I listened to a live speech by Fidel Castro once (don't ask), and even though I didn't understand a word he was saying, I found myself cheering my ass off. The guy was that charismatic.
Now, after almost fifty years in power, Fidel has turned over the keys to his brother Raul. Yes folks, Fidel has outlived nine (count em) nine U.S. Presidents, countless assassination attempts, and a long standing U.S. trade embargo. Sadly, the last time I checked his little Communist outpost was still at our back door. It is still the only such government in the Western Hemisphere.
When the fake ass cowboy told the Russian leader to tear down "that wall" in East Berlin, he should have been focusing some of his commie fighting skills on that beautiful island to the South of us as well. But no such luck. Like other U.S. Presidents before him-- starting with JFK---and all the presidents who have come since, Cuba, for the sake of political expediency, became a political pariah, and the land that A-merry-ca's leaders forgot. Hey, gotta get that Florida vote. We have to pander to those Cuban Americans down there, forget the fact that we have lost sight of the bigger picture over and over again.
The irony is that we created this monster. For years, pre Fidel, our businesses controlled Cuba's economy, and we supported the corrupt and brutal Fulgencio Batista. Enter the man with the beard and great hand rolled cigars to stage a revolt and take power. Things have not been the same since. Fidel ruled with an iron fist, and democracy took a back seat.
Now I know that there are many Cuban A-merry-cans in South Florida who would kill Fidel themselves if they were given a chance. And their beef might be legitimate. Hell, if the Jamaican government were to take my families land I would be pissed off too. But sorry, this isn't about them. This is about a country of millions of people who would be so much better off if that silly ass trade embargo was lifted. Normalized relations with our Cuban brothers and sisters would be so nice.
Unfortunately, I just read where Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said this: " I can't imagine that [improved relations with Cuba] happening anytime soon".
Oh well, looks like I will have to just keep paying a little more for those Cuban cigars.
