"Influence Cuba" WTF? That's not a healthy/productive way of thinking... What's that you want to "influence" exactly? really? don't you know there are lots of fields where US and most countries in the world would benefit from Cuban influence instead?
And in any case, it shouldn't be about influencing as surely is right now for the powerful Goliat, but about doing the right thing at the very least.
Well clearly the US was trying to influence Cuba with the embargo... That is the purpose of an embargo, to influence another state. I am not saying that is a good thing, just that clearly that is what they were trying to do.
And since they were trying to do that, I think they could have done it in a better way.
And in any case, it shouldn't be about influencing as surely is right now for the powerful Goliat, but about doing the right thing at the very least.