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Aside from the condescending title, we also have this, in the first sentence: Cuba, a country of just 11 million people that still enjoys a fraught relationshi

Aside from the condescending title, we also have this, in the first sentence: Cuba, a country of just 11 million people that still enjoys a fraught relationship with the United States To describe Cuba's position with regard to the U.S. (entering its 6th decade of basically vindictive and pointless economic sanctions) as a "fraught relationship" is certainly an interesting circumlocution. It's kind of like saying that the skinny kid in junior high who keeps getting pushed into lockers "enjoys a fraught relationship" with his peers.

Someone1234 12y ago
Seems like you got offended just for the sake of getting offended. The title isn't THAT condescending, they're giving Cuba props for weighing in more than another country of its size and GDP. As to the "fraught relationship" issue, what? I'm not sure what terminology you would have prefered they used but most of the alternative words choices are just 'fraught' synonyms anyway. The Cuba sanctions are well known and a lot of people (myself included) think they're unwarranted. I'd definitely call what Cuba and the US have a fraught relationship. Do I think the US bullies Cuba a bit? Yes. Do I think that the word choice was bad? No.
- dreamweapon 12y ago
  I wasn't "offended"; I was making an observation. You don't have to agree with it, but there's no need to inject an emotional aspect into it simply doesn't have.
- dreamweapon 12y ago
  Anyway, the point about the "fraught relationship" depiction is that it's basically an elephant-in-the-room thing. Such language might work to describe the relationship between the U.S. and Russia (or China), because those countries are essentially peers on the global stage. But to use it in the US/Cuba case pointedly ignores the fundamentally one-sided and, in the view of many inside (and essentially everyone outside) the U.S., petty-minded and abusive nature of that country's treatment of its much more vulnerable southern neighbor. There's also an unpleasant blame-the-victim tinge to it. The Post could have stated the obvious, of course, and acknowledged the elephant in the room. But it knows very well that in order to maintain its image as the (lessor of two) "papers of record" within the center of Federal power, that just would not do.
Mz 12y ago
The only word I objected to was "enjoys." That made me feel like: Yeah, sure, Cuba ENJOYS the bad relationship it has with a larger, more powerful nation next door. I don't entirely agree with you, but I do think the "enjoys a fraught relationship" was just terrible wording.

Someone1234 12y ago

Seems like you got offended just for the sake of getting offended. The title isn't THAT condescending, they're giving Cuba props for weighing in more than another country of its size and GDP. As to the "fraught relationship" issue, what? I'm not sure what terminology you would have prefered they used but most of the alternative words choices are just 'fraught' synonyms anyway. The Cuba sanctions are well known and a lot of people (myself included) think they're unwarranted. I'd definitely call what Cuba and the US have a fraught relationship. Do I think the US bullies Cuba a bit? Yes. Do I think that the word choice was bad? No.

dreamweapon 12y ago
I wasn't "offended"; I was making an observation. You don't have to agree with it, but there's no need to inject an emotional aspect into it simply doesn't have.
dreamweapon 12y ago
Anyway, the point about the "fraught relationship" depiction is that it's basically an elephant-in-the-room thing. Such language might work to describe the relationship between the U.S. and Russia (or China), because those countries are essentially peers on the global stage. But to use it in the US/Cuba case pointedly ignores the fundamentally one-sided and, in the view of many inside (and essentially everyone outside) the U.S., petty-minded and abusive nature of that country's treatment of its much more vulnerable southern neighbor. There's also an unpleasant blame-the-victim tinge to it. The Post could have stated the obvious, of course, and acknowledged the elephant in the room. But it knows very well that in order to maintain its image as the (lessor of two) "papers of record" within the center of Federal power, that just would not do.

Mz 12y ago

The only word I objected to was "enjoys." That made me feel like: Yeah, sure, Cuba ENJOYS the bad relationship it has with a larger, more powerful nation next door. I don't entirely agree with you, but I do think the "enjoys a fraught relationship" was just terrible wording.