Spurred by the growing interest in potential product demand in Cuba, a growing number of free marketers in Congress, backed by lawmakers who represent agribusiness, have tried each year since 2000 to water down (or erase) regulations preventing Americans from travelling to Cuba. Four times the US House has adopted language lifting the travel ban, and in 2003 the Senate followed suit. However, each time President Bush, in his typical single-minded stubbornness and conscious of Florida's anti-Castro voters (his brother, of course, is Governor of Florida), has threatened to veto the bill. Faced with this threat, Congress has dropped its attempt to lift the travel ban. In May, Bush followed the recommendations of hard-line Miami Cuban exiles and even tightened restrictions further. However, many Cuban-Americans don't agree with these latest changes. They say limiting travel, restricting the amount of goods people can bring to their relatives and cracking down on money sent there only hurts their relatives in Cuba. As our own Senator John Sununu puts it, "I have supported, because of the importance to personal freedom, allowing people to travel to Cuba. I'm willing to take that stand."

But Bush remains unmoved and any possibility of opening up trade or at least travel with Cuba seems as remote as ever. The Bush administration has declared Cuba one of a few "outposts of tyranny"remaining in the world, and seems interested in only doing those things designed to destroy Fidel Castro's fragile economy. John R. Bolton, as undersecretary of the U.S. State Department, went so far as to identify Castro's government as part of America's "axis of evil," highlighting the fact that Castro visited several U.S foes, including Iran and Syria. But are the Cuban people "evil doers?" Just what kind of military threat do they pose to the U.S.? This is 2006, not 1961.

Apparently Communist China presents no such problems, potential or real, notwithstanding its dismal record on human rights and unfair trading. In what only can be termed "diplomatic extortion," North Korea and Iran seek economic enhancements and concessions before they will agree to even discuss relaxing their respective nuclear build ups. And in May 2006, the U.S. announced it would restore full diplomatic relations with Libya after a 25-year hiatus, notwithstanding the Lockerbie bombing. "The Libya Model" is now pointed to as an example intended to show the world what can be achieved through negotiation rather than force when there is goodwill on both sides. That's truly great, but why can't we take the lead and create "The Cuba Model." We seem to tread cautiously when it comes to the big guys but when we deal with Cuba, the administration seems to bare its fangs somewhat disproportionately.