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Fidel Castro


Ruso

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Protagonist of American history, the only dictator left in the continent, a communist, Fidel Castro is undeniably an unforgetable politician. An abusive tyrant, an admirable leader or just an senile old man, desperate for power?

What do you think about him?

:ph34r:

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  • 2 months later...

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Agreed. He never has been comparable to most other dictators. Hes done a pretty good job running cuba and isn't guilty of the human rights abuses that many other dictators have comitted. The US really has a dated Cold War attitude toward him and his country. If we can trade and work with Communist China why can't we work with Cuba?

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I agree. He simply doesn't have the record to warrant so much bashing against his country. Sure, he's a communist... but his country sure seemed to handle the hurricanes this year better than our own.

I think the fact that he offered 1500 doctors to come in and help in a time of need was pretty brave.

Oh well, he'll be dead soon anyway. Hopefully whoever's next (his brother?) can forge a better relationship with the U.S

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Well the US government has taken pride in being able to effectively control politics in the Americas through most of its history. Castro's Cuba is the most visible exception to this - and it really is quite remarkable that his revolution succeeded, threw out US capital, survived all attempts to dethrone him, and has survived 45+ years despite being less than 100 miles from US soil. Yes, the Cuba policy today is outdated, but US pride will not let it be reversed until Castro is either dead or out of power. He's kind of a living reminder of one of the US' bigger geopolitical failures - the existence of "Red Cuba".

As for Castro, about the only thing I admire about him is his ability to succeed in opposing such a dominant power as the the post-WWII US. The list of countries in the western hemisphere that have ever aligned against the US is very short, and for Castro to do it for so long is a very rare tale of political survival.

What shocks me the most is that Castro appears to have no succession plan for his eventual demise. It is guaranteed that the US will do everything in its ability to make sure post-Castro Cuba is as US-friendly as possible. But maybe there is a plan and I'm just unaware of it...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I agree. He simply doesn't have the record to warrant so much bashing against his country. Sure, he's a communist... but his country sure seemed to handle the hurricanes this year better than our own.

I think the fact that he offered 1500 doctors to come in and help in a time of need was pretty brave.

Oh well, he'll be dead soon anyway. Hopefully whoever's next (his brother?) can forge a better relationship with the U.S

Wow, I have not answered to anything in UP from a long time. Anyways, it is true that Castro has, regardless of his blatant abuses, been able to maintain his nation with comunism. Nevertheless, men, in my opinion, need much more than monthly given portions of bread and shelter against huricanes. Fidel Castro has proved us all that comunism can stand against many obstacles, like the US blockade, or natural disasters, but is still a system that ignores that men are much more than robots.

Also, someone said that he did not commit the violations to human rights, that many accused him of...As a matter of fact, he did, he is and,(hopefully not), he will commit more abuses than what many of us know of. I respect the guy as a leader, and as an idealist, but also, I acknowledge his terrible flaws as a dictator and a rather senile fanatic.

:ph34r:

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Agreed. He never has been comparable to most other dictators. Hes done a pretty good job running cuba and isn't guilty of the human rights abuses that many other dictators have comitted. The US really has a dated Cold War attitude toward him and his country. If we can trade and work with Communist China why can't we work with Cuba?

Tell the people of Cuba who must cope with food shortages that he hs done such a terrific job. I will grant that our policy towards Cuba has been misguided for the past 46 years. With any luck, Castro will die some time soon and another government will take his place. What I can't understand is that our policies have simply not worked. Wouldn;t it have been better to have thousands of US tourists flooding the place every year? I can understand the US government's not wanting to fund Cuban tourism, but our policy has not worked. Change is inevitable in Cuba. I have seen little evidence of a strong succession plan in place. It's best to remember that Castro, whatever his merits as a strong leader, has not placed the welfare of his people at the top of his priorities.

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Actually Tombarnes, I spent a few weeks in Havana Cuba a couple years ago and talked with several people there. This includes citizens in non tourist areas and the vast majority of them were happy with their situations. Free healthcare for all of the citizens, free education through college, high life expectancy, ect...

Also, many are angry with the US govt., especially Bush for trade and travel practices that only hurt them. In the entire time I was in Havana, I only saw one homeless person. Try doing that in any American city and you would be hard pressed. I also felt very comfortable walking in any part of the city even late at night. Virtually no crime there. Many areas of the city were going through extensive renovations to fix up their facades and there were plenty of historical buildings thoroughout the city. I would hate to see the US go in there and start putting McDondalds and Starbucks on every corner. Though Communism in not perfect, neither is Capitalism or Democracy for that matter.

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Well, that's spendid for them. I happen to know a number of people whose families are still in Cuba. I am told that they are not happy. Castro will be gone soon and this can only be a good thing for the people of Cuba. Trying to dress up a despot as a hero is not necessary. I'm sure there are lots of good people who look upon him as a hero. Good for them. He is not the future of Cuba and neither is his brother Raul. As for happiness, many people will be happy under all sorts of trying circumstances. I happen to think that Cuba will be a better place once Castro is gone. I can't begin to guess what will replace his government, but I would venture that it may be an improvement.

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Actually Tombarnes, I spent a few weeks in Havana Cuba a couple years ago and talked with several people there. This includes citizens in non tourist areas and the vast majority of them were happy with their situations. Free healthcare for all of the citizens, free education through college, high life expectancy, ect...

Also, many are angry with the US govt., especially Bush for trade and travel practices that only hurt them. In the entire time I was in Havana, I only saw one homeless person. Try doing that in any American city and you would be hard pressed. I also felt very comfortable walking in any part of the city even late at night. Virtually no crime there. Many areas of the city were going through extensive renovations to fix up their facades and there were plenty of historical buildings thoroughout the city. I would hate to see the US go in there and start putting McDondalds and Starbucks on every corner. Though Communism in not perfect, neither is Capitalism or Democracy for that matter.

Well, that's spendid for them. I happen to know a number of people whose families are still in Cuba. I am told that they are not happy. Castro will be gone soon and this can only be a good thing for the people of Cuba. Trying to dress up a despot as a hero is not necessary. I'm sure there are lots of good people who look upon him as a hero. Good for them. He is not the future of Cuba and neither is his brother Raul. As for happiness, many people will be happy under all sorts of trying circumstances. I happen to think that Cuba will be a better place once Castro is gone. I can't begin to guess what will replace his government, but I would venture that it may be an improvement.

The problem is to define

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tell the people of Cuba who must cope with food shortages that he hs done such a terrific job. I will grant that our policy towards Cuba has been misguided for the past 46 years. With any luck, Castro will die some time soon and another government will take his place. What I can't understand is that our policies have simply not worked. Wouldn;t it have been better to have thousands of US tourists flooding the place every year? I can understand the US government's not wanting to fund Cuban tourism, but our policy has not worked. Change is inevitable in Cuba. I have seen little evidence of a strong succession plan in place. It's best to remember that Castro, whatever his merits as a strong leader, has not placed the welfare of his people at the top of his priorities.

For one, Castro is not a very good communist.... infact the whole idea to bring communism to Cuba was not his but his brother's and El Che's. He just wished to free the people of the imperialist capitalism that the US was using in Cuba (United Fruit Company and others) that were exploiting the workers there. The reason that Cuba failed economicaly is because the Soviet Union betrayed their communist creed and left Cuba to stand alone in the West, and because the Good Ole' Boys (US) put trade embargoes against them. When you cant export or import products very well then of course you are not going to have a successful economy. If they were allowed to do this then surely the Cuba of today would be drasticly different. Being 90 miles away from a country so worried about new Guicci bags and Armani suits doesnt really help either. People are greedy what can I say.

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Admiring Castro is as disgusting as admiring an 1800's slave owning plantation owner. History will not look kind on him or the death cult of communism.

People are greedy what can I say.

And communists are the greediest of them all. They want to force their religion upon you or murder you.

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Admiring Castro is as disgusting as admiring an 1800's slave owning plantation owner. History will not look kind on him or the death cult of communism.

And communists are the greediest of them all. They want to force their religion upon you or murder you.

yeah those commies!!! How do they dare to want equal opportunities for everyone!!!!!! And for what I have read, you want to impose your beliefs on everyone also, for you insult other's opinions. Why complain then?Also, the commies do not have a religion--one would think people would know that. Where have you get your info from?

:ph34r:

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This is the problem with Cuba, you have hundreds of thousands trying to escape it. I spent some of my childhood on Southwest 7th street and 27th avenue in Miami, Florida, one block away from the famous Calle Ocho. Given that experience I have heard absolute horror stories of Castro, especially since he came to power in a wave against the rough and tumble Batista, Castro has been 10x worse.

I went to college with a girl from Guatemala, she came to the U.S. when she was 17, she say Cuban troops down there in the 1980s and early 90s rape, maime, dismember, torture and the like her friends and family. She kind of rained on the parade of all those college students in the states in love with Che Guevera and Castro.

The Mariel (sp) boatlift was another work of peace from this great statesman, sending all the criminals, rapists, perverts and drug addicts to Miami in the 1980s. Imagine having to live through a scene in Scarface every day, your sisters boyfriend murdered in a drug enduced rage, gunfire, broken families, death all around you. Yeah Castro really spread the peace and love all over the western hemisphere.

That student kissing American soil in October 1983 after the Marines went in and stopped Castros goon squad from destroying Grenada.

Just one man's opinion here but I've met too many people, grew up seeing drug addicts and Miami Police on SW 7th Street in the 80's deal with what Castro spread, talked to exiled Cubans, and survivors of the Cuban horror of Central America, to be swayed by some utopian view of Castro.

Oh and by the way, if everything is equal then you are getting robbed. I shouldn't have what you have if I didn't work as much as you have. There is a reason everyone wants desperately to come to the U.S and the west, you can MAKE your life here and OWN it.

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Well, I think that it is very important to play the devil's advocate role here,

Yes, Castro has, in fact, screwed a lot of people up. However, Batista is considered 10 times better than him because he was the USA's prostitute. That is what has always happened: Lots of dictators who were supported by the USA, and that were even more repressive than Castro, are now considered little lambs compared to Castro, because you know...."they were not commies"(even though many of them behaved almost ike absolutists kings, dealt with drug traffic, killed those who opposed them) Remember that history almost always favors the ones in power.

He is a dictador, and he is abusive

Yet he has been able to support Cuba without almost any support, make it one of the most educated nations in the Continent and the World. This island is the now the number 1 competition to the USA in terms of medicine, education and sports in the whole continent. And remember that he has done all of this despite being blockaded by the USA.

Also, I have met as many people who completely follow and support Castro as people who are against him. It all depends on perspective.

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This is the problem with Cuba, you have hundreds of thousands trying to escape it.

I wonder how this number compares to the number of Americans that have escaped to Canada during the same period that Castro has been in power, to avoid having to fight in senseless wars? It's going on right now in droves due to the Iraq war.

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I wonder how this number compares to the number of Americans that have escaped to Canada during the same period that Castro has been in power, to avoid having to fight in senseless wars? It's going on right now in droves due to the Iraq war.

Believe me,if there are any American citizens who may be fleeing to Canada to avoid fighting for their country, Canada can have them. We have become a country of weaklings. I certainly hope Canada keeps these so-called "Americans." I hope the draft does get reinstated, because a lot of young Americans are going to have quite a wake-up call. I'm within the draft age, and I'll gladly go if called up. Regardless of what you think of this war, we have a civic and moral responsibility to protect our country. If you could be called up, would you fight or would you run? If you choose to run, you don't deserve to be called an American.

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Why don't you go join up?

If I had to truly fight for the well being of my country I would be the first with a rifle to shoot at an enemy. Providing policing actions such as what is going on in Iraq is a horrible use of our military and not supported by the Constitution. Nobody joined the army to protect the lives of Iraqis.

Sadly if the military were to discover I was Gay, they would give me a dishonorable discharge. This is a reason for not joining as a discharge such as that will ruin your career, credit rating, etc. Ironically a Gay person in Cuba can join and participate in the military there as Castro has said being Gay is a

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Why don't you go join up?

I've done my time, although it was Reserve. I would re-up, but I've got a career to worry about these days. However if I'm given no choice and I have to go, I'll go proudly and I'll do my country right.

Sadly if the military were to discover I was Gay, they would give me a dishonorable discharge. This is a reason for not joining as a discharge such as that will ruin your career, credit rating, etc.

Well, are you the "stereotypical" gay man? Do you act feminine? Do you talk with a lisp or a feminine voice? Do you whistle at passing men? If you're not, then no one would know.

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I don't gay-bash, I let them be... until they start talking about how "natural" it is. I know it's not a "natural human tendency," and I certainly don't need that awful dictator from Cuba to tell me otherwise. Nature itself proves that homosexuality is not natural. It's can't be natural, since our bodies were clearly built for reproduction, and natural reproduction involves a sexual relationship between a man and woman. This brings us to the nature vs. nurture topic, which I will gladly debate with you wherever and whenever you wish.

Well that is your opinion of course. Since you think Gays are "unnatural" then I don't think we have anything else to discuss on the matter. You assume, not based on any scientific knowledge, that humans evolved just to reproduce, and because of that there is no reason for homosexuality. Dogs exist to reproduce. I, however think humanity is a bit beyond that level. It's a bigoted response and not one worth debating.

The point of the matter however is that Bush does not treat all law abiding members of our society equal which is something that Castro does. He may be a dictator but there are many people in the world that admire what he has done for the Cuban people, in the face of American corporate imperialism. I for one think Castro has done more for his people than Bush has done for the average american beyone appeal to the worst in our nature.

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It's going on right now in droves due to the Iraq war.

Got any proof to that? To quote the movie Stripes: "Son, there ain't no draft no more."

Castro is a murderous thug and monster. The people who love him are folks who were raised in a repressive, unfree, slave society where they were brainwashed. There is no freedom of truth in the slave plantaion of Cuba. The people and country of Cuba, and humanity deserve better. It is a crime that free nations of the world have been an accomplice to murder, slavery, and thivery in Cuba for so long.

The point of the matter however is that Bush does not treat all law abiding members of our society equal which is something that Castro does. He may be a dictator but there are many people in the world that admire what he has done for the Cuban people, in the face of American corporate imperialism. I for one think Castro has done more for his people than Bush has done for the average american beyone appeal to the worst in our nature.

Wow, you have been brainwashed too. Seriously, you need to seek out the truth. Wow, I can't believe any semiliterate, free, and educated person can come to such wrong, disgusting conclusions. Again, wow, I am speechless here.

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Sadly if the military were to discover I was Gay, they would give me a dishonorable discharge. This is a reason for not joining as a discharge such as that will ruin your career, credit rating, etc. Ironically a Gay person in Cuba can join and participate in the military there as Castro has said being Gay is a “natural human tendency that must simply be respected” .

He and Che Guevara used to round up homosexuals and mass murder them in front of the bloody walls of La Cabana, Guevara's personal murder factory where other democrats, liberals, and thousands of others innocent human beings were brutally slaughtered too.

Castro is a monster and says these things to appease the ignorant, accomplices of Cuban murder, tyranny, and slavery.

Edit - For most of the Slave Plantation of Castro's history, homosexuals were forced into the Cuban Gulag (jail where you go to die ASAP).

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