Obama's flip flop on normalization with Castro's Cuba

With news today that Fidel Castro is resigning his leadership of the nation he led down the road to tyranny and impoverishment, it's time to talk about Barack Obama's flip flop on normalization of relations with Cuba.

Here's what Obama told the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization in 2004:

Our longstanding policies toward Cuba have been a miserable failure, evidenced by the fact that Fidel Castro is now the longest-serving head of state in the world. If our isolationist policies were meant to weaken him, they certainly haven’t worked. I believe that normalization of relations with Cuba (emphasis mine) would help the oppressed and poverty-stricken Cuban people while setting the stage for a more democratic government once Castro inevitably leaves the scene.

More Democratic? Cuba isn't Democratic at all.

Here's an interchange between a Democratic presidential debate moderate and Obama that took place two months ago:

MODERATOR: Normalize relations, whether or not Fidel Castro isn't... OBAMA: No, but there are two things we can do right now to prepare for that and that is loosen travel restrictions for family members, Cuban-Americans who want to visit, and open up remittances so that they are able to support family members, many of them who are fighting for their liberty in right now. MODERATOR: But for now...OBAMA: I would not normalize relations, (emphasis mine again) but those two things, those two shifts in policy would send a signal that we can build on once Castro's out of power. [Iowa Black and Brown Presidential Forum, 12/1/07]

Here is a portion of the statement Obama released this morning on Castro's adiós:

If the Cuban leadership begins opening Cuba to meaningful democratic change, the United States must be prepared to begin taking steps to normalize relations and to ease the embargo of the last five decades. The freedom of the Cuban people is a cause that should bring Americans together.

Castro's brother Raul has been the de facto leader of Cuba for over a year. I don't expect any "meaningful democratic change" once the expected occurs, Raul succeeds Fidel.

I'm waiting, patiently, for Obama to explain his flip flop on normalization with Cuba.

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