Meeting Friday night at a summit in Panama, President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro shook hands in what was the first direct meeting between the two nations’ heads of state in over 50 years.
It’s an historic encounter, but more important is what it represents, the very real chance of a rapprochement between the two countries and an end to half a century of US economic embargoes.
The next big step in that direction would be the removal of Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. There was never much real evidence to support this listing, but this is the first time in decades the matter has even been under consideration, with the State Department reported to have endorsed the removal.
Progress is such removals is often dependent on political convenience at any given time, and US officials are said to be pressing Cuba for guarantees on diplomatic access, something obviously totally unrelated to terror, in return for their removal.
never much real evidence to support this listing
Would've presumed it had more to do with grudges (e.g., gambling interests kicked out?). Recently noticed the weird phenomenon of hijackings (e.g. 'demand to land in Cuba' or happened to involve a landing in Cuba) in the 60s-80s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_hij… … Anyone know how exactly Cuba made the list?
Communism. This was the Cold War era, and communist countries were automatically sanctioned in most cases.
No other pretense required? 'Terrorism' is at least a separate theme, even if largely another excuse to burn a witch…
http://web.archive.org/web/20070704144838/http://… —looks like it was about supporting ~'leftist revolutionaries'… so, e.g., I'd imagine branding them had something in common with, say, funding the rapists of busloads of nuns. …and, eventually, cannibals…
Might makes right — In a world driven by fright
All force is satanic, especially nukes, but if Cuba wanted respect and equality out of Empire USA it should have kept the Russian nukes in place and told the US to shout it’s mouth. For if USA can have nukes on the border of Russia, then any nation can do the same against the most satanic Empire the world has ever known.
Never trust a regime where it's system based on capitalism nor neo liberals, one way other they have or they will create a demand sooner than later, that is to say if thier "friendship" is a act of desperation for not having any friends left. When such hand shaking taking place is not necessarily about friends shaking hands but rather Obamas manipulative ideas where he shake hands with those who supports terrorists, like saudis and israeli regime.