Cuban Embargo on Last Legs

After almost 50 years, the much-maligned Cuban embargo may finally be reaching an end. Richard Lugar, the senior Republican in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released a report conceding that "We must recognize the ineffectiveness of our current policy" towards Cuba. President Obama's willingness to open dialogue with the Castro regime increased the likelihood of an eventual end to the embargo, and Lugar's report reflects an emerging bipartisan consensus regarding the embargo. The Castros have remained in power while 10 U.S. Presidents have passed through the White House and Fidel has survived numerous assassination attempts by the CIA and the ill-fated Bay of Pigs Invasion. Since stepping down, his brother, Raul, has essentially maintained the status quo. With the Obama administration's emphasis on diplomacy, the U.S. will likely be pursuing a soft-power approach to inducing regime change in Cuba.