Lift the embargo?

I must admit I am torn on the whole concept of the Cuban embargo. I used to work with a Cuban guy who was adament that the embargo stay in place. He kept telling me how murderous Fidel Castro is, how the people live as prisoners in their own homeland and how lifting the embargo will not help. But on the other hand, maybe it will?

For America, the need for the embargo, I believe, ended with the fall of the Soviet Union. Cuba was no longer a satellite for Russia as it was during the Cold War. The only reason I could see for the embargo is an ideological one since the only threat Cuba poses to the US now is an influx of cigars.

The most vocal group in the US in favor of the embargo is the small Cuban-American exile community in Miami (Little Havana). They claim that lifting the embargo will only help the Castros and not help the people much. Again, it's interesting how the most vocal proponents of the status quo are people who lived under Castro.

Nevertheless, an argument can be made that if Cuba is opened up to millions of Americans, that things will have to change. After all, it was underground western culture that led to the fall of the iron curtain in Eastern Europe and China has become more capitalist.

I say that if done right and the proper concessions can be made such that Cuba makes a transition to greater economic freedom for its citizens, then by all means talk. The US can be a catalyst for liberalizing and modernizing Cuba. Certainly no other country will do so. Every other country seems content with letting Cuba be (including sadly, Canada) and sending tourists to Cuba. Nobody speaks out about their human rights violations.

Will Obama be the guy who gets the ball rolling on a democratic Cuba? I will believe it when I see it. Cuba wants to talk to him from a position of equals. Capitalism shouldn't be treated as equal with socialism. It is far superior to it. Hopefully Obama believes the same.