Loyola Greyhound

Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: Opinion

Although Cuba is willing to participate in the alliance, it is relatively skeptical of Russia's reliability. The Soviet Union, during its collapse, withdrew all financial support from Cuba, leaving the country vulnerable to economic ruin. Despite Russia's attempts to remediate the past abandonment, its efforts will be limited due to the current global financial crisis. Nonetheless, Cuba will advocate for stronger economic ties with Russia with the hopes of improving its current economic state.

Although the Russian-Cuban alliance is troubling to the United States, the collaboration between the two nations is an inevitable consequence of the embargo. Cuba's strenuous financial situation is the result of American insistence to avoid economic ties with communist countries, although such a policy has proven to be somewhat hypocritical, as demonstrated by the United States' trade agreement with China.

Perhaps the most effective way of improving U.S. relations with Cuba, and discouraging "unfavorable" alliances, would be to lift the embargo. The embargo has not deterred Cuba's communist leanings. Cuba may be inclined to consider the benefits of open market dealings with the United States if the embargo is eradicated. Economic progress within the island could help shift political leanings that would be more favorable to the United States.

The possibility of an embargo lift seems more reasonable with Cuba's current President, Raúl Castro, whose policies have demonstrated to be less restrictive than those established by Fidel Castro. Raúl's recent political agreement with Medvedev is less ideologically based and more economically driven. In other words, Raúl Castro will be more likely to develop political alliances based on economic gain. Hopefully, Russia's dealings with Cuba will serve as an incentive for the United States to reconsider the embargo.

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