Cuba and the United StatesThe island of Cuba has been a focal point of American foreign policy since the acquisition of Florida in the late 1800s. Cuba continues to capture America's attention because it is the only existing communist state in the Western Hemisphere. American policy has attempted to overthrow communist rule in Cuba since its beginnings in 1961. Policies designed to incite revolution, destroy the Cuban economy, and starve the Cuban people appear to be at odds with American ideals of democracy and sovereignty. . In fact, it was the very policies implemented by the United States that strengthened and prolonged Fidel Castro's rule in Cuba. The relationship between the United States and Cuba is paradoxical in that it is essentially undemocratic. The United States has never supported the right of the Cuban people to govern themselves and has now adopted a position of attempting to impose on Cuba whatever political ideals it deems safe. This review hopes to explain the context of this relationship and the state in which it currently exists. Cuba's foreign policy is fascinating in that it is a story unlike any other in U.S. history. The ability of a small island to dominate the foreign policy concerns of a global power is certainly a subject for investigation. Obsession with the island of Cuba itself is not new to the United States. Over the past thirty years, the small island located just 92 miles off the coast of Florida has shaped American foreign policy. Cuba's geographic location and political structure place it at odds with the United States on all fronts. Cuba's proximity to the coast of the United States places it at the center of national security concerns. The map provides a...... middle of paper ......e Secretary-General of the United Nations. September 20, 1995. MacGaffey, Wyatt. Cuba in the twentieth century: the context of the Castro revolution. New York: Anchor Books, 1965. Manach, Jorge. Marti: Apostle of Liberty. New York: Devin-Adair, 1950. Matthews, Herbert. Cuban history. New York: Harcourt, 1961. Matthews, Herbert. Fidel Castro. New York: Harcourt, 1969. Matthews, Herbert. The fruits of fascism. New York: Harcourt, 1943. Mills, C. Wright. Listen, Yankee. New York: Ballantine Books, 1961. Myers, Steven. "Clinton allows media to open in Cuba." New York Times, February 13, 1997. A6. Oppenheimer, Albert. Castro's last hour. New York: Macmillan, 1992. Oppenheimer, Albert. “Castro is losing more and more contact with Cuba.” The Miami Herald. July 28, 1992, A12. Phillips, Ruby. The Cuban dilemma. new York