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USA vs Cuba

US Citizens are not allowed to travel to Cuba.  There are a few exceptions made, but you have to get permission from the Treasury Department?  This policy is supposed to be a sanction against Cuba and a way to keep US dollars out of Cuba's economy.  The House and Senate recently voted to cut off all government funding currently used to enforce this position.  President Bush has promised to veto any bill that weakens sanctions against Cuba.  

What do you think about citizens from a supposedly free society being forbidden to travel any place they choose by their supposedly free government?  Do you think the need for economic sanctions outweighs individual liberty?

Cuba USA

This is a very interesting thread. I'm not a US citizens but if I was it, I would definetly think my rights are being restricted....Even if US citizens are allow to go to Cuba right now, they are not allow to make any kind of business transactions...yes, they cannot even buy food, they usually go with cuban tourist plan where the meals are included, it is ridiculous in my opinion. US citizens or any other free country should allow their citizens to go anywhere they wanna go.

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I agree with you LDS.  I would understand if Cuba said US citizens couldn't come into their country because maybe we might corrupt the beliefs of their people or something, but I don't like my own country telling me where I can go or what I can do.  The only acceptable exception to this for me would be government security.  This is why certain things can't be exported.  That is fine, no State secrets revealed, etc.

The only problem I do see is what happens when a US citizen goes to Cuba and gets in trouble for doing something acceptable to us in the US like speaking out against the government or something and then they get arrested?  I could see certain "Hollywood" Types doing this.  

I think we should be allowed to go to any country we want, but the government should make it clear we do so at our own risk.

Cuba USA

tena said:

LDS_Forever said:

I think it's absurd. We were allowed to travel in communist Soviet Union, why not communist Cuba? What did Cuba do that was any worse than what caused the tensions we had with the Soviet regime?

I admit to being rather ignorant of the reasons here, and I frankly have no desire to actually go to Cuba.

Yes, I can see that happening. And then they would be begging for amnesty/clemency. "But I didn't know!!" is no excuse when you are traveling in another country.

I remember years ago a teenage kid who was living in Singapore (I think) and did something for which he was arrested -- vandalism of someone's property. His punishment was to be "caned" (beaten with a cane). He got only a few strokes. Anyone remember that, and the uproar in the U.S. because his parents were so upset about it? I think the kid deserved it. You can't go into another country and break their rules without expecting to pay *their* price for it.

Roz

Cuba USA

This is what gets the rest of the world 'angry' with the US. They want something so they make it difficult for others to achieve what they want. A good example of this is in my own country. Cuba is a friend to Trinidad and the US officials came down here telling us that we should drop associations with them. Of course our PM did no such thing (wise man), afterall, what is the US going to do... pay our bills, be a better trading partner? No! We allow our people to go wherever they wish as we see it as an influence for good with the other. It the case of the US it seems like they want to ensure there is constant tension!

USA vs Cuba

I don't think that is a fair statement, but since it isn't really a part of this topic, I will not go further with it.

I believe we are prohibited from going to Cuba because our government is trying to force certain issues in Cuba via an embargo of sorts. It hasn't worked.

The topic is whether or not it is right for a country that says it believes in freedom to then tell it's citizens where they can travel. I say no. I don't believe it is right for the US to say we believe in freedom, but not if that means someone who is doing something we don't like might benefit from your choice. Now, of course, I am not speaking of benefiting in terms of a treasonous act or war or something. This is all about money.

Edited: tenaheff on 17th Dec, 2003 - 4:44pm

USA Cuba

JB got a rebuke! JB got a rebuke! JB got a rebuke! la la la la *LDS-forever sings while sticking out her tongue*

Now, I agree with Tena that I don't think the government of the United States have any rights to tell the people where to travel, they can suggest but they cannot force! where is the democracy and the freedom of the US citizens then? It's absurd in my opinion.

USA Cuba Politics Business Civil & History

In addition, it's been so long since whatever "Offense" Occurred with Cuba and the U.S., I think we should give it up. Time for amnesty. Forgive, forget, and let Cuba begin to thrive.

Anyhow, I know Americans can get to cuba via other countries -- like Mexico, for example. So what's the big deal?

Roz

Only three nations voted against the motion - the US, Israel and the Marshall Islands. Two others abstained.

The US embargo was imposed on Cuba after Fidel Castro defeated a 1961 CIA-backed assault at the Bay of Pigs.

Edited: JB on 12th Jan, 2014 - 2:23pm