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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (177186)	12/9/2005 10:50:26 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

"So that BEGS THE QUESTION.. Why is Cuba STILL suffereing economically when EVERY OTHER COUNTRY is a potential marketplace for their obviously "high quality" goods?? Or why isn't Cuba becoming a fantastic investment HOTSPOT for international capital (other than the US?)" I dunno; maybe it is :>) The United States is alone in the international community in enacting restrictive Cuban policies. No other country has joined the United States in the trade embargo against Cuba; in fact, the Helms-Burton Act angered nations that do business with Cuba. For example, Canada, Spain, France, and Italy are among Cuba's top trading partners. These nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO) contend that the United States has no right to dictate which other countries Cuba can and cannot trade with. Furthermore, Cuba, along with the United States, is a founding member of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which prohibits cutting off trade with a member nation. Supporters of Helms-Burton, however, cite a WTO "escape clause" that says that a nation can enact a trade embargo if its national security is in jeopardy. Many U.S. lawmakers believe that Castro poses such a threat, thereby giving the United States permission to implement trade sanctions against Cuba. Foreign Investment. Many foreign investors see great opportunities in the Cuban trade market, because of the end of Soviet aid and decades of the U.S. trade embargo. For example, Canadian businesses are benefiting from the lack of competition from the United States. Canadian pharmaceutical companies are marketing Cuban products, Canadian mining companies are developing uninhabited areas in Cuba, and hotel chains are operating state-owned resorts on Cuban beaches. American investors take note of all this and conclude that they are missing out on valuable business opportunities. Canada and many other nations believe that the best way to promote democracy in Cuba is to express hopes for political reform after becoming engaged—economically and otherwise—in the country. Many people in the United States, however, do not think that foreign countries' dollars should support or encourage Castro's regime in any way. ---- There would probably be more, but... The Helms-Burton Act states that American citizens can sue foreign investors who utilize American property seized by the Cuban government. In addition, those who "traffic" in this property or profit from it will be denied visas to the United States. cigars.about.com Yeah, Cuba is a threat to our security. LMAO. National insecurity is more like it. Just thinking about it is so scary we don't need to market laxatives anymore. When you are constipated, start thinking about the mighty superpower off our shore. What's a bigger threat to our security, Cuba, or the torrent of Mexican illegals we have here? It ain't even a contest.