Microsoft Not the Only Firm Blocking IM Service To US Enemies 173
ericatcw writes "It was reported last week that Microsoft had cut access to its Windows Live Messenger instant messaging service to citizens of five countries with whom the US has trade embargoes. Now, it turns out that Google and, apparently, AOL have taken similar actions. According to a lawyer quoted by Computerworld, even free, downloaded apps are viewed as 'exports' by the US government — meaning totally in-the-cloud services such as e-mail may escape the rules. Either way, there appear to be a number of ways determined citizens of Syria, Iran, and Cuba can get around the ban."
Re:"U.S. Enemies"? (Score:2, Informative)
When Castro came to power, many, many rich Cuban families left their land, houses, farms and factories and moved to Florida. To this day, these Florida Cubans hold enormous political power. It's very difficult for a national politician to win Florida without appeasing the Cuban population there. And, because of the peculiar nature of the American electoral system, it's very difficult to win the presidency without winning, or at least a significant showing in Florida. So the Cubans in Florida wield enormous political power, despite their small numbers. And despite what the rest of the country wants, there's no way that they will relent and bless an official US recognition of Cuba.
It's the same reason why the US always takes Israel's side in the Mideast conflict. Despite their small number (I think that only 3% of the US population is Jewish), Jews wield enormous political power in the US.
I fully expect to get flamed for saying this.
Re:"U.S. Enemies"? (Score:3, Informative)
The problem is purely economical. If one gets the chronology right, things went bad between US and Cuba when Fidel wanted to get a little bit of Cuba for cubans themselves. Back them 99,9% of Cuba was US, the "little garden" on the Caribbean.
Was it a burst of emotion or something else? The fact is that Fidel nationalized all Cuba! And the US made a pretty messy fuss out of that. Upon which Fidel answered with a fuss of world proportions. Remember the Missile Crisis?
Now the fact is that not only Fidel, or the Castros don't want the US in Cuba. Every single cuban I talked with, strongly stated - everything but the US back. Till now they cannot forgive the US what happened till the Castros. Also they cannot forgive the US what happened later, in the way on how it happened. The word "Pigs" are usually strongly remarked when a cuban talks about a specific bay.
They will support the Castros even if the US becomes communist. Really. Because their wish is nil economic US presence on Cuba. That's how they see things after what happened. Yes it is mostly allergy but that's the way things came into what we have now in Cuba.
But can the US even imagine to accept this?
Re:OK With Me (Score:3, Informative)