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The United States has a long and troubled history with the island nation of Cuba. While Cuba lacks the power to become a threat by itself, it could easily threaten U.S. strategy and interests with hostile foreign sponsorship, as recent U.S. history proves.
Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan argues that Cuba’s unique geostrategic position potentially gives it control over the Gulf of Mexico. That’s why this tiny island state has demanded U.S. and global political attention in the past, and it’s also why a future U.S.-Cuba deal is inevitable.
Excerpted from Peter’s Aug. 30 “Zeihan on Geopolitics” newsletter:
Most people would scoff at the idea that Cuba could end the US as a major power, but that small country has something no one else does…
Looking back at the Cuban Missile Crisis, you might think JFK overreacted. In reality, JFK saw the Soviets’ move into Cuba for what it really was – a direct threat to America’s existence. Cuba straddles the access points to the Gulf of Mexico, and if they had the military power to shut it down, the US would be in big trouble.
Since the Cold War ended, I’ve expected a warming in relations with Cuba, and to some degree, they have. Obama struck a (shitty) deal with them, which Trump later repealed. Don’t focus too much on the deal, but consider these actions by opposite presidents an indication that Cuba is top of mind.
Cuba is still grasping onto any major power that will give them the time of day, aka Russia or China, but we all know how those countries are doing. Cuba’s position is simply too critical for the US to ignore, so a US-Cuba deal is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean it’s imminent.
