Cuba and United States Relations Essay - 1392 Words

The defining characteristic of the state is the ability to wield power. The use of power, both inside and outside of one’s border, directly speaks to the sovereignty of the nation. If a nation is incapable of disciplining or punishing its citizens it will invariably become a failed state. Moreover if a country isn’t recognized as powerful in the global political arena, that country stands a very good chance of being dominated by a nation who has the capacity to enforce its own will. The use, or at least the perception, of power is so fundamental in nationhood that those who wield the most power can easily dictate world events. A country need not take direct actions against others in order to establish dominance. Coercing threats can†¦show more content†¦If a country is cooperative, the promise of rewards will help to achieve the dominate countries goals. For countries to refuse to cooperate, the easiest way for the superior country to achieve desired results is to impose sanctions on the country. Economic sanctions can be disastrous for a country that’s economy is export driven and are relatively low risk for the imposing nation. Cuba is an example of world powers imposing their will on a county of lesser means in such a way. After Fidel Castro’s revolution and nationalizing of the economy (and after a failed attempt of American trained Cubans to overthrow Castro at the Bay of Pigs), the United States imposed an economic embargo on Cuba. Ideologically motivated to curb the spread of communism, America refused to do business with Cuba unless it reformed politically. The failure of America’s ultimatum was due to the Soviets eventual backing of the communist government in Cuba. The Cubans were unhurt by America’s sanctions because the Russians were able to send enough money to keep Castro’s economy afloat. This economic stimulus that the USSR gave the Cubans did not come without a steep price. For the second time in a few years Castro felt the pressure of a super power trying to control the future of his county. Soviet PremierShow MoreRelatedThe Relations Between The United States And Cuba1487 Words   |  6 Pages The turbulent relations between the United States and Cuba became more controversial since the Cold War. They reached their apex on 15th October 1962, when after realizing that the Soviet Union was developing missile bases in Cuba, President Kennedy started taking strong procedures against Cuba. Indeed in February 1962 he signed the Embargo, which has not yet been lifted but reached improvements after more than 50 years, in April 2015 during Barack Obama and Raul Castro presidency (Renwick and LeeRead MoreU.s. Relations Between The United States And Cuba843 Words   |  4 Pagesthe recent months, the media has been in a frenzy with the topic of the new emerging relations evolving between the United States and Cuba. This new development, following merely years after Raul Castro was succeeded by his brother Fidel, prompted an inquiry. Why new relations now? Has there been a significant current event to prompt the end to a 50 year embargo? Is Cuba becoming more liberal? Or is the Unite d States merely become more sensible? In essence, we are aiming to unearth the underlying forcesRead MoreThe Warming Of Relations Between Cuba And The United States1285 Words   |  6 PagesA controversial subject,yet not spoken about enough,the warming of relations between Cuba and the U.S exists only due to the two countries having a rough past with each other. This â€Å"rough past† consists of aspects such as the protectorate status the U.S had previously put onto Cuba, which severely limited their independence and the U.S had, ironically, just helped them achieve. Some take a stance that we as countries should stay distant from each other due to our vast governmental and cultural differencesRead MoreShould the U.S. Government Drop Its Sanctions against Cuba?1676 Words   |  7 Pagesuse of force as a primary method of international coercion. Cuba is one of the countries considered as a rogue state by the United States and its allies. The emergence of Cuba as a communi st country in the western hemisphere in 1960, and the nationalization of a huge amount of US assets in Cuba by the then new regime led to the sanctions against Cuba. However, starting from the end of the 1980’s the Communist block begin falling apart. Cuba lost its international allies and became helpless both economicallyRead MoreEssay about The US Embargo on Cuba1077 Words   |  5 PagesS. imposed an Embargo against Cuba on Oct. 19, 1960. Has the time come to the United States to lift the five-decade embargo? The Embargo was a part of America’s Cold War strategy against the Soviet Union, imposed on the belief that Cuba was a threat to the U.S. since the Soviet Union was a danger to the National Security because of its alliance with the Soviet Union. Although Cuba would like the U.S to terminate the embargo against their country, the U.S. wants Cuba to make their situation a betterRead MoreCuban American Policy On Cuban Immigrants773 Words   |  4 Pagesfleeing fr om Cuba, Elian Gonzalez came to the United States and caused a large discussion over whether or not he would stay, which helped reform The United States’ policy on Cuban immigrants. Cuban-American policy is a very controversial subject. Elian Gonzalez’s case changed the United states. At the time many Cubans were coming to the United States and they were allowed to stay because of a policy called the wet foot, dry foot policy which said that if Cubans reached United States soil they wouldRead MoreCub A Long History With Cuba2896 Words   |  12 PagesThe United States has had a long history with Cuba. Within that long history came many arguments and accusations, such as the demand that Castro request that the U.S. embassy staff be reduced. Following that request came an outrageous accusation stating that the embassy was being used as a foundation for spies. This made U.S. officials think that Castro’s government was too anti-American to be trusted. Castro started nationalizing foreign property and companies as a re sponse to the U.S., so the UnitedRead More Cuban Relations Essay4043 Words   |  17 PagesCuban Relations In the year 1959 a politician named Fidel Castro led a revolution against the Cuban government under Fulgencio Batista. Castro used his influence to persuade the Cuban people to fight for him in the revolution against Batista’s government. With the people on his side, Castro successfully overthrew the Cuban government and was eventually elected President. These people believed in Castro, and that he would make Cuba a better place to live and work in. Once Fidel Castro hadRead More The Cuban Embargo: An Economic Sanction that Never Achieved its Goals. Close, But No Cigar.4307 Words   |  18 Pagesgive a very brief summary of the actions which caused the original embargo against Cuba in 1960 and the actions the US has taken since then. Reviewing this brief timeline will help to examine and critique the reasoning behind the embargo. In the early 20th century, Cuba was a nation in constant political turmoil ruled by militant dictators. Prior to the elections of 1952, Fulgencio Batista took power of Cuba in a bloodless coup. His rule left the island in discontent and led to many movementsRead MoreThe Cuban Embargo Essay1331 Words   |  6 PagesThe Cuban Embargo The key to understanding the foreign policy of a nation state is understanding that state’s national interest. The key to successful foreign policy is, as Henry Kissinger stated in 1998, defining â€Å"an achievable objective†. Thus United States policy towards Cuba fails because it neglects these two key ingredients of foreign policy. The US embargo of Cuba is four decades old and no longer serves the country’s national interest, rather it has proven to be a economic and