Fidel Castro...

[bunniegraves]

I guess theyre waiting to make an official announcement, but the word is that he passed away....

[tisJoefoo]

That' pretty cool.

[ThePope]

I won't miss him

[kimp]

I guess theyre waiting to make an official announcement, but the word is that he passed away....

let`s hope so..

[bunniegraves]

I dont understand why there needs to be an "announcement." he's old. old people die. most people will be glad to hear it.

[Noodlesflyhigh]

I dont understand why there needs to be an "announcement." he's old. old people die. most people will be glad to hear it.

Well, Fidel Castro, was the President of the Republic of Cuba. So of course they're going to make an announcement on his death.

I know that many of us may not be fond of him, but consider this; when President Bush dies there will be a public announcement in Iraq...even though they don't like him.

Anyways, I hope he rests in peace.

PEACE LOVE EMPATHY
-Noodles

[Mr_Jude]

With the exception of his oppressive policies on freedom of speech, I like what he's done with Cuba. They have decent healthcare and are one of the most literate nations in the world. More power to him. Now only if he didn't have to step-on people's rights to get there.

[Tsunami]

I dont think castro were a good president, every body knows about the relation Venezuela-Cuba (chavez-difel castro) this last years, i live in Venezuela and we hear a lot of castro every day.

It sucks... you have no idea. we send to Mother fucker castro Oil, Black gold... and he send us stupids cubans doctor`s. the only thing they do is get people more sick. you can read it every day in the news pappers, in venezuela we have excelent doctors but they are unemployed, you whant to Know Why? becouse they are against Chavez...

Venezuela was a beatifull place to live, but since chavez came with his stupid socialis, now this country sucks..... if you are not agree with the goverment, well "fuck off" the say to you. is the same shit, just like cuba.

[Tsunami]

sorry about my english by the way.

fuck off chavez... get lost fidel!

hope cuban people can taste freedom soom!

[Noodlesflyhigh]

sorry about my english by the way.

fuck off chavez... get lost fidel!

hope cuban people can taste freedom soom!

:D

PEACE LOVE EMPATHY
-Noodles

[Mr_Jude]

hope cuban people can taste freedom soom!
I hope it's not "all at once", because that would be a dangerous game to play.

Granting an oppressed people absolute freedom never works. Look at Iraq. Those people didn't know what to do with it at first. It's very confusing to go from being oppressed to having complete freedom... It tends to ruin lives and the country itself. The damage can be repaired, usually, but it takes a long time. The best solution is the gradual granting of freedom, so people are more responsibile and more grateful of what they've been granted.

[INVISIBLE_LEADER]

Viva Batista!

[artemis]

I got a bit of triva about Castro. I found this out when I recently visited New York. At one time Castro was going to be a pitcher for the Yankies!! He came to the USA only once stayed in Harlm. He stayed their because he was afraid of being killed and the thought no one would come there because it was dangerious. (OK NOW the homes in Harlm go for about a million dollars) Just think how different things would have been if he would have been a baseball player! I was being a big tourest and riding one of the double decker buses when I found this out... If I have some of the info wrong it is not my fault... it is the tour guys. hahaha

[jonhomeowner]

I heard that it wasn't the Yankees, it was the Senators... The old Washington team.

And do you know why we've both heard this?

Because it's false.

http://www.snopes.com/sports/baseball/castro.asp

[ChrisJones]

So who is taking over the country? I'm sure he planted systems in place so it doesn't all go to hell after he dies.

I don't believe him to be a bad or evil guy. He just made a poor choice allowing the russians to use him as their tool. His homeland was used as a launchpad for a potential nuclear war. Taking that into consideration the harsh treatment from the US is justified. If millions of people are fleeing the country to escape the government that's also a red flag.

Even the Venezualans spit on his grave.

[jonhomeowner]

Don't be silly, he's still alive!

[thebigother]

So who is taking over the country? I'm sure he planted systems in place so it doesn't all go to hell after he dies.

I don't believe him to be a bad or evil guy. He just made a poor choice allowing the russians to use him as their tool. His homeland was used as a launchpad for a potential nuclear war. Taking that into consideration the harsh treatment from the US is justified. If millions of people are fleeing the country to escape the government that's also a red flag.

Even the Venezualans spit on his grave.
If you think US treatment of Cuba is justified, you could really stand to learn a bit more about the Cuban Missile Crisis. Not to mention that it was like 50 years ago and not even remotely an issue now.

[ChrisJones]

If you think US treatment of Cuba is justified, you could really stand to learn a bit more about the Cuban Missile Crisis. Not to mention that it was like 50 years ago and not even remotely an issue now.
Did fidel make an official apology to the US for allowing his country to be used as a launchpad for nuclear war?

If he did, then I'm wrong.

[thebigother]

You act as if he did all of that for no reason.

The USSR placed missiles in Cuba in response to the US placing missiles in Turkey. Such missiles would have only taken 16 minutes to reach Moscow, but even these were considered secondary in strategic value because of American subs with nuclear missiles even closer to Russia. Not to mention at the time the US had 8 times as many nukes as the soviets. But in typical American fashion, JFK decided only America was allowed to do such and threw a hissy fit and nearly caused a nuclear war.

What Fidel Castro did was no different than what the Turks did. Turkey just happened to be on the winning side of the ideological fence.

[thebigother]

Did fidel make an official apology to the US for allowing his country to be used as a launchpad for nuclear war?

If he did, then I'm wrong.
Why should he apologize? There was no nuclear war. What he did was no different than what numerous other soviet and American puppet governments did during this time. Besides, he wasn't the one who was hurt by the embargoes. Joe Blow the Cuban who had nothing to do with the missile crisis was. And ironically, if there were no embargoes on Cuba, the chances of the country having a more democratic and open society would be much much higher. It's no great secret that when such pressure is put on governments the consolidate their power and make huge efforts to maintain it. You think it's a coincidence that all of the countries that are cut off from the rest of the world have dictators? Give me a break.

[ChrisJones]

You act as if he did all of that for no reason.

The USSR placed missiles in Cuba in response to the US placing missiles in Turkey. Such missiles would have only taken 16 minutes to reach Moscow, but even these were considered secondary in strategic value because of American subs with nuclear missiles even closer to Russia. Not to mention at the time the US had 8 times as many nukes as the soviets. But in typical American fashion, JFK decided only America was allowed to do such and threw a hissy fit and nearly caused a nuclear war.

What Fidel Castro did was no different than what the Turks did. Turkey just happened to be on the winning side of the ideological fence.

Good point.

I still don't like the idea of missiles pointed at me. Being under the threat of nuclear holocaust makes me queasy. If my family was wasted, it would have been in no small part to him. Not to say that our foreign policy was correct, but it "just happens" to be my home(along with millions of my innocent neighbors) that was targeted.

[thebigother]

Just because you happen to live there is no reason to be automatically combative towards the other side. Had a nuclear war started, America would have been just as responsible. Given the cold war policy of mutually assured destruction, it wouldn't have mattered who fired first. The war would have been the fault of both governments stubbornness and bravado.

[ChrisJones]

Just because you happen to live there is no reason to be automatically combative towards the other side. Had a nuclear war started, America would have been just as responsible. Given the cold war policy of mutually assured destruction, it wouldn't have mattered who fired first. The war would have been the fault of both governments stubbornness and bravado.
If somebody points a missile about me I'm going to be a little upset about it and hope my government does something about it effectively(it is the defense sector's job to take care of shit like that).

Just because I don't like the other side doesn't mean I'm supporting all of the decisions my own country is making.

[thebigother]

On what planet is nearly starting a nuclear war to maintain your ego considered doing something effectively. You think that in a world where the two world powers have stock piled tens of thousand of nukes it would have made any difference if Cuba had a few? Seriously dude, big picture. When the prevailing foriegn policy is mutually assured destruction, everybody is fucked no matter where the bombs are.

[jonhomeowner]

Good point.

I still don't like the idea of missiles pointed at me. Being under the threat of nuclear holocaust makes me queasy. If my family was wasted, it would have been in no small part to him. Not to say that our foreign policy was correct, but it "just happens" to be my home(along with millions of my innocent neighbors) that was targeted.
And your home was targeted because their homes were already targeted.

But the point here is... Is it okay to make the innocent people suffer for the next 50+ years?

[ChrisJones]

The "prevailing foreign policy" didn't exactly prevail. The war never happened.

[thebigother]

Even you must think you're an idiot.

The forigen policy for both the US and the USSR was to mutually assure each other's destruction in a effort to prevent a nuclear war. So really it did exactly what it was supposed to.

[jonhomeowner]

Even you must think you're an idiot.
The sad thing is... He really doesn't think that. He really thinks he's smart and knows stuff.

[ChrisJones]

When the prevailing foriegn policy is mutually assured destruction...

Did I read you wrong?

[thebigother]

Sigh....

[ChrisJones]

The sad thing is... He really doesn't think that. He really thinks he's smart and knows stuff.

Are you wearing those edible undies today honey?

[jonhomeowner]

Did I read you wrong?
You obviously don't get it.

The policy WAS mutually-assured destruction... Which was meant to keep the other person from firing. Why fire on someone if you'll be destroyed to?

It worked well.

[jonhomeowner]

Are you wearing those edible undies today honey?
I won't dignify that with an answer.

[ChrisJones]

dont sigh at me. YOU SAID THE POLICY WAS MUTUAL ASSURED DESTRUCTION
and you didn't say to "prevent war"
So I went with what you said and stated my thoughts.

[ChrisJones]

I won't dignify that with an answer.

ooh baby keeping me in suspense...

[jonhomeowner]

ooh baby keeping me in suspense...
You want me. And you can't have me. Ha!

[thebigother]

dont sigh at me. YOU SAID THE POLICY WAS MUTUAL ASSURED DESTRUCTION
and you didn't say to "prevent war"
So I went with what you said and stated my thoughts.
http://www.ihatecilantro.com/userpics/crying_baby_rbby_92.jpg