Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Castro Resigns....Bush Responds

We're certainly not breaking new here (that's what the widget is for), but Fidel Castro leader of Cuba for more than 50 years has resigned, most likely due to his ailing health. President Bush made a statement explaining his belief that the Cuban people should take this as a moment to hold free and fair elections.

The US has an opportunity here to fully normalize relations with Cuba and end the stalemate that has lasted since the cold war. The first step will be nationally recognized elections in Cuba. The possibility of conflict, or perhaps stable democracy in Cuba raises yet another foreign policy issue for the 2008 campaign. Does this help John McCain? Barack Obama?

And what of Kosovo? Newly independent and supported by the US and Europe. Does this create yet another conflict the State department must become involved in? How will our new government respond?

1 comment:

Raquel said...

I think Iraq has taught us the dangers of initiating conflict in the name of freedom. Freedom is only obtainable if it comes from the people within the nation. When the US was still a collection of colonies, France did not come over and begin the Revolutionary War for us, but merely backed us up once we had started it for ourselves.