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The cruelty of U.S. economic sanctions

A secret State Department memo in 1960 proposed making life so miserable for the Cuban people they would overthrow the new Castro government. It advocated "a line of action which, while as adroit and inconspicuous as possible, makes the greatest inroads in denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of the government."

After 60 years, U.S. sanctions continue to make life miserable for the Cuban people, but they will never bring hoped-for regime change. Nor will crippling U.S. sanctions bring regime change in North Korea, Russia, Iran, Venezuela or any other country so economically warred upon by America.

Walt Zlotow

Glen Ellyn

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