ANOTHER GREAT MOMENT IN HUMAN FREEDOM - AT 4:50 P.M. ET: 

HAVANA (Reuters) - The United States has turned off a news ticker at its diplomatic mission in Havana that had long irritated the Cuban government, in another sign of efforts to improve relations with Havana, western diplomats said.

The ticker, which streamed news, political statements and messages blaming Cuba's problems on the country's communist system and socialist economy, had infuriated former President Fidel Castro when it was turned on in January 2006 at a moment of high political tension with Washington. President Raul Castro took over from ailing elder brother Fidel last year.

COMMENT:  This will undoubtedly inspire the thousands of political prisoners in Castro's jails.  Once again, the naive Obama administration believes gestures like this actually count for something in a Soviet-style state.  They haven't learned from Iran.  They haven't learned from North Korea.  They just haven't learned.

July 27, 2009