Gitmo=Guantanamo Bay
2007-01-07 11:55:07 · 6 answers · asked by dandaman 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Guantanamo Bay is a naval base leased to the U.S. This was made possible via the Treaty of Paris signed at the end of the "Spanish-American" War. The U.S. and Spain were the only signatories to the treaty, as Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and Filipinos were not invited. In fact the "Spanish-American" War was nothing more than an opportunistic unwelcome incursion into the Cuban War of Independence, a war that was practically already won by the Cuban rebels. The U.S. pays Cuba, I believe, a $1000 a year to lease the base (Castro has never cashed a check). The lease can only be cancelled by mutual agreement. Gratitude had nothing to do with it. The U.S. strong-armed its way into getting the base, just as it did to obtain Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and a few years later the Isthmus of Panama.
2007-01-07 12:15:42 · answer #1 · answered by Alex H 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The USA and Cuba have not always had bad relations. This goes back over 100 years during the Spanish-American war, and perhaps further back to the Monroe doctrine.
The Monroe Doctrine basically says that the Western Hemisphere is America's "Sphere of Influence." And Cuba is in our backyard. Cuba was a long time Spanish territory. When the Cubans rose up in revolt in teh 1890's the USA backed the Cubans. That sparked the Span-Am War, which America won and Spain backed out of Cuba. Cuba gained independence and maintained friendly relations. During that time, Cuba's gratitude towards the USA came in the form of them letting us have a military base at Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo). When relations soured between the two nations, the USA kept thier installment at Gitmo, and Cuba did not want to incur the full military wrath of the US by trying to take it back forcibly.
2007-01-07 12:01:47 · answer #2 · answered by Big Ben 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Gitmo-Guantanamo Bay is a US territory held even before Cuba gained its independence. Thus, the US can maintain a detention thereat without Cuban intervention.
2007-01-07 11:57:44 · answer #3 · answered by FRAGINAL, JTM 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Were you asleep in history class. We kept a chunk that is guarded by Marines ever since it was taken over by that commie jerg off Castro.
2007-01-07 12:07:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't they still teach US history in the classrooms?
Please research the Spanish-American War.
2007-01-07 12:00:59 · answer #5 · answered by Bad M 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Guess we gave them lots of aid and it always entails money in some form.
2007-01-07 11:58:59 · answer #6 · answered by Gypsy Gal 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋