WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Monday, the Unite States and Cuba re-established diplomatic relations after 54 years. Washington had broken off relations at the height of the Cold War and imposed a trade and travel embargo on the island nation.
The warming of relations begun in December 2014 when President Barack Obama announced his administration seeks to normalize ties between the two countries.
“The embargo probably will not be lifted until there are concessions on human rights issues, including release of key prisoners, more exit visas and encouragement of Cuban-Americans to visit their families in Cuba. Otherwise, the ending of the [trade] embargo will encourage fence-sitting members of Congress to reject the nuclear deal with Iran.”
Tanter explained that Obama was unlikely to consider closing down the US naval base at Guantanamo any time in the foreseeable future, because doing so would only weaken his domestic position.
“Guantanamo base closure would… be a huge source of political problems for the President,” he said.
“Turning it over to the Castro brothers would be a political disaster for the White House at a time it is having a hard time selling it the Iran deal.”
Tanter served as senior member on the National Security Council staff during the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
