The resignation of Fidel Castro as Cuba's president provides an excellent opportunity for the United States to ease its restrictions against Cuba - including the trade embargo.

The embargo and travel restrictions clearly have done nothing to bring positive change to Cuba in nearly 50 years.

Imposed within a year of Castro seizing power in 1959, they have done little more than give him an excuse to blame the United States for suffering brought about largely by Castro's own policies.

The sanctions have done more to harm average Cubans and Americans who want to travel to or do business with Cuba. They haven't pressured Castro or his government to change.

However, reopening the door - at least a crack - could encourage reform.

We are under no illusions that Castro's brother, Raul, who is expected to formally be named president on Sunday, is about to democratize the island nation 90 miles off the coast of Florida.

However, Raul Castro did make positive overtures during the time he was "interim" president such as reducing the number of political prisoners and promising to recapture any al-Qaida terrorists who escaped from the U.S. base in Guantanamo, Cuba.

The strict embargo has never made much sense. While making it difficult for Cuban exiles to visit dying family members and barring most business transactions with Cuba, the United States has freely traded with repressive regimes such as China and the former Soviet Union.

In 1999, then Illinois Gov. George Ryan became the first U.S. governor to visit Cuba since Fidel Castro took power. Although billed as a humanitarian mission, clearly Ryan and those on the visit had more in mind.

Agriculture officials have estimated that Cuba could purchase as much as 2 million tons of U.S. grain if the embargo ended.

State Sen. Dan Rutherford was part of that 1999 trip, while representing this area in the Illinois House.

The Chenoa Republican expects the transition in power to start the normalization process, but "I think it will be very baby steps," because of reluctance on both sides to change their ways.

"I don't agree with everything that's been done in this administration toward Cuba," he said.

Rutherford thinks the United States needs to normalize its relations with Cuba, starting with trade in health care equipment, pharmaceuticals and agricultural products - which he notes are big industries in Illinois.

At 76, "little brother" Raul isn't much younger than the retiring 81-year-old Fidel. It might not be long before a younger generation moves into leadership.

By moving now to improve relations, it would send a strong signal to the next generation of leaders about the advantages of loosening the totalitarian grip on economic and individual freedoms.