Cuba

Obviously the trade embargo on Cuba has done nothing to destabalize the Castro regime and if anything it probably helps keep him in power. Having actually visited Cuba (yes, legally), I can make a few observations about the place, which might dispel some myths which both Left and Right cling to about the place (and, no, I'm not saying that because I went there for a few days I'm an expert on the place). Gross generalizations of course, so usual caveats for such things apply.

• Cubans don't like Castro much, but they distrust and dislike the American government even more (though, they like Americans and inevitably have several brothers daughters and cousins and aunts who are living somewhere in the U.S.) Castro is successful enough at turning American assaults on him as American assaults on Cuba and Cubans. While I have no doubt that some of the rallies at the anti-Imperialist Park (conveniently located in front of the American "not an Embassy") are filled with Castro flunkies, outrage about things such as the Elian Gonzalez event are genuine.
  
• Cuba sucks. Life is hard. While they may get "free medical care," they also have no drugs or equipment, etc. You largely get what you pay for in that sense. Havana was once a beautiful city, with street after street of beautiful buildings of all architectural styles. They are almost all now sad slums. Most buildings have had zero maintenance or paint jobs for 40 years. One of my bigoted trolls accused MEChA of trying to foment a communist revolution by having "cultural exchanges" with Cuba. Nothing will cure one's fondness for some misplaced ideals faster than a trip to Cuba.
  
• Cuba doesn't suck in quite the ways that the Right thinks it does. There is (now) much more freedom of religion than there once was. The status of gay people, which is oddly a concern of the Right only in other countries, has greatly improved. At least in Havana, plenty of gays are out - rainbow flags and ribbons and pins, as well as small "out and proud" type parades seem common. Contrary to some propaganda, AIDS patients are not put in camps for life. They are temporarily removed from society, given treatment and education for a few months, and then allowed to reintegrate. I believe, but am not sure, that even this is only "required" if one desires treatment. In either case, while one can find obvious objections to this practice it isn't quite as draconian as it is often portrayed.
  
  In addition, life goes on. Cuba is not North Korea. The people do not live in an impenetrable cultural and propaganda bubble. People have access to plenty of international media and information (perhaps 'plenty' should be 'some'.) While one does not have political freedom in any sense (organization, expression, etc...), this matters less at the individual level that one might imagine. Again, I'm not in anyway defending this or trying to minimize it, I'm just saying that for most people life goes on. If the US government started locking up and/or executing substantial numbers of political dissidents, by branding them as "terrorist supporters," for most people life would go on as normal as well.
  
  
• Cuba sucks economically. Life is hard. Government wages and rations barely cover subsistence for people. Much of life is spent trying to get that little necessary extra, by scamming a buck out of a tourist, catching a fish, bartering with your neighbors, etc. In addition, a two-tiered economy is growing, with those who have "tourist jobs" getting additional valuable hard currency. But, even with hard currency they have limited access to goods. Housing conditions suck. There is no money for maintenance. Having devoted most of the country's fertile land to tobacco and sugar, there is not sufficient food at times.
  
  
• Lifting the US travel ban would probably do more for the Cuban economy than lifting the trade embargo itself would. Currently European tourism is propping up the country, as European companies purchase the country, building tourist resorts and hotels, bit by bit.
  
  
• The travel ban itself is a joke, and the Cuban community who support it largely hypocrites. People of Cuban descent can go to Cuba yearly to visit family, and many obtain waivers which give them limitless travel. Many mules travel the Miami-Havana route constantly, carrying goods and money either for black market sale or as gifts to family members still in Cuba. Customs agents look the other way on both ends.