How about this: Treat it as an opportunity. Use the change of facts to announce a change of course. Declare the old way over. Declare a new U.S.-Cuban relationship, blow open the doors of commerce and human interaction, allow American investment and tourism, mix it up, reach out one by one and person by person to the people of Cuba. "Flood the zone." Flood it with incipient prosperity and the insinuation of democratic values. Let Castroism drown in it.
It is not often that I disagree with Noonan, but in this case I do. Cuba is a sick nation. It has a boatload of problems that are not going to be fixed over night. Throwing open the doors is going to be a huge shock to Cuba, and that shock is going to create as many problems as it will fix. Additionally, pre-Castro Cuba already had a long love-hate relationship with the United States, and the suddenness of going from an isolated 3rd world nation to being swamped with Americanism is only going to help nurture the "hate" part amongst Cubans who will find the transition difficult. I think the United States and a post-Castro Cuba can build a strong nation to nation relationship, but only if we open just one door at a time. If we overwhelm the island, it is going to make the transition longer and more difficult for everyone involved. In a post-Castro Cuba, we will have the luxury helping the island out of the haze of Communism gradually and at a pace the nation can more easily absorb. We should utilize that time.
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