[fintstone]

Originally Posted by jyl

Because the US doesn't have normalized relations with any other country that restricts religious freedoms, doesn't hold open elections, or holds political prisoners, right???

Cuba is treated the way it is by the US because of history from 50 and 60 years ago. We made up with Germany, Japan, Vietnam, and they were actually in a war with us. Cuba merely had themselves a revolution and some American companies lost their investments (perhaps ill-gotten). And then they made friends with the Russians for a few decades, but last time I checked we have normal relations with Eastern Europe too.

Maybe that all seemed important at the time, but today it is really all a "BFD" thing. Get over it already. Most of the people actually involved back then are dead or so will be.

In general, we do not lift sanctions against folks without some movement in the right direction (concessions on their part). Our President apologizing to Castro was just too much.

We defeated and destroyed much of Germany and Japan, deposed their governments and installed the system of our choice. We hanged many of their previous government.

Cuba nationalized $1B in US assets and were building a base to launch nuclear missiles at the US. What about those American citizens who lost everything? They exported terror/mercenaries all over the world for years. Unlike the other nations you name, nothing has changed in Cuba for the last 50 years...other than their economy is failing and our sanctions would be more effective now (their primary sponsors are all oil rich and the world's glut is creating a collapse of their ability to buy friends).

Most people who were gassed in WW2 are dead as well. Should we not punish their murderers when they are found?