Guided Search: International Relations, Cuban

Cuba – island nation of white sand beaches, vintage cars and the spirit of Hemingway – has been off-limits to most American tourists and businesses for more than 50 years. With the recent announcement by President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro that the two countries would work to restore diplomatic relations, including easing travel and trade restrictions, many envision a “new normal” with our Caribbean neighbor.

On October 14, 1962, a U2 spy plane flew over Cuba and brought back photos to President Kennedy confirming the Soviet construction of nuclear missile facilities in Cuba, 90 miles off the coast of Florida. By all measures, and according to the recently released papers of then-Secretary of State Robert F. Kennedy, it is the closest we have ever come to nuclear war. While the United States has developed exponentially and the Soviet Union no longer exists, Cuba remains isolated and, in many respects, trapped in time by that Cold War history. Join the World Affairs Council for a discussion with two experts on Cuba’s history and hear their interesting perspectives on its future.