The Trade Embargo With Cuba Should Be Lifted

I disagree with your statement that the embargo is hurting Castro. This embargo is keeping him in power. The economic instability has weakened the Cuban people and has made them complacent to the dictatorship. Recent interviews with big Cuban dissidents have shown that even Castro's greatest enemies are for economic engagement with the US and against the embargo. I'm sure most Cubans feel the same way. Also, the embargo was put in place partly to stop Castro's rule. It has been forty years, and nothing has changed! It's time for a new strategy and this strategy needs to be free trade. Besides, it is illogical and contradictory to say that free trade with Castro's Cuba will "resuscitate his dying communist regime." More important that hurting Castro, is helping the people. Many are starving and in horrific poverty. Free trade would bring life back to the Cuban economy, therefore giving life back to the Cuban people. Even in the offhand chance that lifting the embargo doesn't get rid of Castro, at least his people will be in a better situation. Both nations would be able to benefit from one another, but the Cubans need it so much more. Why not help out the innocent people when it asks for little to nothing from us? Are your 5th, 6th, and 7th paragraphs your alternatives to lifting the embargo? If they are, they aren't relevant because you are supposed to be debating why the embargo is good. Not the alternatives. Your last paragraph is weak. Why does the fact that Cuba is Communist affect whether you support economic partnership with them? After 40 years, the Cubans have yet to make a major attack on us, and, excluding the official stances, Cuban/American relations are great. Americans visit Cuba all the time (80,000 a year) and no incidents of violence or conflict have ever been reported. The same goes for Cubans in America. So why is their Communism so dangerous? Besides, what happened to the 1st Amendment? Even though they are not citizens, I believe that the right to free speech is inherent. Cubans (even though most are not Communists) have a right to express what political ideologies work best for them. Maybe we don't agree, but that's none of our business. We should respect their choices to become Communist, because it certainly does not affect or hurt us. Also, you didn't address my statement about China. China is Communist, why don't we place an embargo with them? Not only are they Communist, like Cuba, they are also a serious threat to American, worldwide, and even China itself. security. Most political experts will tell you that China is going to replace America as the greatest world power. Isn't this harmful to America? Also, China is the lead supplier of weapons to the Janjaweed, the militia force in Darfur that is responsible for over 400,000 deaths and 2.5 million displaced persons. They are directly responsible for genocide. If they do that, who knows what they will be willing to do to America. Isn't this harmful to the global situation? And the Chinese government has been responsible for countless human rights violations...with in their own country! What I'm trying to get at here is that China is not a nice country, in fact, you could even argue that they are extremely pernicious to international security. Why do we trade with China, but not with the Cubans? They are both Communist. The only difference is that China uses money from us to directly supporting genocide, while Cuba just wants to get back on its feet. What has Cuba done to harm us? I have yet to see any reason NOT to lift the embargo.