose ends."

The question is, what are you doing to make your goals a reality. Sitting around waiting for it too fall out of the sky in you lap? ( you know what I mean) your work here on the blog is without question, some of the best in the business, and we are all grateful for those efforts.

Thing is, Tom, that I havent heard a single reasonably rational and sane argument against the embargo whose probable outcome isnt worse than what we have now.

The dictator's history pretty much speaks for itself.

'scuse me with amsory here.
What "embargo" is this we are talking about?
This MYTH is still a topic of discussion ?

OYE MADTOM...POR FAVOR!! DON'T YOU KNOW BY NOW THAT THE ONLY REAL EMBARGO IS THE ONE FIDEL HAS HAD ON CUBA FOR OVER 40 YEARS??? IT HAS NOTHING, NADA TO DO WITH THE USA!!
WAKE UP PLEASE!! AND SMELL SOME STRONG CAFE CUBANO...GO DO IT NOW!! HURRRYYYY~!!!

Yes Carmen, what you say does have some truth to it. But we the exile community live here, and this is an embargo on us. We can not change what castro does, but we could change what we are doing, and any restrictions on us to do it.