Be careful what you wish for

Be careful what you wish for
PEDRO CAMPOS | La Habana | 27 Oct 2015 - 4:51 pm.

If the Cuban government is hampering the lifting of the embargo, does
that mean Obama's policy is a failure...or does it ratify its efficacy?

In two months it will be one year since, on December 17, the governments
of Cuba and the United States announced their intention to restore and
normalize relations between the two countries. Diplomatic relations have
been re-established, the nations' respective flags have been run up at
their embassies, several decrees by President Obama have modified some
of the regulations applying to the embargo-blockade, and numerous
official US delegations and groups of businesspeople have traveled to
Cuba in an effort to reach additional agreements.

The Cuban government, however, insists that nothing has changed and that
the blockade remains intact, and that there will be no "normalization"
until all the embargo's terms have been lifted, the naval base at
Guantanamo is closed and its land returned, and Cuba is compensated for
the damages caused by years of sanctions.

A review of the comments of political scientists and experts in
international relations and Cuban-American affairs suggests that behind
the Cuban government's stance lies its interest in frustrating further
rapprochement with the US, or taking any step that will facilitate the
lifting of the embargo, in order to impede any kind of exchange with the
most affluent society in the world. According to some simpletons,
Gorbachev's opening up to the West was actually the cause of the demise
of the socialist camp, rather than a result of its stifling internal
contradictions.

The perpetuation of the blockade-embargo will serve, in turn, to justify
the repression of thought and digressive political activity which, if it
were to overcome current pressures, could grow too strong for the PCC to
control.

According to some Obama's policy has failed and a new course should be
charted, for it has not achieved its objective of influencing the
internal situation in Cuba. But, in reality, the lack of a response by
the Cuban government above all demonstrates its intransigence and its
interest in stymying the lifting of the blockade-embargo, with a view to
remaining in power.

Question: If the Cuban government is hampering the lifting of the
blockade-embargo, does that mean Obama's policy is a failure, or does it
confirm the policy's wisdom? Don't those who argue that it is a failure
realize that maintaining the embargo-blockade means kowtowing to those
in Havana who want this?

Consequently, if the Cuban government is making every effort to maintain
the blockade, because this enables the regime to more easily maintain
internal control, supporting the maintenance of the embargo and opposing
Obama's policy amounts to playing into the Castros' hand.

These opinions are expressed with the utmost respect for those who think
differently, without any intention of accusing anyone of serving
"Castro/Communist" interests.

Let everyone assess —without prejudices, if possible— the phenomenon
itself. And, in any case, he would realize that if the "government of
the Castros" is demonstrating that it really does not want to lift the
blockade —as suggested by more than a few observers, as a full range of
exchanges with the US would cause it to lose power— then it would be
logical for those who want to change things in Cuba with regards to US
policy to endorse the definitive lifting of all the clauses, codes and
other regulations entailed by the embargo-blockade.

An old popular saying is germane here: "Be careful what you wish for."

Source: Be careful what you wish for | Diario de Cuba -
http://www.diariodecuba.com/cuba/1445957502_17752.html