Castro Steps Down

[Raughammer1]

From an email news alert:
CUBAN DICTATOR FIDEL CASTRO STEPS DOWN AS PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER

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Wow, this is a day folks have been waiting on for a loooong, long time. My guess is his brother will step into his place as the leader of Cuba.

[Raughammer1]

***USATODAY.com Breaking News***
HAVANA — Ailing leader Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba's president early Tuesday after nearly a half-century in power, saying in a letter published in online official media that he would not accept a new term when the newly elected parliament meets on Sunday.


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Still no successor named in that "alert" either.

[scfire86]

When one takes away the cha cha cha, Castro was just another communist military dictator with all that that implies.

Realistically, during the Cold War, these small, impoverished Latin American countries had two choices:

Agree to be a US client state, using authoritarian business, church and military (or paramilitary) interests to enrich the few, send resources north as needed and keep the people down; or say "Yanqui go home" and develop a marriage of convenience with the Soviets.

Neither alternative was very attractive.

For decades Castro's defiance was useful in pointing out the true nature of US intervention in much of the world, as long as one took his proclamations of a workers' paradise with several grains of salt. Objectively, I believe that in fact the standard of living in Cuba was better than that of many Latin American countries, and the very real oppression that took place there deserves to be both condemned and placed in context compared to that which took place in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, etc.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

The whole "embargo" thing with Cuba was and is total BS.

Sure, Fidel and Nikita were bosom buddies, Che was elevated to saintlike status, etc....

Look at the world now. One of our biggest trading partners is China, Russia is a more or less a democracy, US firms are opening stores, franchises and factories in both countries.... and not too long ago, we all had nukes pointed at one another.

The new "Cuban revoltution" will be influx of US dollars, opening lines of trade and establishing normal relations.

I can see the advertising now...

"Sunny beaches, warm waters, friendly people.... Come to Cuba.. have a cigar!"

[RoughRider]

Post me when the sh*t head dies. I'll smoke a Monti Cristo in honor of his trip to hell in a bucket.

[scfire86]

Post me when the sh*t head dies. I'll smoke a Monti Cristo in honor of his trip to hell in a bucket.

I won't be crying any tears either.

[Raughammer1]

David Letterman:

From “Top Ten Reasons Fidel Castro Is Retiring”

8. He has accepted the role of Dr. Ramon Vazquez on “General Hospital”;
7. Achieved his goal of getting Cuba’s unemployment rate under 83%;
6. Wants to spend more time interrogating his family;
5. Just got Season One of “Gilmore Girls”;
4. Caught injecting human growth hormone into his wife, Debbie Castro;
3. Too many tacos;
2. He was adopted by Angelina Jolie;
1. Always promised himself he’d quit torturing when it stopped being fun.

[scfire86]

David Letterman:

From “Top Ten Reasons Fidel Castro Is Retiring”

8. He has accepted the role of Dr. Ramon Vazquez on “General Hospital”;
7. Achieved his goal of getting Cuba’s unemployment rate under 83%;
6. Wants to spend more time interrogating his family;
5. Just got Season One of “Gilmore Girls”;
4. Caught injecting human growth hormone into his wife, Debbie Castro;
3. Too many tacos;
2. He was adopted by Angelina Jolie;
1. Always promised himself he’d quit torturing when it stopped being fun.

Thanks for making me blow my vodka all over my screen.