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 Jeff Franks, staff writer, Reuters Online. "Cuba oil plans could put hole in U.S. 

embargo"

 June 12, 2008. Accessed online July 6, 2008 athttp://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Cuba/idUSN2834411020080612?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

Sometime next year, Cuba plans to begin drilling a major oil field off its northern

coast that might do what little else has done -- bring change to U.S-Cuba relations.

In a rare confluence of circumstances, oil could grease the wheels for the two bitter

enemies to come together in the middle of the Florida Straits out of mutual need,

experts say.

Getting there would require a sea change in U.S. policy -- namely putting a major

hole in the U.S. trade embargo imposed against Cuba in 1962 to topple Fidel

Castro's communist government.

South China Morning Post, “Now Washington must lift its Cuban embargo”, 

February 21, 2008 

Accessed online via LexisNexis on July 9, 2008

Since then, the economy has slid ever deeper into decline. How well Cubans arebeing served by their famed medical and education systems is, because of a lack

of transparency and freedom of speech, unclear.What is certain, though, is the abuse that they are enduring. They are deprivednot only of free expression but also the right to privacy, free association, assemblyand due process of the law.

 To ensure they conform politically, they face surveillance, short-term detentions,house arrests, travel restrictions, criminal prosecutions and dismissals fromemployment. Democracy is a distant dream.

 There is hope, but it lies to the north in the US capital, Washington. There,lawmakers need to admit that the embargo imposed almost as long as Dr Castrowas in power should be scrapped.

 The end of the embargo will bring trade and economic revival to Cuba. With the

businesspeople and tourists will come the seeds of foreign ideas, democracyamong them.

 The US embargo has been a failure. It is time it was lifted so that the people of Cuba can have the opportunity of a better future.

 Jeff Franks, staff writer, Reuters Online. "Cuba oil plans could put hole in U.S. 

embargo"

8/14/2019 Cuban Embargo DA

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 June 12, 2008. Accessed online July 6, 2008 athttp://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Cuba/idUSN2834411020080612?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

But embargo foes say the combination of economics, energy needs and

environmental concerns, as well as new leaders in the two countries make easingthe embargo possible.

"The pro-embargo status quo is really threatened right now," said Sarah Stephens,

director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas. "The sands are running out of 

the clock on the policy and I think that has the pro-embargo folks worried."

 Jeff Franks, staff writer, Reuters Online. "Cuba oil plans could put hole in U.S. 

embargo"

 June 12, 2008. Accessed online July 6, 2008 athttp://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Cuba/idUSN2834411020080612?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

 The embargo has withstood repeated legislative attempts to water it down,including unsuccessful bills in the U.S. Congress in 2006 to exempt oil companies.

But embargo foe Kirby Jones, a consultant on Cuba business and founder of the

U.S.-Cuba Trade Association in Washington, said a big Cuba oil find changes the

political equation.

"This is the first time that maintaining the embargo actually costs the United States

something," he said. "And we need oil. We need it from wherever we can get it, and

in this case it's 50 miles off our coast," he said.