The Current Discussion: With Castro gone, will Cuba become America's 51st state?

America's obsession with Cuba is an interesting study of how the U.S. responds to those who stand up to it. Throughout the Bay of Pigs incident, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the even since the fall of Soviet Union, Fidel Castro's dogged determination not to let Cuba change has been a constant irritation to Washington. Fidel Castro belonged to an era of revolutionaries, and there’s no doubt he and Che fought a dictatorial government. One wonders the course of Cuba-U.S. relations would have been different if, during Castro’s visit to Washington in April 1959, President Eisenhower had met him instead of going off to play golf. Perhaps things wouldn’t have changed much, as Castro's nationalization of private property had put him on a collision course with free enterprise. His repression of former Batista supporters meant there was not much to cheer about for the Castro camp.

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The Current Discussion: Are the U.S. and Europe right to recognize Kosovo and continue to poke Russia with a stick?

The U.S. and European policies on Kosovo and the Balkans have been rare in seeking to protect and stabilize the region. While the idea of independent countries being carved out of the former Yugoslavia is difficult to swallow for federal-minded observers, the fact remains that the ethnic cleansing of the region resulted in the need for a comprehensive solution. Though some may argue that U.S. and European self-interest might well be driving their policy there can be no denying that in Kosovo and others in the Balkans, it was the right thing to do. If there is to be a triumph of U.S. policy, then this is clearly it.

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So what if the Governor of New York hired a prostitute? Did he force her? Not pay her for the service? If so, then that might be an issue. Perhaps it’s illegal, but then how can you regulate the oldest profession in the world? I am against human trafficking, and forcing people against their will. But the question is not what he did – the real question is, because of who he is, should he have done it? Does being with a prostitute impair his ability to govern the State of New York? Probably not.

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