US-Cuban Relations under Obama

[Razgovory]

here's a pretty good timeline of how things could work out regarding normalisation:

http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/chronology.html

(just substitute property for MIA's)

You think that Cuba will give the US a 90% ownership in its' number one crop?

[Admiral Yi]

That's likely.  I don't know the rates but most developing countries tax remittances as income.  It's the primary source of inward investment in many.

Are you suggesting this is the standard income tax at work and not a special remittance tax?

[Sheilbh]

Are you suggesting this is the standard income tax at work and not a special remittance tax?

It could be.  I didn't understand why you brought up that Cuba taxes remittances at all.  Almost all developing countries tax remittances because they're a major source of income. 

I think the UK has a taxes remittances too actually.

[Valmy]

And btw, I know some of you think Cubans probably have all the human rights they need (in the form of free health care and education), but some of us odd sorts view freedom of speech, association, etc. to be fundamental human rights.

I agree that we should not be Cuba's best buds but I fail to see how being unpleasant is a good enough reason to keep the embargo going.  We put the embargo on Cuba because they allied with the Soviets not because they were oppressive...if that was the reason we would probably have stopped trading with most of Latin America at some point.

[derspiess]

To be honest I don't think that'll ever happen.

Neither do I.  I was just setting up the range of what could be considered a concession.