call their bluff. I say let the Cuban gov't buy whatever it wants from us...in cash. Of course they won't go for it and ADM will bitch still but if access is what they want, access is what they get.

I'm in the odd position of defending CFR - it's reports on Cuba are not people centered as other Castro sycophants. CFR goes the national interest route in justifying lifting the embargo. I will say it again, and I won't go into the back in forth because I know we disagree, but from a national interest standpoint it makes no sense for the US to continue with it's current policy. I'm not saying we give up the store, but I am saying that we give up something in exchange for something on their end.

Watch out because if Fidel dies (or is already dead) the hue and cry from all corners to drop the embargo will only increase. This may give Obama and the Castro butt kissers in the Congress enough sway to damage or lift the embargo...and trust me they would give it up for absolutely nothing. You will find that our biggest error was sticking so resolutely to an absolute position of zero tolerance on any adjustments to the embargo.

If we would have allowed him W could have tried to deal with the Castro Bros. and at least negotiated better terms but these new guys don't care and will be sure to give the living Castro whatever he wants. As I've said before...when the time comes don't blame Obama or the Dems. Blame yourselves for thinking that the embargo actually matters enough to put all of eggs in that basket.

Cardinal,

Man, I was with you - not necessarily in agreement - but with you up until you wrote:

...but I am saying that we give up something in exchange for something on their end.

What, exactly will the regime give from their end?

Whe, in their fifty years of power, have they EVER given anything from their end?

Freeing political prisoners? The regime states in no uncertain terms that there is no such thing as political prisoners in Cuba.

Fair elections? PULEEZE.

Allow freedom of the press? Never. It would be their end.

So what, exactly can we expect to get from the castro regime?

Nick Jones. IMHO.

Val - you are more than right. There is one thing I definitely want (other than Fidel's head on a stick) and that is anyone and everyone with a US visa to get out be permitted to leave. This is crap though - in exchange for that I would only lift the travel restrictions and remittances.

The problem with everything else and the moral quandry I have is that anything else the regime promises and be taken away just as fast. Free the prisoners...maybe for a year and then once everyone is invested take them back. I'm being honest - I don't have an answer. The problem of course is once we're in we wouldn't get out.

Perhaps the only other tangible issue we can win on is full and proper compensation for expropriated properties of US citizens and corporations. Anything and everything else will be taken away as soon as Raul deems in necessary.