In Cuba today they had a celebration for Fidel's 50 yrs. as President of Cuba. (Dictator)?
He Turned 80 Aug. 13th and at that time was not able to celebrate his B-day because of an illness.
Raul his brother has been filling in since.
Do you think this is the end of Fidel's reign?
Do you think we can have better relations with Cuba?
Is Raul better or just as Fidel in their dictorship?

Do you think this is the end of Fidel's reign?

Probably, but I don't think there is anything to indicate that Cuba will be run differently under Raul.

Do you think we can have better relations with Cuba?

Doubtful. Our demands for free trade with Cuba require free elections, the freeing of all political prisoners, that all political activity be legalized, and private trade unions legalized. I don't see this happening and I don't see us dropping those demands any time soon.

Is Raul better or just as Fidel in their dictorship?

I doubt it, but he's old and won't last long. This feud has been going on a long time. It will be interesting to see what happens after Raul....

Eighty-year-old dictators just don't last like they used to. Or I guess they never did. Life is just so danged short.

Eventually we have to get over Cuba. There are cigar smokers here who want free trade, and the Cubans might buy Fords!

Raul isn't a spring chicken either. I'd look to who is next in line after him, and down the cast of bosses to someone who might be a little younger than 60.

Now that we have our own political prisoners without due process and have pretty much eliminated unions, seems that opening up trade with Cuba would be the next logical step.

But there I go again, assuming logic. Eh, who knows. Except for the missle crisis in the 1960s that I was vaguely aware of, being of a tender age and without a concept of nuclear war, Cuba hasn't done us any harm other than loading up Florida with refugees. It's not like we've had a bunch of Cuban undercover agents stirring up trouble on our college campuses, or flying planes into buildings, or withholding oil to drive the prices way up there, or shipping drugs into the country illegally, or influencing our legal drug trade, or nabbing our jobs, or any of the stuff our allies have been doing to us.

Sure would like a box of those Havanas though.

You know, legally?

As for FC, I kinda think the guy has shown a lot of fortitude for a cigar-smoking 20th century revolutionary. I'm pretty sure all his buddies are gone by now. Absolutely sure about Che'. How the heck has his country made it without the fat USSR exports? Makes me wonder, but then I think:

Black Market Havanas.

They have them in Europe! I think, sadly, Cuba isn't getting most of the black market Havana proceeds ...it's easier to smuggle them in from Spain than Cuba.

I've heard that they are becoming a vacation spot for Europeans, too (probably Canadians as well). Maybe things (hopefully) will turn around with the help of the tourist trade.

Castro's birthday is the same as my daughters?


Do you think this is the end of Fidel's reign?

Without a daoubt. Have you seen a picture of lately? He is dying. No doubt of that.


Do you think we can have better relations with Cuba?

Yes.


Is Raul better or just as Fidel in their dictorship?

I have no idea what Raul is, but having lived in his brothers shadow for so long I doubt he has the time nor the skills needed to effect much change. I hope that once Fidel croaks the people will do the East European thing and rise up and demand democracy. They've lived with such poverty for so long I guess they deserve a chance to make some money before their island turns to a new Las Vegas.

Castro is another of history's dictators who never paid for what he did. It bugs me no end to see him getting away with a life time of exploiting other people for his own selfish ideology.

Imminently? I don't know. I'm not his doctor. Of course when you die you cease to reign but perhaps can leave a legacy that influences the future.


Well there isn't but one way to go and that's better. From another perspective maybe Cuba has benefited from our absence by becoming more self-reliant. Lot of folks there have become very proficient in keeping their 1957 chevrolets running.


Less charismatic I understand. But aren't we all?

As dictators go Fidel rates pretty high in my book. Folks I know who visit there say despite the embargo people are getting fed, kids are being educated and seem happy, and they have generally the best medical care in Latin America. Also in the 3rd world apparently Castro gets high marks for his help and his political stand against the colossus of the north. But who follows is a concern. Seldom has a society been so dominated by one personality.

They may have a good medical care system, etc But the idea of having a dictator is wrong and pathetic, in this case it may be different. But the whole idea of just having one person serving as a leader and not others after one has gone, is boring you could say... and stale.