Congress trip could thaw Cuban relations

[cal04]

A group of 10 members of the US Congress have arrived in Cuba in what is being seen as the first move in a possible thawing of relations with the country.

The cross-party group is believed to be the largest congressional delegation to visit the country since the revolution in 1959 and comes amid further rumours of Fidel Castro's failing health.

The group includes William Delahunt, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican, who have campaigned against the trade embargo which has been tightened by President Bush.

It is not known whether they will meet the country's interim leader, Raul Castro, who has already indicated that he would like to see better relations with the US. The group, whose visit is due to end on Sunday afternoon, is also due to meet Michael Parmly, head of the American interests section on the island.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1973336,00.html

[RC]

1. This whole cuban treatment since Castro took over seems rather

childish to me. Where/when ever the Unites States meddles, the people affected most seem to come in last.

[Judi Lynn]

2. I can't wait to hear the reports from the Democrats involved in this trip.

More importantly, it will be WONDERFUL if there is some legislation pending at the beginning of the year on dropping the travel ban, and loosening the embargo restrictions.

No nation has suffered like this, helplessly, under a crushing embargo for daring to claim its independence from a monster state.

The obsession with controlling Cuba started becoming chronic in the 1800's, and had become completely off the wall by Christmas Eve, 1897, when the U.S. Secretary of War, a former Conferderate officer in the Civil War, John C. Greenwood wrote:

It is obvious that the immediate annexation of these disturbing elements into our own federation in such large numbers would be sheer madness, so before we do that we must clean up the country, even if this means using the methods Divine Providence used on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

We must destroy everything within our cannons’ range of fire. We must impose a harsh blockade so that hunger and its constant companion, disease, undermine the peaceful population and decimate the Cuban army.

http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/bmemo.htm