Cuba

[Jagos]

Obama to ease relations (http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-12-07-obamacuba_N.htm)

It's about time. 50 years without being able to see family is quite a long time and the embargoes never really hurt the Castros. Kinda glad to hear negotiations can start.

[Magus]

Yes, and really, if you want to promote democracy/capitalism in a nation, the best way to do it is to communicate and trade with said nation so they can see that hey, look at the quality of life that is led there and yet there is no crushed proletariat beneath the feet of the rich and decadent bourgeousie! (for the most part, the vast numbers of homeless people and poor don't say much for our society but hopefully we'll work towards reducing those problems in the future). Whereas if you cut off trade and communication and try to isolate a country you just give its leaders an excuse to make you into the enemy. I don't think China would be moving towards some degree of capitalism and more democracy like they are now if we hadn't begun trade with them years ago.

[Gorefiend]

I've heard many arguments that China is not moving towards more democracy. Though I remember hearing they got rid of Mao in some of their textbooks in Shanghai, moving to emphasize that the Communist Party is in control for the good of society, not to bring about Communism or the new communist man or whatever else.

That said, I understand after Obama's Miami speech on Latin American policy, Fidel wrote an op-ed in his newspaper stating that the things Obama is proposing would bring hunger to Cuba. Given what he said (unlimited visitation and remittances), I think the hunger would be, if not for a system that is more democratic, at least for a system that allows its people more wealth. Which, frankly, is bad news for the Castros either way.