if you were made president of the USA, would lift embargo on Cuba and offer olive branch to Castro?

Answer 1

Yes, because the embargo has not worked.Castro is still there, operating behind the scenes with his brother out front. Changes can only be made from within, they cannot be crammed down someone's throat from outside.
Prime examples of changes being made from within that are working
China & Vietnam
Changes crammed from outside that have not worked- Prime example Iraq.
I love to see people blame Castro as if his rise to power developed in a vacuum. and everything was hunky dory in Cuba before the "bad" man Fidel Castro Ruz came into power
In 1934 Fulgencio Batista took over the Cuban government in what became known as "The Revolt of the Sergeants." He ruled Cuba with an iron fist, and the full blessing and endorsement of the United States government, who saw him as a stabilizing force with respect for American interests. Batista established lasting relationships with organized crime, and under his guardianship Havana became known as "the Latin Las Vegas." Meyer Lansky and other prominent gangsters were heavily invested in Havana, and politicians from Batista on down took their cut.
Through Lansky, the mafia knew they had a friend in Cuba. It was here that Lansky gave permission to kill Bugsy Siegel. Many of Batista's enemies faced the same fate as the ambitious Siegel. Nobody seemed to mention the many brutal human rights abuses that were a regular feature of Batista's private police force. Batista remained in power until 1944.
Batista again staged a coup in 1952 ousting Carlos Prio and becoming dictator of Cuba. After this point, Batista abandoned the Cuban constitution by allowing only staged elections where his victory was guaranteed. Large American corporations grew rich from Cuba's resources while the people of the country remained poor. Batista did not offer health care or education to his people At the time of his ousting it was estimated that 92% of the country was illiterate
Batista was ousted by Castro and the Cuban Revolution and left the country on January 1 1959.
The US has no one to thank but it own arrogance for the communist influence that exists in Cuba, in spite of what Cubanazos in Miami love to spout.
Castro was sworn in as Prime Minister of Cuba Feb 1959
Friction with the U.S. developed as the new government began expropriating property owned by major U.S. corporations, such as United Fruit and announced plans to base the compensation on the artificially low property valuations that the companies themselves had kept to a fraction of their true value so that their taxes would be negligible
Between 15 April and 26 April, 1959 Castro and a delegation of industrial and international representatives visited the U.S. as guests of the Press Club. Castro hired one of the best public relations firms in the United States for a charm offensive visit by Castro and his recently initiated government. He was refused a meeting with President Eisenhower. Rebuffed, he soon joined forces with the Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev who was looking to gain a foothold in the western hemisphere.
So olive branch time

Answer 2

If I were president of the United States, and assuming I had a background in the movies like some else we know, I would try to develop some trumped up situation in which Castro's government could "rescue" someone we feel is important to us, if not ourselves, and that would give us a reason to start peace talks in motion without getting anyone too upset. I don't know if I would offer an olive branch, but I certainly would not offer a cigar. Th United States has found other places to get sugar, but they have never found better tobacco! Not that I smoke - any more. Ever had a Cuban cigar? It made my head swim, but it was good!

Answer 3

Why are we against Castro in the first place?

"The Missles of October" and the "Bay of Pigs" issues are over 45 years old; isn't it time to forget the past, now that Castro is near death and ready to name a successor, and try to just get along?

Or is it better to keep up a grudge against a country that sends this country "illegal immigrants" by the boatload, on a daily basis?

If the US softens its policy concerning Cuba, maybe age has mellowed the ill Castro, and he may change his policies towards the US. He was pretty friendly with Governor Jesse Ventura.

Besides, I really want to try a Cuban cigar...

Answer 4

Sure, why not. Castro has no real power and he is no threat to America anymore like he used to be. The country is beautiful and we are gaining nothing by keeping the embargo there.

Answer 5

No,never in my life time. He is the one that had done all the wrongs.Why in the world would i want to offer him an olive Branch.

Answer 6

"olive branch to Castro" look for we wanted we could take over that sh..hole but the ? is where would we eat lunch

Answer 7

Absolutely ....
At the end of day Castro will go down history as a greatest leader in western hemesphere.

Answer 8

No but I would kick all the Cubans out of the States and change the wet foot dry foot policy to dry foot no foot

Answer 9

I'd wait until a new leader takes over.

Answer 10

i'd wait for him to die and ask the new leader if he would like to deal and go from there.