tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503239653195967295.post3323575828604519442..comments2008-06-25T10:30:40.557-04:00Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285764199578112393noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503239653195967295.post-55831913680873120472008-06-25T10:30:00.000-04:002008-06-25T10:30:00.000-04:00Here is poignant question for our time:<BR/><BR/>Should Raul grow out a beard to appear more like his brother?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503239653195967295.post-82089195592391847672008-06-23T15:21:00.000-04:002008-06-23T15:21:00.000-04:00"The EU sanctions were introduced after Cuba's government rounded up 75 dissidents in 2003. Sixteen of those arrested have been released on medical parole and another four were freed last month into forced exile in Spain. But more than 200 dissidents are still serving jail terms."<BR/><BR/>So Cuba is improving under Raul? Thanks EU.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3503239653195967295.post-83564365041886202862008-06-21T20:04:00.000-04:002008-06-21T20:04:00.000-04:00I agree with you. The EU lifting sanctions on Cuba is a horrible idea. The reason those sanctions were put in place was because of the Black Spring of 2003 where 75 individuals were arrested, subjected to show trials, and sentenced to prison terms up to 30 years. To this day, they are still held under brutal prison conditions. Seven dissidents, including "Antunez", a well-known dissident who fights for democracy in Cuba, were violently detained yesterday in the city of Matanzas while staging a peaceful protest near an Interior Ministry office.<BR/>No one has heard from them since. <BR/><BR/>How does this show any change in the brutal regime?<BR/><BR/>Now, the EU lifts the sanctions because of "changes" Raul and the "new regime" has put? I certainly don't see any kind of fundamental break within the Castro dictatorship that would give me reason to believe that now would be the time to lift sanctions or otherwise fundamentally alter our policies. <BR/><BR/>There has been no steps taken in Cuba by Raul Castro to better conditions for its citizens and their 'freedoms'…Cell phones? Right. How will they pay for the service? Internet? Sure. How will they pay for the service? Raul Castro has simply made a few useless changes to ultimately appeal to the international community but have no real affect on the island. <BR/><BR/><BR/>By lifting the sanctions yet "imposing tough conditions on the communist island to maintain sanction-free relations" is completely unrealistic because Raul has not, and probably never will change his ways. We cannot expect a ruthless man to change simply because the EU has set rules and regulations for the island to follow.<BR/><BR/>Any thoughts?Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187874760075757357noreply@blogger.com