Hope follows restored U.S.-Cuba ties: #tellusatoday

After more than 50 years, the Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C., reopened Monday, marking another step toward normalizing relations between Cuba and the USA. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar: 

It is about time. Thank you, President Obama. Let’s normalize relations with Cuba and reach a comprehensive peace with Iran before the end of your presidency.

— Darwin Akbar 

I usually hate what President Obama does, but this time, he is right. A good choice and good for the economic machine.

— Randal Colling

Obama ignored the Americans held captive in Iran when he made his “deal” with that country. Now he makes deals with Cuba and ignores its horrible human rights record. Cuba gets what it wanted, and we basically get nothing.

— Jim Antista

The Cold War is over, and Cuba is not a viable threat to the United States.

We do business with Vietnam and China. We were in wars with them, and they are still communist.

— Rich Hamrick

The Cuban people will only truly know freedom and capitalism when Cuba is flooded by the U.S. dollar from American tourism. The embargo lasted 50 years, and the Castro brothers laughed all the way to the bank while the people went hungry.

— Bill Evia

Answer this question: After 50 years of an embargo, why couldn’t we have waited a few more until Fidel Castro was dead?

— Tony Mathis

Now the government just needs to open up more travel to Cuba. I’m sure companies will jump at the chance to build resorts there.

It’s funny how human rights are important only when it makes for a talking point, but not if they interfere with making that almighty dollar. I hear it’s beautiful there. I wouldn’t mind going.

— Brett Vredenburg

We asked our Twitter followers what they thought about the Cuban Embassy reopening in Washington, D.C. Comments are edited for clarity and grammar:

The handshake that rocked the world turned into a booming clap for peace in the hemisphere.

— @JorgetheBull

I hate theembassy reopening. It’s rewarding absolute repression with legitimacy!

— @wilson_glenn

It’s a good move. We are trade partners with former enemy Vietnam. Why not our neighbor?

— @rayznard

It is long overdue! I expected President Obama would do this before leaving office.

— @LynnStarwalker

For more discussions, follow @USATOpinion and #tellusatoday on Twitter.