Cuba, Are Sanctions Working?
Abstract
The United States has imposed economic sanctions and travel restrictions and severed diplomatic ties with Cuba to create conditions for an economic collapse and regime change. This paper reviews United States (U.S.) policies toward Cuba and assesses whether the current policy is working or not. Surprisingly, the nine presidential administrations since 1959, both Democratic and Republican, have been consistent in their strategy toward Fidel Castro and have had only one objective: to create economic collapse and see a regime change focusing on a democratic government. First, it is necessary to go back over the nearly 200 years of history concerning Cuba and U.S. relations to fully understand the context of the issues today. It remains "unclear which country began the long spiral of antagonism which (has led) to the longest trade embargo of modern history." This paper lays out the events chronologically to assist in understanding the complicated relationship, their effects on the United States and Cuba, and their effects on other countries as well. The author reviews the sanctions that the United States has imposed on Cuba during various periods in time (i.e., 1800 to 1902, 1906 to 1964, 1977 to 1996, and the current administration); compares current relations with Cuba to past relations with three former Eastern-block countries (e.g., East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Romania); and suggests a modification of the policy that comprises five steps.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 18, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA431719
Entities
People
- David S. Thompson
Organizations
- United States Army War College