Always in the background of the Elian Gonzalez story is the United States' relationship with Cuba, which has served to make most of us sure that the child is being used for propaganda purposes in both countries. The intent was to isolate Cuba in retaliation for the policies and government of dictator Fidel Castro with the hope that an embargo would weaken Cuba's government and result in Castro's ouster. It has done neither. Economic embargo as a tool of diplomacy has seldom worked. It failed with Cuba, with Iraq and with China.
Communism is dead most everywhere except in Cuba and China.
The Soviet Union collapsed after it became a trading partner. Its satellite, East Germany, collapsed and was absorbed by West Germany via reunification. Capitalism won out over communism. Cuba's brand of communism will probably die shortly after Castro dies. In the meantime, all that the embargo accomplishes is to increase the poverty and shortages that Castro's policies have created, adding to the misery of the people.