Where are you now, Fidelistas?

BOston GLobe ^ | APril 21, 2003 | Cathy Young

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WHILE THE world's attention is focused on the aftermath of the war in Iraq, where a vicious totalitarian dictatorship has met its demise, relatively little notice has been spared for the brutality of another regime on the other side of the globe: Fidel Castro's dictatorship in Cuba. After much talk about burgeoning economic and political liberalization on the island, hopes of a Cuban-style glasnost were dashed earlier this month when about 80 dissidents -- journalists, librarians, economists, and other such subversives -- were speedily tried behind closed doors and given prison sentences of up to 28 years for conspiring against the government. Their crime was to have organized a petition drive calling for basic political and civil rights for the people of Cuba. While this crackdown is deplorable, it is hardly shocking: Castro's thuggish tactics should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with his record. What's truly shocking is the absence of outrage from his American friends.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Flashback: CNN Doing Castro favors, just like Saddam (Original Title: "A Protest in the Dark: Arrested Cuban dissidents feel betrayed by CNN ")

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Chatterbox: Fidel Castro, Book Critic - Foreign Policy magazine buffs a dictator's image.*** Foreign Policy has spiffed itself up lately, and as a result the magazine is much livelier and thought-provoking than it used to be. Gibney notes, correctly, that running Castro's review does not imply any sort of endorsement. "We'd run a movie review by Kim Jong-il if we felt it might shed some useful light on his thinking and personality," Gibney says. (Next month: Idi Amin reviews The Lovely Bones!) On reflection, Chatterbox can't really dispute that it's interesting to learn what dictators do in their spare time. But that doesn't let Foreign Policy off the hook. A movie review by Kim Jong-il couldn't enable any widespread belief that Kim is some sort of philosopher-king, because no such belief exists. It's different, alas, with Castro. Many people think of Castro as some sort of Latin Papa Hemingway, and the publication of this review will only encourage them to go on believing it.***

[alloysteel]

Nothing to see here, folks, just keep moving....

What is going on in Cuba now is a train wreck in progress. The home-grown variety of freedom fighters that has lived for more than a generation under the heel of Fidel Castro mistakenly believes that loosening of the bondage in another country half-way around the world, also signals the potential for shedding their own repression. Alas, Fidel is very good at recognizing a personal threat to himself.

Eventually, Fidel will die. And almost certainly, the Communist regime will depart within days. There is not now in place, any means for the orderly transfer of power in Cuba when Fidel's reign ends.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

And almost certainly, the Communist regime will depart within days.

I don't have the confidence you do, that this will happen. This regime didn't hold together for 43 years because of one man alone.

[Teetop]

"Perhaps Carter feels that antagonizing dictators is counterproductive. But there are times when silence equals consent -- and this is one of them."

Of course Jimmy Carter consents to what Castro has done.
I wouldn't lose a bit of sleep over us bombing Fidel. Who is going to come to his "rescue" now? Might as well bomb him now, the socialist are already up in arms over Iraq, just look at them at the protests!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

And it would have a cululative effect because Castro supports third world dictators and gives them a "hero" standing against American capitalism.

[fporretto]

Robert Heinlein was of the opinion that an evil organization such as a Communist state could be brought down by assassinating the men at the top, because evil organizations are always personal empires, built to maximize the power and luxury of the Maximum Leader. He had a point, but he might have failed to appreciate the speed with which second-echelon contenders for power could swarm up to the top offices to replace the fallen tyrant-in-chief -- and the inability of a thoroughly cowed, thoroughly disarmed subject population to resist the process.

Which, come to think of it, is why it took American military intervention to depose Saddam Hussein, isn't it?

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com

[oldironsides]

The stream of Democrats visiting this iron fisted dictator is impressive. Daschle, Maxine Waters and the rest of the Black Concressional Caucus love this killer. He treats them like royalty. The jailing of journalists got the attention of the Boston Globe? Jeff Jacoby column may have
made the leftist elite at the Boston Globe look in the mirror. The leftist press is to blame for stroking this
dictator. Cuba needs to be liberated. The press has a mighty sword. Go for it guys. You owe the Cubans that much at least. Read Jeff Jocoby's column.

[goldstategop]

Yup. We should tighten sanctions and close our Special Interest Section in Havana. And we should impose a complete U.S naval blockade around the island to be lifted only when the regime gives up power. No more business with Fidel Castro as usual. Let's send him our own wake-up call.

[FITZ]

This regime didn't hold together for 43 years because of one man alone.

Unless some plans are made here, when Castro dies there will probably be a lot of chaos, people trying to leave, violence and all the rest. I hope there would be some Cuban Americans who would be willing to go back and take control. American intervention seems necessary now or in the future.

[Mr. Mojo]

Where are you now, Fidelistas?

Oh, they're still there. ...especially the Hollywood variety. Castro will always be the darling of the left, and the brutality of his rule will always be duly ignored.

[goldstategop]

Yep. If the regime starts losing control, a tidal wave of Cubans will try to make their way here. No loves Communism and the only people in Cuba who have a vested interest in maintaining it is the Communist elite. If most Cubans had a truly free choice, they'd vote to leave the island with their feet. There's no future for them there.

[FITZ]

I wonder what role China might play? I understand they're gaining influence all throughout Latin America and it's got to be for a reason. Plus they've got the economy now.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I wonder, how many are in the Castro Regime deck of cards?

[Tailgunner Joe]

bttt

[js1138]

Where are you now, Fidelistas?

Running the show at MIT, that's where.

[nicmarlo]

Possible end to Cuban embargo.
U.S. politicians, farm groups, and citizens join to end trade sanctions.
February 2002

Despite the Bush administration’s hard-line stance on continuing the U.S.'s 40-year-old embargo against Cuba, it appears domestic support is quickly waning.

Over the past several months, thousands of Americans have traveled from the U.S. to Cuba -- including congressional representatives, academics, and business leaders. Recently, U.S. Representatives from California; including Diane Watson (D.-CA), Sam Farr (D.-CA), Mike Thompson (D.-CA) and Bob Filner (D.-CA), traveled to Cuba to meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro and other government officials to discuss increased trade between the two nations....

.....When queried about the Bush administration's continued support for the embargo, Rep. Watson told the AP, "That might be the executive branch's view, but that is not the legislative branch's, and we make policy."

[js1138]

Robert Heinlein was of the opinion that an evil organization such as a Communist state could be brought down by assassinating the men at the top, because evil organizations are always personal empires, built to maximize the power and luxury of the Maximum Leader.

Heinlein may have been a genius, but he missed something here. Maximus stays in power by distributing perks to subordinates. After a few years there's a semi-legitimate bureauracy in place that owes its livlihood to the leader. so it isn't just the single ruler. Nearly all the competent people in the country will be corrupted.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

We'll see, won't we?

[nicmarlo]

Yes, we will....and I hope she ends up having her words shoved down her throat as that socialist is voted out of office (crossing my fingers).