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Bump!

Jacoby is absolutely correct. Cuba has nothing we want, except cigars. Propping Castro up would only help perpetuate his regime, even after he's gone.

He is not our friend. He is our enemy.

The government has arrested, and sometimes beaten, dozens of signature collectors; Cubans who sign know that they are inviting retaliation. But they sign nevertheless. ''With great serenity and resolution,'' reports Paya, ''citizens are saying, Here is my name, my ID number, my address.''

They are the silent heroes. God bless them.

Cuba may not be inundated with Americans - though 80,000 of them did visit the island last year - but the past decade has brought a huge influx of Canadians and Europeans. Their influence and exports and ''notions of liberty and enterprise'' haven't weakened Castro's grip - the result, in part, of Cuba's ''tourist apartheid,'' which bars ordinary Cubans from mixing with foreigners in hotels, restaurants, and beaches. Why would more Americans make any difference?

After all, Castro is free to do business with every other nation on earth. And make no mistake: Doing business with Cuba means doing business with Castro.

Excellent article CW! Right on target!