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# Time to play nice with neighbors
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/time-to-play-nice-with-neighbors-editor/
- Published: 2008-03-12T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T18:52:00.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Jon Mann Santa Monica*

For almost half a century the economic embargo against the sovereign nation of Cuba has failed to overthrow Fidel Castro, and has cruelly impacted generations of Cuban children. The embargo has probably strengthened Castro’s rule, at the expense of the Cuban people, and he only resigned because he is too ill to rule.

This criminal embargo is another failed American policy that further discredits America in the eyes of the world. Its economic impact has run into the tens of billions of dollars. The real reason behind it is because Cuba continues to remain Communist. The dictator, Batista, was supported by America and deposed in a popular revolution led by Castro, who immediately began to provide all Cubans with universal education and free medical care.

All this talk about freedom, liberty and democratic reforms is really a pretext for American interference with the internal affairs of a sovereign country, while ignoring all the other dictatorships around the world.

We have favored nation treaties with the totalitarian government in China, which is now a form of autocratic state capitalism. We continue to occupy Iraq under the pretext of bringing democracy to a country that is worse off now than under Saddam, and in danger of becoming a theocracy, like neighboring Iran. Our biggest Islamic ally in the region is a monarchy run by royal despots.

Raul Castro’s offers to normalize relations with the Bush administration continue to be rejected despite allowing limited government criticism and economic freedom. He has extradited three U.S. fugitives, reduced the number of political prisoners and refrained from using firing squads in two military mutinies.

Lifting the five decade trade embargo against Cuba is long overdue.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 12, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031208.pdf?ref=smdp.com)