[Cincinatus' Wife]

Crackdown in Cuba / A reminder that Castro is still a tyrant*** Criticism of current American policy toward Cuba tends to focus on the fact that it is monolithic, basically waiting for the death of Fidel Castro before it evolves into something more nuanced. Another growing group of critics of present policy appreciates growing U.S. export sales to Cuba, particularly by American farmers and pharmaceutical companies. They lament that Cuba is still obliged to pay cash, because U.S. banks cannot extend credit.

Another group of critics of current U.S. policy focuses on the electoral aspects of the issue, particularly the fact that President Bush's brother, the governor of Florida, draws votes from the Cuban-American exile community in Florida, some of whom still hold the Democrats responsible for what they consider to be the selling down the river by the Clinton administration of Elian Gonzalez in 2000.

Then there are the tourists and those in the travel industry who profit from Americans' visits to Cuba. Cuba is, in fact, an interesting and attractive Caribbean destination, perhaps competitive in charm and cost with Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and other tourist spots.

What the "Fidel Castro is really a cuddly agrarian reformer" group may have missed is that over the past week or so the Castro regime has arrested as many as 75 economists, librarians, journalists and human rights activists -- in sum, pretty much the active opposition to his regime. Some of them were arrested for being too much in communication with the wrong Americans, officials of the U.S. Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy in Cuba, where American diplomats are based absent U.S. diplomatic relations with Cuba.***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Castro laments American, Iraqi deaths in war HAVANA - President Fidel Castro, who has repeatedly criticized any U.S. military involvement in Iraq, said he was saddened by the deaths in the opening days of the conflict. "Every death is painful for us, both the young Iraqis and the American soldiers that die, whether it's 1, 10, or 100," Castro said. The Cuban leader's comments late Saturday night were his first on the war since it began, and he expressed concern about any psychological impact of days of prolonged fighting.

"It's not a just a question of taking care of the oil wells. You have to be concerned about how this will affect the mental health of millions of people," he said. He said he was particularly concerned about the effects of the bombings on Iraqi women and children. Castro also insisted many people around the world were disturbed by the "colossal spectacle brought on by those extremely powerful bombs" being broadcast live on television. ***