Obama continues trade embargo on Cuba

Tue, 09/15/2009 - 12:14pm | posted by Jason Pye

Barack Obama will continue our misguided policy towards Cuba:

President Barack Obama has extended the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba for one year, the White House said in a statement released on Monday.

The extension was expected and has been the practice of all U.S. presidents dating to the 1970s under a section of the so-called “Trading With the Enemy Act.”

[…]

In signing the extension, Obama was taking a symbolic step because existing law, the Helms-Burton Act, requires Congress to take action specifically ending the embargo.

But Obama also bypassed an opportunity to suggest a willingness for easing U.S.-Cuban animosity.

While I understand that Obama has relaxed some travel restrictions, keeping the trade embargo in place is unacceptable. It’s time to normalize relations with Cuba and to stop allowing ourselves to be the Castro brothers scapegoat.