from the Seattle Times Letter column
President Obama should not be reaching out
The president’s action shows a change in our relationship with Cuba [“Obama busy at Mandela service,” News, Dec. 11].
I do not believe that Cuba is at a stage where we should be reaching out to them. Cuba is still controlled by a communist dictator. As a country that actively fights against communism, the United States should not be opening up further relations with Cuba. The United States still has a trade embargo with Cuba. President Obama has already started opening Cuba up to more U.S. tourists. While we may believe further relations with Cuba would help the Cuban people, our actions only help to tighten Castro’s hold on his dictatorship.
Our president as leader of the Free World should not be acknowledging Raul Castro. Until Castro releases his tyrannical role as dictator of Cuba, we cannot be willing to acknowledge Cuba.
— Elizabeth Webster, Snohomish
SMS: The only reason we don’t have relations with Cuba is the irredentism of the Florida émigré community, many of whom are fond of the previous Batista dictatorship … imagine the harm done to the US if we treated such trading powers or strategic allies as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, or Turkey this way?