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Name: Antony Loewenstein
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Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Taking sides

Reuters, November 8:

"Nearly every country in the world joined on Tuesday to urge the United States to lift its four-decade old economic embargo against Cuba in a record U.N. General Assembly vote.

"The vote, held for the 14th consecutive year, was 182 to 4 with 1 abstention on a resolution calling for Washington to lift the U.S. trade, financial and travel embargo, particularly its provisions penalizing foreign firms.

"The five voting "no" were the United States, Israel, Palau and the Marshall Islands. Micronesia abstained and El Salvador, Iraq, Nicaragua and Morocco did not vote. Last year the vote was 179 to 5, with more countries refusing to vote.

"Cuba has been under a U.S. embargo since President Fidel Castro defeated a CIA-backed assault at the Bay of Pigs in 1961."

Some of the "no" countries have consorted before. Israel is a client state and Palau and Marshall Islands are heavily dependent on American largesse. Back in 2003, Israel's "security fence" was condemned by the International Court of Justice. A subsequent UN vote proved the world was against Israel's apartheid wall, but Marshall Islands and Micronesia sided with the US.

Once again, Israel and the US remain internationally isolated.

7 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

So, what should be done about Cuba's human rights violations?

Wednesday, November 09, 2005 6:49:00 pm  
Blogger Antony Loewenstein said...

The trade embargo is criminal and utterly counter-productive.
It's still hilarious how the US treats Cuba. Such anger, such vitriol, such pointlessness.
Pressure on Castro re human rights is both proper and necessary, but current policies achieve nothing.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005 7:05:00 pm  
Blogger Unknown said...

Okay, the embargo's a joke; propose effective measures to replace it. The EU's been working – sans embargo - on improving the human rights situation but without significant progress. What will work?

Wednesday, November 09, 2005 8:53:00 pm  
Blogger Ibrahamav said...

One day, Castro will die. Then we'll see.

Thursday, November 10, 2005 12:26:00 am  
Blogger Ibrahamav said...

Since most every country, including what passed for the Vatican, has sinned in this matter, we should all do absolutely nothing for fear of being considered a hypocrite.

Or we can tell the Addamo's of the world to piss off and do what we believe to be the right thing through our flawed yet effective democratic process.

Addamo - piss off.

Thursday, November 10, 2005 3:53:00 am  
Blogger Ibrahamav said...

Shabadoo, he's just a one-trick pony. Sup will flame and burn out as all unsustainable ideas do.

Thursday, November 10, 2005 8:05:00 am  
Blogger Taylor Kirk said...

We're doing our weekly debate on this topic this morning. We'd love for you to comment!

Taylor
The Latin Americanist
http://ourlatinamerica.blogspot.com

Friday, November 11, 2005 1:54:00 am  

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