In Meeting, Obama and Castro Signal Path to Normalization

Castro: Don't Blame Obama for Past US Oppression

An historic meeting between President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro appeared to go off without a hitch today, signaling progress in the ongoing efforts of the two countries toward reconciliation after over half a century of US embargo.

President Castro welcomed the announcement that the US will “quickly decide” on removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The State Department has reportedly recommended the removal.

Though during the talks Castro complained about the previous US military occupation, the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, and repeated terrorist attacks launched by the US, mostly aimed at assassinating Fidel Castro, the current president insisted he doesn’t hold Obama responsible for any of this.

President Obama’s earlier policy didn’t represent a serious break from the long-standing attempt at silly dirty tricks campaigns against Cuba, including bankrolling a “Cuban Twitter” that was aimed at fueling unrest, and using an HIV prevention workshop to try to start a rebellion on the island.

Obama, for his part, described the past 50 years as a “failed policy,” and insisted that it was time to “try something new.”

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.