Robert Torricelli: “The reason that there is hunger in Cuba and North Korea is because their systems have failed. I recognize that in the…”

“The reason that there is hunger in Cuba and North Korea is because their systems have failed. I recognize that in the great farm belts of America, there is tremendous frustration and suffering because of the farm crisis. But it is not frank, it is not fair to the American farmer to suggest that if the United States abandons its human rights policies and its economic embargoes on these terrorist governments, that is the salvation for the American farmer. As my friend and colleague from Florida stated, the per capita income of Cuba is $300. Cuba has 7 days' worth of foreign exchange. Just how much wheat or corn does the Senator from Kansas believe Fidel Castro will be buying? North Korea has no foreign exchange at all. Nothing. The Sudan has a per capita income of $100 per year. These are not countries that are markets for American farm products. I share the concern of our colleagues from the Midwest of the plight of the American farmer, but believing that we can compromise our policies on terrorism or for human rights by offering sales to nations that have no resources is a false promise and, what is more, simply contradicts the facts.”