Cuba

1. Cuba MDAW 2013: DCH & MBK

3. Cuba Facts • Population: 11+ million • Area: 43,000 square miles • Capital: Havana

5. Background Info • Settled by the Taino (Arawak), Guanajatebey and Ciboney peoples • Brought to European attention by Christopher Columbus in 1492 • Colonization by Spain began in 1511, and was based on the encomienda system (slavery / indentured servitude of indigenous peoples) • Indigenous labor was replaced with slave labor (largely taken from West Africa) • Spanish control of the colony, which had a large export-based economy (sugar, coffee, tobacco), lasted until 1898

7. Background, cont’d • A revolution (Marti) began in 1895—the war saw massive atrocities (first modern concentration camps) and tremendous numbers of civilian deaths • Remember the Maine—destruction of U.S. battleship that was used as a pretext for war against the Spanish Empire • War ended in 1898 with the U.S. acquiring Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam from Spain and Cuba gaining independence • U.S. claimed right to monitor Cuba’s foreign relations and finances

9. Background, cont’d • Former president Fulgencio Batista seized control of Cuba via coup in 1952 • Fidel Castro led a revolution against the Batista regime beginning in 1956; captured Havana/ gained U.S. recognition in 1959 • U.S. efforts to isolate the Castro regime began soon thereafter, including sanctions, support for rebel groups, and assassination attempts • Cuba began close collaboration with the USSR and other communist states

11. Background, cont’d • Cuban Missile Crisis • Cuba faced serious problems after the collapse of the USSR in 1991—loss of energy, financial, military support • Cuba adapted—reforms to the socialist economy, new alliances with China, Venezuela, other Bolivaran states • Fidel Castro stepped down in 2008, replaced by his younger brother Raul • The U.S. embargo, codified in 1993’s Cuba Democracy Act and 1996’s Helms-Burton law, remains in place

13. Status of U.S.-Cuba Relations • Trade, assistance, business relations, monetary transactions, travel, financial transactions, etc. are all severely restricted • Exceptions exist for trade in particular goods/services (particularly agriculture) and travel/remittances by certain Americans (typically Cuban ex-pats and their descendants). All relations must be licensed, and those licenses are very difficult to obtain • The U.S. tries to enforce aspects of the embargo extra-territorially (outside of the U.S.) • Resumption of trade/relations is conditioned on Cuba meeting strict economic/political liberalization goals

15. Rationale for the Embargo • Cuba’s government poses a security threat to the U.S. and we should not do anything to enrich the regime • Cuba’s government oppresses its people, and refusing to do business with the regime demonstrates our objections to these practices • Cuba’s government stole property from American companies and citizens (old and new) • The U.S. needs to take a hardline with Cuba to signal to our enemies that are deeply resolved to defeat them

17. Proposals for Change • Normalize relations • End particular isolation policies • Travel restrictions • Agricultural payment restrictions • Restrictions on transactions with state-owned enterprises • Restrictions on joint resource development • Restrictions on access to financial services • Terror list • Restrictions on humanitarian items /telecomm remittances • Restrictions on public/private collaborations • Promote exchanges / dialogue • Conditioned (tit for tat) easing of restrictions • Return Guantanamo Bay

18. Advantage Areas • Cuba Economy • Cuba Political Transition / Stability • Humanitarian Concerns • Imperialism is Bad • International Law • Relations / Collaboration Good • Drug cooperation • Environmental cooperation • Scientific Cooperation

19. Advantage Areas, cont’d • U.S. Credibility / Influence • Allies / extraterritorial sanctions • Influence vs. competitor states (China, Russia, Venezuela) • Latin American states • Multilateralism • U.S. Economy

20. Negative Gripes • Topicality • Ending the embargo goes above and beyond “economic engagement” • Many forms of engagement are likely not “economic” • Counterplans • Advantage counterplans • Alternative mechanism of engagement • Domestic actor (executive v. courts v. congress) • Unconditional vs. QPQ • U.S. vs. alternate international actor

21. Neg Gripes, cont’d • Disadvantages • Politics • Cuba as Security Threat • Cuba as Unspoiled Socialist Paradise • U.S. hegemony / influence bad • Reverse Cuba political transition / stability • Kritiks • Traditional IR K’s—identity, geopolitics, etc. • Affs have to be “economic” • Affs have to be “engagement” • “Economic engagement” means using trade/aid to turn other countries into “mini-me’s”