​Obama’s Cuba decision: ‘US tries to move Russian allies away’

Adrian Salbuchi is a political analyst, author, speaker and radio/TV commentator in Argentina.

Improving relations with Havana, the US is indirectly attempting to move Cuba away from its traditional alliance with Russia, believes international consultant Adrian Salbuchi. The Castro brothers will certainly take advantage of the thaw, he told RT.

RT: Why do you think President Obama has decided to announce this historic move at this particular moment?

Adrian Salbuchi: Latin America certainly agrees that it is good news, although, 54 years late. Anyway better late than never. I think that this is yet another sign of growing US weakness, not just as a global power, but also throughout Latin America. And that weakness is explained basically in a very fundamental loss of credibility. The fact that this has been done now is clearly good news, but it also shows maybe the waning of power of the Cuban exiles that live in the United States. Notably, in Cuba we have very important financial clout, who can also influence the vote. So I think in a way that is a sign that we are moving in the right direction. But it will also be interpreted well by many people in Latin America and also as a sign of weakness.

RT: Cuba has recently been moving towards expanding its economic co-operation with Russia. Do you think that had anything to do with Washington's latest move to appease Havana?

AS: Definitely... in a way that America is trying to move away as many allies of Russia as it possibly can. It might also be seen as an indirect move to also try to move Cuba away from its traditional alliance with Russia. Definitely the Cubans will have new found economic wealth because there will be Americans coming in, the Americans will bring in US dollars and so forth. I think the Cuban government has shown throughout 54 years to be very shrewd, and they will take advantage of this. As Obama said the Castros are still in power, the Castros have a lot of experience, and they know how to resist and how to take the advantage of all of these things. It is true, the Communist party and the Castros are in power. But then again the one party, Republican and Democratic system, is still in power in America and the Rockefeller’s Council on Foreign Relations is still governing there too. So it is two sides of what is basically one same coin.

RT: Actions speak louder than words. Normalizing diplomatic ties is certainly a big step, but Obama has stopped short of announcing an end to the crippling economic sanctions on Cuba. Why is that?

AS: They will definitely have to go. There is no sense in reinstating diplomatic relations with such a geographically close country as Cuba and not lift those economic sanctions. Besides, all of the Latin America has been clamoring for those economic sanctions to be lifted and so has the EU. We have to see this also as a change in direction. And again I insist that is the sign that US-led system is going to fall apart. The fact that this comes out of time when the EU recognized just a few months ago the Palestinian state. Both of these key issues, Cuba and Palestine, although, are apparently unrelated do point in the same direction that there is major reorientation of certain aspects of US foreign policies…

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

http://rt.com/op-edge/215475-cuba-usa-relations-obama-castro/