World News @quokk.au PhilipTheBucket @ponder.cat 3w ago

Cuba frees 553 prisoners after Biden removes it from state sponsors of terrorism list

www.nbcnews.com Biden administration removes Cuba from state sponsors of terrorism list

The Catholic Church had been negotiating with Cuba to free hundreds of political prisoners, many of whom were jailed following unprecedented protests in July 2021.

22 comments

proof that intensifying sanctions after a point don't work
- I'm actually not convinced that the one has anything to do with the other. I mean, yes, it's true that a lot of times sanctions mostly just strengthen the regime they're aimed at, and cause a lot of suffering for no reason. But I think it might just be that Biden's doing some performative stuff on his way out and also some prisoners got freed, and it's a happy accident if they can make a deal to make it all happen together.
  
  Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, whose father is Cuban, criticized Biden’s actions. “Today’s decision is unacceptable on its merits,” he wrote in a statement. “The terrorism advanced by the Cuban regime has not ceased. I will work with President Trump and my colleagues to immediately reverse and limit the damage from the decision.”
  
  cruz ‘working’ from a lounge chair at the beach
  
  I agree that overall it's a bit weird but also isn't it strange to do this as a cynical, calculated move after his party already lost the election? Like what's the love here, in 4 years people will have forgotten
Could've done it day one. Now it'll stay up what, a week?
- yeah - it’s fresh in cheetos mind! if it was done day 1 he’d absolutely have forgotten it by now
What took Biden so long?

Why do we vote for people who wait until the last possible minute to do something?
- Politics in a nutshell. Politicians don't usually wanna do anything "controversial" because it can affect election results, but since they are in lame-duck session now, it doesn't matter anymore so they start to do whatever they feel like.
  
  Supporting genocide wasn’t controversial?
- You do realize you could apply the same complaint to literally anything at all he does this week, right? Like if he's not just sitting at home playing Helldivers, people like you are going to be launching this impassioned criticism at him any time he accomplishes anything at all. If ending Cuban sanctions and freeing these prisoners was more important than the other things he did, then sure, but I don't think it was.
  
  If you want to be mad that he waited until the last possible minute, be mad about him failing to put Trump in prison. That, he waited too long on, and he really shouldn't have.
  
  He could've ended these wildly unjust sanctions at any time and only chose to do so six days before they'll be reinstated.
- Because, right now, the other two options are to vote for the people who don't do anything at all... or just not vote and have that happen anyways.
  
  It'd be nice if we had more options. But we won't get that while the aforementioned group retains control. While, with this group, there's at least a chance.
  
  It sucks. It really really sucks... but at the moment it's our best chance for a better future.
- Pretty sure he's never going to do anything about the biggest existential threats: dismantling the nuclear arsenal and banning carbon imports/extraction

22 comments