Obama calls for lifting Cuba embargo: 'The Cold War is over'

Obama calls for lifting Cuba embargo: 'The Cold War is over'
By Jordain Carney - 01/12/16 10:38 PM EST

President Obama knocked Republicans on Tuesday night for slow-rolling
his Cuba policy, saying they should lift a decades-long embargo because
"the Cold War is over."

"Fifty years of isolating Cuba had failed to promote democracy, setting
us back in Latin America," he said in the House chamber during his final
State of the Union address. "You want to consolidate our leadership and
credibility in the hemisphere? Recognize that the Cold War is over. Lift
the embargo."

The Obama administration has battled with Republicans, and some
Democrats, over the past year as it has restored diplomatic relations
with the Cuban government.
While the administration has been able to ease some travel restrictions,
Obama will need cooperation from lawmakers to lift the long-standing
trade embargo.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the ranking member of the Foreign Relations
Committee, praised Obama for changing "the course of history" in
U.S.-Cuban relations.

"Greater cooperation between Cuba and the United States will be possible
as Cuba focuses on improving human rights and increasing personal
freedoms on the island," he added in a statement.

While Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has suggested that
a Republican-controlled Congress won't support lifting the embargo,
Obama's push drew praise from one GOP lawmaker.

"Well I liked a lot of it. He talked about Cuba, lifting the embargo,"
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) told NBC News after the speech.

Source: Obama calls for lifting Cuba embargo: 'The Cold War is over' |
TheHill -
http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/265691-obama-realize-cold-war-is-over-lift-cuba-embargo