How Significant is Raul's Olive Branch?

during Saturday's military parade (a showcase of exactly how obsolete the Cuban military is), Prince Regent Raul saber-rattled (calling his army invincible), and then offered an olive branch to the United States. His words:

"We take this opportunity to once again state that we are willing to resolve at the negotiating table the long-standing dispute between the United States and Cuba."

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Prince Regent Raul made roughly the same statement after taking over from King Fidel a few months back. His conditions for the dialogue? The U.S. government must respect Cuba's independence and not interfere in its internal affairs.

Prince Regent Raul showing his age

What does Raul want? The same deal China has: it can do business with the US and the US asks few questions about how China treats its citizens, dissidents included.

However, the differences between China and Cuba are staggering. China is an enormous and emerging economic power, one the US can't afford to have scruples with. Cuba, on the other hand, is a backwater, insignificant country, and it costs the United States little to stand firm on its moral ground.

This, perhaps, is Cuba's great tragedy. Its leaders (first Fidel and now Raul) believe they are far more important in the scheme of things than they really are.