So, let me get this straight, when the USA involves itself on the borders of the "Russian Federation", Russia(Putin/Medvedev) get all upset, yet when the Russians come to our backyard, the USA is supposed to "Welcome" and "Promote" the goodwill? Unbelieveable!

I salute the confidence of Russia in trying to improve its peaceful presence in Latin America. We know from history that Russia's relations with other countries have never been directed against the interests of third parties, in this particular case the United States. I am absolutely certain that Russia will never take any aggressive stance against the United States. Russia has been making its peaceful intentions in all its relations with the outside world. This policy leads to win-win situations, as we all know. It is up to the United States to muster the courage to engage Cuba with respect and without preconditions. Sometimes I wonder if the United States has lost its capacity to learn from mistakes that have lingered for decades. Wake up, America! What menace do you see from a little island that you can annihilate in a second?

I am not so paranoid as to be worried about Cuba. When it had nuclear weapons, one might argue it was something of a threat, but it hasn't had nuclear weapons since the missile crisis in the 60s. If Russia wants to improve ties with Cuba, I see no problem with that. US policy as regards Cuba is very old, has a lot of momentum, and the basic mentality among US politicians is that they aren't going to make any significant concessions to Cuba unless Cuba makes concessions to us. Economically, Cuba is insignificant and hence our differences are primarily ideological. We want them to liberalize and the Cuban government refuses to. Although it has an appalling record towards domestic human freedoms, on other metrics Cuba is a nice country. It sends doctors on humanitarian missions all over the world. For a poor country, it provides its own people with excellent medical care and education. It isn't poorer than many other Latin American countries, and this is despite it being unable to trade the economically most affluent country in its neighborhood. I have some respect for it. Arguably, the US should get rid of the embargo with Cuba for the sake of improving our respective economies and influencing the island towards liberalization by increasing its exposure to our people. A removal of the embargo would also decrease anti-Americanism. One of the cooler things about the Michael Moore movie Sicko was that he got a boatload of sick Americans without insurance and took them to get treatment in Cuba. If Cuba were opened to us, we could send people to get high quality treatment at far more affordable prices than our own messed up health care system provides.

Until the Castros are dead, US - Cuban relations will remain frozen. The Cubans throw dead animals over our embassy walls, some of them are cats of embassy employees that strayed out of the embassy grounds. Bad blood exists between the two governments. William, I too came up with that medical treatment idea a couple of years ago. The American Medical Association might be one of those preventing better US - Cuban relations for just that reason. Medicine is big money, and will get a lot bigger with the baby boomers getting old. It would actually be cheaper to fly to Cuba for blood tests, than to have it done in the USA. I just had some blood work done (turns out acid reflux had eaten a hole in lining of my esophagus causing internal bleeding and subsequent very low red cell count) which costs me $600. OUCH! That hurt more than the acid reflux attack that sent me to the State hospital emergency room, certain that I was having a heart attack. I bet Cubans could do it a little cheaper. Now if only I could get some nice Cuban beachfront property. And a beautiful young Cuban wife. Hey, I can dream, can't I?

Being the commercial relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam or China very good, there is no reason why U.S-Cuba trade cannot be as good, or even better as Cuba is just a few miles from America. Besides, that would help also the economy of Florida promoting Cuban-Floridan tourism and trade. A great impulse to the economy of Florida which now is in a bad shape.

Russia is probably cultivating strong ties with Cuba and Central/South America as an insurance policy just in case Russia's relations with the United States turn sour. If things get bad again they could play the Cubam missile card once more. Also, they could help their friend Chavez create mischief in the American {western} hemisphere. The Russians are coming. Set some more places at the dinner table.