Outrage Aside, Congress Likely Can’t Stop Cuba Normalization

Experts Say Obama Can Easily Weaken Embargo

Congressional leaders continue to express outrage at President Obama’s announced plans to normalize Cuba relations, and are promising to block the effort. Can they?

Not likely, according to experts, who say that President Obama has considerable leeway to curb the embargo against Cuba unilaterally, and Congress has limited options as far as stopping him.

That’s because even though a number of Congressional leaders are lining up against the rapprochement, the polls show broad support among Americans, and they probably won’t be able to muster a veto-proof resolution.

Public animosity toward Cuba has faded over the last half century, business interests are lining up to cash in as the US normalizes its relations with Cuba, and indeed brings its policy in line with the rest of the world.

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.