UN Adopts Resolution Condemning US Embargo on Cuba

[WhiteTara]

my it is a lonely isolated life we live in the U.S.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-11-08-voa84.cfm
The U.N. General Assembly has overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling on the United States to end its economic embargo of Cuba.

For the 15th consecutive year, the General Assembly approved a non-binding measure criticizing Washington's embargo against Fidel Castro's Cuba. The vote this time was virtually the same as last year: 183-4, with only Israel and two small Pacific island states voting with the United States.

The vote on the resolution has become an annual exercise in the Assembly since 1992. This year's list of speakers condemning the embargo and America's human rights policies included such vocal U.S. critics as Zimbabwe, Sudan, Syria, Burma, Belarus, China, Vietnam and Laos.

Cuba's Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque personally represented Havana. He blasted the embargo, calling it tantamount to genocide.

"The economic war waged by the United States against Cuba, which is the most extensive and cruel war that has existed, and which can be qualified as an act of genocide, and is a clear violation of international law and of the United Nations charter, over these 48 years, the United States embargo has caused in Cuba economic damage in excess of $86 billion," he said.

[Mika]

1. Think the Dems will change the senseless embargo policies?

Think again. :banghead:

[Bush_MUST_Go]

2. Maybe if Cuba agrees to let us keep torturing people in Gitmo?

[struggle4progress]

4. Across the political spectrum, there are enough people interested

in ending the embargo to end it. In particular, plenty of business interests would like the embargo ended. Ending the embargo is probably doable, but would require a lot of work putting together the supporting coalition.

[whistle]

3. Is John Bolton now a lamb duck at the U.N.?

[Judi Lynn]

5. Former U.S. Diplomat To Cuba Calls For End To Embargo

Former U.S. Diplomat To Cuba Calls For End To Embargo
November 9, 2006 6:06 p.m. EST

Matthew Borghese - All Headline News Staff Writer
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - The former U.S. diplomat to Cuba says the Bush administration needs to end the embargo.

Wayne S. Smith, a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington, D.C. and the former Chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana says that as Cuba transitions from the decades-long regime of Fidel Castro, the U.S.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, contends that a Cuba led by Fidel's younger brother, Raul Castro, is "unacceptable."

The issue has recently received international attention once again after the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to pressure the United States to end its economic embargo against Cuba.

For 15 consecutive years, the U.N. has voted to urge the U.S. to end its 45-year-old trade embargo "as soon as possible."

However, the U.S. has fired back, with deputy ambassador Ronald Godard says, "We maintain this embargo to demonstrate our continuing call for economic and political freedom for all Cubans."
(snip/)

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7005464463

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
India opposes US embargo against Cuba
9 Nov, 2006 1055hrs ISTIANS

UNITED NATIONS: India has urged the international community to redouble its efforts to have an economic environment free from sanctions and embargoes and one capable of providing equal opportunities to all countries.

"India has consistently opposed any unilateral measures by countries, which impinge on the sovereignty of another country. These include any attempt to extend the application of a country's laws extra-territorially to other sovereign nations," Indian delegate A. Vijaya Raghavan said during a UN General Assembly debate on Wednesday.

"We share the views expressed by the countries which have reiterated their opposition to the extra-territorial aspect of the economic embargo," he said in the debate on the necessity of ending US embargo against Cuba.

The embargo has been implemented in accordance with the 1992 Cuban Democracy Act (the so-called Torricelli Law), and the 1996 Helms Burton Act, through which the extra-territorial reach of the embargo encompasses foreign companies as well as foreign subsidiaries of US companies doing business with Cuba, Raghavan noted.

The embargo and sanctions imposed by the United States against Cuba has been in place for over four decades and has been a subject of discussion in the General Assembly for the fifteenth time.
(snip/...)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/377877.cms

[personman]

6. K&R, End the embargo. n/t

[LynnTheDem]

7. One catches far more bees with honey.

Too bad rightwingnuts (and many Dems) are too thick to get this simple fact.

[Mika]

8. Unless the "bees" are campaign contributions.

The pro and anti Cuba sanctions crowd is a mixed group of Dems and repugs on both sides.

Maintaining the status quo yields great campaign contributions from the various interest groups on both sides.

Ending the sanctions on Cuba only removes the impetus/platform for these contributions.

As long as the US political system is totally dependent on millions and millions of dollars for campaign funding from private/corporate groups, then it is more politically advantageous to maintain programs such as the US sanctions on Cuba.

The status quo benefits both sides on this issue.

The UN condemnation of the US sanctions is just as much a condemnation of our political (campaign funding) system.

[LynnTheDem]

9. Absolutely.

Best democracy money can buy.