On This Historic Day

[havanatopia]

Will all the new policy directives and rolling back of the 50+ year Cuban embargo by Barack Obama with a Republican in the White House? Is it a nightmare scenario to contemplate yet another Bush ascending the Presidency? On this South East Asian morning I contemplate the probable huge implications of what Obama announced last night.

 

Close to my heart, since I lived in Havana for 8 years and return regularly, Cuba is not even allowed to receive close season football friendlies from international or club teams; I was told this directly by Geoff Twentyman when I called in to his show many years ago in a Q & A with Gary Johnson. GJ's retort was that we are not allowed to play games in Cuba but i suppose I could send Keith Millen.. he would like that!

 

Lifting much of the restrictions on American citizens visiting Cuba, allowing a four fold increase in remittances, direct ship calls, personal import of cuban cigars into the States (that'll please many) and, perhaps most symbolically, re-starting diplomatic relations after 50 years; all of these mean, on paper at least, that this morning we see by far the biggest change in US policy toward Cuba.

 

Whether Jeb Bush makes the White House and whether he will or can roll back these policies due to come in starting almost immediately remains to be seen. For now I am popping a cork to celebrate unselfishly because we cannot and should not stop the yanks engaging with a country on their doorstep. 

 

And I hope this opens the door to football being played in Cuba with overseas teams taking pre season tours. Is this thread football related then? Hell yeah

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Doing the match day thread for Crewe, Hava?

 

 

TFR

[havanatopia]

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Doing the match day thread for Crewe, Hava?

 

 

TFR

Yes sir... just done it squire

[Calculus]

Will all the new policy directives and rolling back of the 50+ year Cuban embargo by Barack Obama with a Republican in the White House? Is it a nightmare scenario to contemplate yet another Bush ascending the Presidency? On this South East Asian morning I contemplate the probable huge implications of what Obama announced last night.

 

Close to my heart, since I lived in Havana for 8 years and return regularly, Cuba is not even allowed to receive close season football friendlies from international or club teams; I was told this directly by Geoff Twentyman when I called in to his show many years ago in a Q & A with Gary Johnson. GJ's retort was that we are not allowed to play games in Cuba but i suppose I could send Keith Millen.. he would like that!

 

Lifting much of the restrictions on American citizens visiting Cuba, allowing a four fold increase in remittances, direct ship calls, personal import of cuban cigars into the States (that'll please many) and, perhaps most symbolically, re-starting diplomatic relations after 50 years; all of these mean, on paper at least, that this morning we see by far the biggest change in US policy toward Cuba.

 

Whether Jeb Bush makes the White House and whether he will or can roll back these policies due to come in starting almost immediately remains to be seen. For now I am popping a cork to celebrate unselfishly because we cannot and should not stop the yanks engaging with a country on their doorstep. 

 

And I hope this opens the door to football being played in Cuba with overseas teams taking pre season tours. Is this thread football related then? Hell yeah

... and about time too. The USA has better relations with North Korea than it does with Cuba. Guess that this must have been in the pipeline for some time. Seem to remember Obama going out of his way to shake hands with Raoul Castro at Mandela's funeral. That must have been planned.