Trump Oil Blockade Leaves Cuba Without Aviation Fuel, and That's a Good Thing

RedState 

Cuba is having problems, and that's a good thing. The Trump administration has been cracking down on the communist island state, including fuel imports, as Cuba is a net fuel importer, and it's having an effect. On Monday, we learned that Cuba is about to run out of jet fuel on Tuesday and may be out for as long as a month.

This raises one question: Why not longer?

Cuba warned international airlines that jet fuel will no longer be available on the island beginning on Tuesday in the latest sign of fast-worsening conditions as the United States moves to cut off the communist-run nation's oil supply.

The shortfall is set to last from February 10 through March 11, according to a Notice to Aviation (NOTAM) published late on Sunday, and comes just two days after top officials said air travel would not be impacted by a fuel rationing plan announced on Friday.

Why March 11? We're putting the squeeze on Cuba, right? Why not June 11? Or March 11, 2027? Or 2029?

Or at least, until the communist government of Miguel Díaz-Canel and all of his commie buddies step down and allow free and fair elections. If they are afraid of the Cuban people Mussolini-ing them, let them bog off to Moscow. I feel certain President Putin will make them welcome.

The cause of this shortage is, of course, the slamming of an American door on Venezuelan exports to Cuba:

Cuba has historically relied on Venezuela to provide much of its jet fuel, but the Caribbean island nation has not received any crude or refined products from its top ally since mid-December, when the U.S. moved to block the South American nation's exports.

U.S. president Donald Trump has since vowed Cuba would receive no more oil from Venezuela and has threatened to slap tariffs on any nation sending fuel to Cuba, effectively cutting off the island's supply of aviation gas.

Good. Squeezing communist governments is always a good thing to do.

As of this writing, there hasn't been any comment from any of the airlines that fly into Cuba. (There are some?)

What's not clear is whether Cuba's military still has any supplies of aviation fuel, or fuel in general, but it's a safe bet they do. Cuba would certainly be able to launch their military aircraft in an attack on American warships in the Caribbean, an attack by their reported 5 MiG-29 and 11 MiG-23 fighters, if they can cobble up enough spare parts, bailing wire, duct tape, and earnest wishes to get any of them in the air to be immediately splashed by American F-35s or F/A-18 Super Hornets.

Cuba once was and could be again a prosperous place. But prosperity requires liberty, and that's one thing Cuba lacks. Putting any American boots on the beach wouldn't be a great idea, but it shouldn't be necessary. Venezuela's no longer a reliable source of logistics, Russia has problems of its own, and in any case is half a planet away. Cuba's "military" is a joke. 

Cuba is one of the last unabashed communist regimes in the Western Hemisphere, and it is poised on the edge of an economic cliff. Maybe it's time to push them off.