Friday, June 26, 2009

Obama calls for Cuba to release political prisoners?

"President Obama praised five Cuban dissidents for their pro-democracy activities Thursday, and called on the communist government to release all political prisoners. . . . The Obama administration has lifted restrictions on money transfers and travel to the island by Americans with family there and are resuming long-stalled immigration and postal service talks."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-06-25-cuba_N.htm?csp=34

It would be nice if the Obama administration made Cuba's lifting of domestic political restrictions a precondition for future American concessions.

Of course, Obama made the identical call months ago on his way to the Summit of the Americas, and there was no follow through. ("The United States urged Cuba on Friday to free its political prisoners as President Barack Obama flew to a summit with leaders of the Americas dominated by intense debate over U.S.-Cuban ties.")

http://www2.canada.com/obama+calls+cuba+free+political+prisoners/1507816/story.html?id=1507816

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