Monday, July 27, 2009

Cuba and the US Embargo

I watched a documentary on CBC last night on Cuba and what the US embargo is doing to the people of Cuba. Had it not been for this embargo, Cuba could have been one of the most prosperous nations in the world but because US capitalism and imperialism does not agree with Cuban "socialism" it has been punished for over half a century now.

I am not an authority on Castro but I think he was a good leader and selflessly tried to improve the lives of his fellow citizens. Cuba has one of the best healthcare systems in the world despite the embargo. I have heard that some Canadians go there for treatment. Cuba has a good social safety net for the poor but again the embargo gets in the way.

How many millions of people will suffer around the world because of US imperialism before the US realizes the blunders of its actions. The Japanese during the Second World War, then Korea, Vietnam, and more recently Iraq and Afghanistan. Millions of people have perished because of US policies and millions others live in utter poverty because of US government policies dictated by big business and powerful lobbies. Given its international policies, can you really call the US the greatest democracy in the world, or is it really another one of those oppressive imperialist powers?

To be fair to the American people in general, the majority of them do not approve of all this. There were fierce protests against the Vietnam War and there are protests against the Iraq and Afghanistan wars but much more subdued than the Vietnam War protests. The problem lies with big business and the oil conglomerates. Their greed influence how the US is governed.

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