"Commerce and Honest Friendship"

Thomas Jefferson famously said, "I deem [one of] the essential principles of our government [to be] peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none." If only the foreign policy wonks in Washington had heeded to Mr. Jefferson's advice, the United States would not be trying to starve Iran into submission. Or fight a "War on Terror." Or maintain an empire. Unfortunately, Washington has turned a deaf ear to Jefferson's wisdom. Those listening to Jefferson are not in the marble palaces of DC, but in the Kremlin and Beijing. 

Sanctions do not work. This coming October marks the 50th anniversary of sanctions against Cuba. The Castro family is still having their annual birthday bashes, throwing dissidents in prison, and trampling on the rights of Cubans. Regime change was and still is the goal of the embargo ("The United States cooperated with its European and other allies to assist the difficult transitions from Communist regimes in Eastern Europe. Therefore, it is appropriate for those allies to cooperate with United States policy to promote a peaceful transition in Cuba.") However, the "peaceful transition" never came -- nor will it unless a new course is taken.