Should the United States Lift the Embargo on Cuba Essay

American international relations with Cuba have almost always been tense. The cold war solidified the growing negative relations, and the embargo embodied it. But now that the cold war is over, as is the Cuban missile crisis, we’re left to wonder if the embargo is really necessary. Should the United States lift the embargo of Cuba? All of the evidence, be it economic, diplomatic, or social, points to yes. We should lift the embargo. The United States embargo of Cuba has its roots planted in 1960, 53 years ago, when â€Å"the United States Congress authorized President Eisenhower to cut off the yearly quota of sugar to be imported from Cuba under the Sugar act of 1948†¦ by 95 percent† (Hass 1998, 37). This was done in response to a growing†¦show more content†¦Goods or services of Cuban origin may not be imported into the United States either directly or through third countries† (2001) . According to the Cuba Policy Foundation, the United States loses up to $4.84 billion annually in trade and exports alone (Pepper 2009) . The amount of money being disregarded because of now defunct reasons is radically lacking in logic. A simple repealing of the embargo would bring both the United States and Cuba great economic success. The obvious question presented by this information is, why is such an old idea, which severely limits the necessary functions of international society, currently being continued? It’s not like it’s helping anything. In fact, according to Joy Gordon, Professor of Political Philosophy at Fairfield University, â€Å"the embargo is the single greatest barrier to Cuban economic development† (2010, 64). Gordon continues by saying that â€Å"the United States measures against Cuba are far more extensive [than any other embargo we have had], affecting every aspect of commerce, travel, economic development, and even humanitarian contributions† (2010, 65). The embargo not only detracts from Cuba’s access to U.S. markets, but interferes in its trade with other countries. The embargo prohibits monetary transactions with the UnitedShow MoreRelatedFidel Castro Led The Cuban Revolution934 Words   |  4 Pagesfifty-five years ago, an embargo was placed on Cuba, h alting all trade between the two countries. Fidel Castro led the Cuban Revolution, which began in July of 1953, leading to their victory and the previous leader, Fulgencio Batista, being driven out of his position. Castro had gained a lot of support from Cuban citizens with his promises to restore political and civil liberties. Castro later began to stray from these promises, starting by nationalizing American businesses within Cuba and by presentingRead MoreShould the U.S. Government Drop Its Sanctions against Cuba?1676 Words   |  7 Pagesuse of force as a primary method of international coercion. Cuba is one of the countries considered as a rogue state by the United States and its allies. The emergence of Cuba as a communist country in the western hemisphere in 1960, and the nationalization of a huge amount of US assets in Cuba by the then new regime led to the sanctions against Cuba. However, starting from the end of the 1980’s the Communist block begin falling apart. C uba lost its international allies and became helpless both economicallyRead MoreFidel Castro Led The Cuban Revolution1106 Words   |  5 PagesFor centuries, Cuba s greatest resource has been its people. - Pico Iyer Nearly fifty-five years ago, an embargo was placed on Cuba, halting all trade between the two countries. Fidel Castro led the Cuban Revolution, which began in July of 1953, leading to their victory and the previous leader, Fulgencio Batista, surrendering from his position. Castro was an American friend and had gained a great deal of support from Cuban citizens with his promises to restore basic, essential liberties. CastroRead MoreThe Cuban Embargo: A Double Edged Sword1612 Words   |  7 Pagesfive decades, the Cuban embargo has failed to achieve its purpose, damaged U.S interest, and affected the Cuban people. Since the year 1959 when Fidel Castro took over Cuba, the country has been under communist rule. It’s been over 50 years since the United States placed and embargo against Cuba. The embargo also known as â€Å"the blockade† places travel restrictions and trade of commerce on any one who is under the US jurisdiction. One of the purposes of the embargo was to tu rn Cuba into a democratic countryRead MoreCuba And The United States864 Words   |  4 PagesCuba and the United States are two very different countries. Although they are only nearly 90 miles away from each other it has been over 50 years since both countries have had any real relationship towards each other, other than the hatred that seems to shown by the two countries’ politicians. In October 1960 the United States began to impose its first round of embargoes towards the small island when Cuba decided to nationalize all of the American Oil on its county after the United States withoutRead MoreThe United States Embargo On Cuba2305 Words   |  10 Pagesthe United States’ Embargo on Cuba On an island far, far, away, are oppressed, poor, and hopeless people who have been under the subjugate control of a regime of communist dictators for over half a century. A body of people, who for almost 55 years, have been given the cold shoulder by one of the world’s biggest superpower and the only superpower in close proximity to their own island. The U.S. implemented sanctions on Cuba in 1960 and 1961, with President John F. Kennedy making the embargo officialRead MoreEmbargo on Cuba984 Words   |  4 PagesEmbargo on Cuba The U.S. imposed an Embargo on Cuba on Oct. 19, 1960. Has the time come for the United States to lift the 5-decade embargo? The Embargo on Cuba was a part of America’s Cold War strategy against the Soviet Union, imposed on the basis that Cuba was a threat to the U.S. National Security because of their alliance with the Soviet Union. Although Cuba would like the U.S to terminate the embargo against their country, the U.S. wants Cuba to make their situation a better living environmentRead MoreEssay on Cuba1685 Words   |  7 PagesCuba In the past fifty years we have witnessed the end of the cold war, the end of communism in a vast majority of nations as well as the rise of the United States to being the sole world power. But while the world has greatly changed over the past half-a-century, there has been little change in the Cuban-American relationship. Since the rise of Fidel Castro to power in the early nineteen fifties, the United States has all but cut off all relations with the Cuban government. It has now beenRead MoreEffects of U.S. Foreign Policy on Cuba1926 Words   |  8 PagesForeign Policy on Cuba The foreign policy of the United States toward Cuba over the past fifty years has caused many problems for the Cuban society and its people, and relations between the two nations have been at odds for decades due to the harsh foreign policy stance of the United States toward Cuba. The United States has considered Cuba as its enemy ever since July 1960 when Fidel Castro’s new revolutionary government changed everything. Castro seized privately owned land in Cuba, nationalizedRead MoreShould the Cuban Embargo be Lifted?1940 Words   |  8 PagesIs the Cuban Embargo a cruel reminder of the Cold war, or is it an important factor of American Democracy fighting the spread of Communism? The Cuban Embargo was a declaration issued by American President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The embargo was issued because of the threat that the Communist government of Cuba, led by Fidel Castro in 1959, had on American security, assets and democracy at the height of the Cold War. Some 1.8 billion w orth of industrial assets were lost with Cuban communist nationalization