Obama, Castro hold historic meeting

Well played, Obama.

It is interesting that here in Japan, Cuba, Iran, etc etc etc are just other countries. I hear group tours there are pretty popular.

It is interesting that here in Japan, Cuba, Iran, etc etc etc are just other countries. I hear group tours there are pretty popular.

I've heard excellent things about visiting both countries.

Let's just wait and see how sincere the Castro regime is and if they do some real reform in that country and give more freedom to their people and allow for dissent in that country hopefully return our murderous fugitives to face justice. That would be the first step and see where that takes us and see what congress says and how they will weigh on this.

Obama has undeniably made huge positive progress in so many areas. If to make progress, one has to virtually ignore the idiotic GOP, then so be it. Obama has really taken on the big issues head on. Health insurance, immigration, Bin Laden, and now Cuba. Good on him. Undoubtedly, history will realize that he is one of the best presidents the US has ever had. It is just sad that Republican supporters seems to be jealous of anyone who is well-spoken, intelligent, faces what needs to be done and gets it done one way or another. Hats off to him. The man is a legend.

Obama has undeniably made huge positive progress in so many areas. If to make progress, one has to virtually ignore the idiotic GOP, then so be it.

So now you are saying we should bury democracy and have just a ONE party government, nice. Liberal logic at its worst!

Obama has really taken on the big issues head on. Health insurance, immigration, Bin Laden, and now Cuba.

With the exception of Bin Laden, everything else was scorched!

Undoubtedly, history will realize that he is one of the best presidents the US has ever had.

I'm old enough to remember when people were saying the same thing about Jimmy Carter at first....

It is just sad that Republican supporters seems to be jealous of anyone who is well-spoken, intelligent, faces what needs to be done and gets it done one way or another.

Republican supporters? You know Ted Cruz doesn't is also intelligent, similar background to Obama's in many ways, but unlike Obama he doesn't need a teleprompter when he speaks.

The man is a legend.

That he is, but definitely NOT for what you are thinking. but we still have 577 more days to go before the party starts!

From a perspective from South America, Obama has done an incredible job. Approaching Cuba is seen here as an important step towards helping the Cuban people first, not changing Cuba's political system. Of course, it will come eventually, sooner or later. Cuba, despite its record of human rights abuses needed this important progress. On the other hand, Venezuela, Brasil and Argentina are doing a poor job in every aspect possible, and Obama's interference would be more than welcome.

For those who will criticise Obama over this can I suggest that nearly 60 years of embargo didn't really achieve much.

A narcissist and outer parallel universe Obama believes in talking his way out of trouble. He talks with the Mullahs of Iran, Cuba's Castro, and who will be next? There are no substance in dealing with these dictators since they are ruling with absolute iron clad without basic human rights. Cuba and Iran need political reform, and Obama helps these dictators to gain more legitimacy? It is so naive and lack of substance's foreign policy, as we seen with reset button with Russia, Syria's red line, and false claimed of success in Yemen. They are full with hot air with premature Kumbaya.

The people who oppose these talks with Cuba and with Iran remind me of those who continue to push the war on drugs. Never mind that 40+ years of these policies have shown they don't accomplish anything, they insist that we keep on with these policies, rather than moving on to something a little more modern - risk management.

A narcissist and outer parallel universe Obama believes in talking his way out of trouble.

Hah! "Narcissist"?! - another comment based on the current wing nut zeitgeist created because they have run out of all other options. And "talking his way out of trouble" - gee, mitigating decades-old problems through discussion rather than war might seem disastrous to Chicken Hawks but not to rational Americans, as polls show.

this should have been done years ago. the second the US fully opens its market to cuba, will be the end of castro's dictatorship and abuse over the lives of all people unlucky enough to live in cuba with no other choice.

Whatever you think of Castro, this guy was no angel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulgencio_Batista Which leader was worse for the Cuban people, that's a tough one.

Why does the US, the world's preeminent (though waning) imperial power, make such a fuss about this small island nation? Is it's greed-is-good and your-resources-are-ours ideology so fragile that it cannot withstand the idea and practice of another way of socio-economic organization?

@bruinfan

Not a difficult choice. Only a lunatic would prefer Batista. Or a rich, privileged social and moral bankrupt. Or, indeed a Republican politician.

Obama has clearly stated that a main reason for normalization is to encourage human rights and democratization - which is why a prerequisite to removing Cuba from the terrorism-sponsor list is freedom of movement for American diplomatic personnel in Havana. Normalization is a means, not an end.

Don't forget that now if the US does not make friends with these countries (Cuba, Iran, etc.), China will. And China's sphere of influence will increase as the US influence decreases. The US will become isolated.

@lucabrasi

Yes, I think so too. However, I have had to deal with policies from people who thought Batista was A OK, yet Castro, so evil that no one should even be allowed to visit Cuba.

Let's hope the can work things out and everyone benefits -- especially the Cuban people (not only the government). What Obama has done is historic, and now Cuba needs to take a few steps for good measure on the human rights and freedom of the press issues, and then I think the two nations can work earnestly together. High time they did.

bass4funk: "Republican supporters? You know Ted Cruz doesn't is also intelligent, similar background to Obama's in many ways, but unlike Obama he doesn't need a teleprompter when he speaks."

Broken record. And in any case if Cruz is intelligent he most certainly does NOT show it, calling himself Galileo, demanding a repeal to legislation that doesn't exist, etc. etc. A dangerous hypocrite and a moron, for sure. "Intelligent"? No. At least not in terms of how he uses what he's learned in books.

Obama, Castro hold historic meeting

Two Communist's in one room, how touching....... 2016 elections can't get here soon enough...... I just hope that the free world can survive until then!

StrangerlandApr. 12, 2015 - 01:07PM JST The people who oppose these talks with Cuba and with Iran remind me of

The people who support kowtowing to tyrants, fanatics and Socialist remind me of Neville Chamberland and his supporters...How well did his appeasement plan work?

But, who can blame President Obama, he is a Liberal and we all know that Liberals love trying to reason with tyrants, fanatics and Socialist.

100,000,000 people paid the price for Liberal Neville Chamberland's insane appeasement plan.....How many will pay the price for Obama's appeasement plan?

"Castro, for his part, said he agreed with everything Obama had said"

Heck, if only the Republicans could say that, we wouldn't have this gridlock...

The people who support kowtowing to tyrants, fanatics and Socialist remind me of Neville Chamberland and his supporters...

Let's interpret this dog whistle so that non-fanatics can understand. Obama is only interested in his "legacy," meaning the changed America he leaves behind. He is also similar to Neville Chamberland, which in their world is worse than an appeaser and more an enabler of Hitler (they're smart enough - they think - not to go straight Godwin's Law as that would be too obvious). In other words, Obama is actively trying to bring America down; he is a black, Kenyan, communist Manchurian candidate.

Anti-white, anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist allegations towards the President, elected twice by the American people, will only grow in fervor as the right realizes more fully their failures versus his successes and their impotence over the next year leading to the next election.

I don't believe I've ever seen anyone go to this much trouble to set himself up for disillusionment.

I was just saying the truth.

Two Communist's in one room, how touching....... 2016 elections can't get here soon enough...... I just hope that the free world can survive until then!

We'll get past this as well. I seriously doubt life can go further down the tubes than right now at this moment.

Broken record. And in any case if Cruz is intelligent he most certainly does NOT show it, calling himself Galileo, demanding a repeal to legislation that doesn't exist, etc. etc.

Look who's talking. The Sainted anointed one appointed himself as the righteous almighty, so he didn't say it, but by his actions and body language and his lack of care towards everyone else, acting as THE Sainted savior

Also, Cruz seems to go against the grain to rock the boat of the GOP which I definitely relish!

A dangerous hypocrite and a moron, for sure. "Intelligent"? No.

Hypocrite and moron??? Sums up the last 6 years. Anyone that can p** off Obama and the Democratic socialists in Washington and gets noticed is NOT only intelligent, but gets my serious handshake!

At least not in terms of how he uses what he's learned in books.

Is there any other country that currently has an embargo against Cuba?

Without looking Europe must be involved in the embargo to some extent. I like the odd cigar and I only get Cubans when my girlfriend has been in South America. For that alone bring on the Cuban exports!

Cuba used to export sugar. N Korea must be worrying now that Cuba will not sell Missile to N K/ MLB must be glad as Cuba born players excite fans. Not because we feel sorry for Cuba but they just play excellent. Wasn't Dem Govt when US planned to assassinate his brother, Fidel? It was a very poor country where children lined up on street, stretched their hand to beg money or apple. Not now maybe but hope this new friendship will help their people.

Well it looks like there is no embargo from the EU, Russia, China, India, Brazil, Japan, and Canada. What is it the US will "legitimize" by engaging in trade?

If "American foreign policy towards Cuba was ineffective for a half-century", why Obama has recently declared the same sort of policy towards Russia? A Magic POTUS.