# So, I guess Cuba's next? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 31, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204 "2004-10-31T22:50:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/21 "2004-11-01T04:54:13Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > **John Carter of Mars** don’t fool yourself. Miami Cubans will not return _en masse_ when Fidel dies. I don’t think they will like to live in a crumbling country thirld word country, which is what Cuba basically is. Actually I think they are better with Fidel alive. And no matter what kind of government follows Fidel, the exiles are almost certainly not going to get back any of the property he confiscated from them or their parents or grandparents. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/22 "2004-11-01T04:56:24Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > He’s pandering. I don’t think even Bush would actually invade Cuba. His hands are tied in Iraq, there’s no hint of WMD(assuming he believes that) … **HPL** , meet John Bolton [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,52372,00.html](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,52372,00.html) > **[Newsmax.com - Breaking news from around the globe](https://www.newsmax.com)** > > Newsmax.com reports today’s news headlines, live news stream, news videos from Americans and global readers > seeking the latest in current events, politics, U.S., world news, health, finance, and more. > **[Newsmax.com - Breaking news from around the globe](https://www.newsmax.com)** > > Newsmax.com reports today’s news headlines, live news stream, news videos from Americans and global readers > seeking the latest in current events, politics, U.S., world news, health, finance, and more. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/11/attack/printable508722.shtml](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/11/attack/printable508722.shtml) [http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/05/06/cuba.weapons/?related](http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/05/06/cuba.weapons/?related) [http://www.etcetcetcetcetcetcetc](http://www.etcetcetcetcetcetcetc) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/23 "2004-11-01T05:10:40Z")
> [@SimonX](#): > > **HPL** , meet John Bolton > [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,52372,00.html](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,52372,00.html) > [http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/5/6/171314.shtml](http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/5/6/171314.shtml) > [http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/5/5/215929.shtml](http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/5/5/215929.shtml) > [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/11/attack/printable508722.shtml](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/11/attack/printable508722.shtml) > [http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/05/06/cuba.weapons/?related](http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/05/06/cuba.weapons/?related) > [http://www.etcetcetcetcetcetcetc](http://www.etcetcetcetcetcetcetc) But under current political conditions, what practical **use** would Fidel have for bioweapons? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/24 "2004-11-01T05:17:54Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > But under current political conditions, what practical **use** would Fidel have for bioweapons? Stranger than fiction I know, but. . . I suspect that Mr. Bolton says Castro’d give them to packs of terrorists, who are like wolves, btw, who’d use them if Team Bush is not returned to power. IMHO, Mr. Bolton, like Mr. Wolfowitz, is one of those Mylroie type conspiracists. Except Mr. Wolfowitz actually _is_ a Mylroie conspiracist. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/25 "2004-11-01T05:22:09Z")
> [@SimonX](#): > > Stranger than fiction I know, but. . . Didn’t Mr. Bolton once record a cover of Carole King’s 'Standing in Te Rahn"? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/26 "2004-11-01T05:25:54Z")
> [@John Carter of Mars](#): > > Apologies. I only noticed North Korea and Iran “next” threads. It seems that y’all have been Bush bashing a lot longer than I’ve been reading the political threads. Um… much as I’m getting sick to death of the “Bush is a poopyhead!” threads, they weren’t Bush-bashing. They were _right_. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/27 "2004-11-01T05:30:57Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > He’s pandering. I don’t think even Bush would actually invade Cuba. His hands are tied in Iraq, there’s no hint of WMD(assuming he believes that) and there’s no oil(in case that’s his reason). Doesn’t change a thing. It’s an incredibly irresponsible comment. A head of state announcing such a thing (at the very least hinting at waging war on another country) just to gain some votes? This guy lost any common sense. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/28 "2004-11-01T06:51:32Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > **John Carter of Mars** don’t fool yourself. Miami Cubans will not return _en masse_ when Fidel dies. I don’t think they will like to live in a crumbling country thirld word country, which is what Cuba basically is. Actually I think they are better with Fidel alive. You don’t really think the people making fortunes out of the Iraq mess really _live_ there, do you? Cuba’s fertile soil for corporate greed. I assure you that there are plenty of CANF members just drooling at the prospect of getting their hooves back in. Hell, back in Batista’s day, there were already plenty of commuters between Cuba and Fla. Private jets only make it that much easier. Hell, we both live in the DR, surely you’ve heard of [\*\*the Fanjul family](http://www.newhumanist.com/sugar.html)\*\*? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/29 "2004-11-01T06:56:48Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Whadya call Iraq **John**? I call it the FIRST country that Bush invaded without clear provocation. What do you call it? Look, if you are going to lump Afghanistan and Iraq in the same category, we’ll just have to agree to disagree. You may find a few who agree with you here, but not many. ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/30 "2004-11-01T06:58:58Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > You don’t really think the people making fortunes out of the Iraq mess really _live_ there, do you? > > Cuba’s fertile soil for corporate greed. I assure you that there are plenty of CANF members just drooling at the prospect of getting their hooves back in. Hell, back in Batista’s day, there were already plenty of commuters between Cuba and Fla. Private jets only make it that much easier. Ah, back to the days when Cuba was a colony. What a strange (and frightening) concept - a Cuba with an American-placed regime… wonder how many Cubans feel strongly enough about their state to stay and fight for it. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/31 "2004-11-01T08:11:59Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Funny how many “I guess [insert country here] is next” threads there have been, and yet none have actually BEEN next. Some people seem never to learn… In the above mentioned thread where rjung made his prediction, and in which the OP said “somewhere in the Middle East” as potential targets for Bush, he was met with statements such as (this is just from the first of many pages): > [@](#): > > This is really dumb. > [@](#): > > It’s going to be pretty difficult for him to start a war though seeing as pretty much all of our peace keeping forces are at full deployment. > > * * * > > This has got to be one of the most ironically ignorant OP’s I’ve ever read. > [@](#): > > Ya know, I was just thinking, it’s been quite a while since we’ve had a truly spectacular display of ignorance and bigotry around here, and then… > Right. GWB will invade an unspecified location in the Middle East, either in revenge for the Cole bombing (which US investigators have blamed on Osama bin Laden, currently resident in Afganistan) or to somehow benefit Texas oil interests. The above was one of my favorites. Want to bet they want a mulligan on that one? > [@](#): > > George W. states repeatedly, throughout the campaign, that it’s arrogant for the U.S. to play policeman of the world. Then, once elected, he appoints a Secretary of State who’s extremely reluctant to commit U.S. troops around the world. > > Where, exactly, did poster #1 get the asinine notion that **George W. Bush is a hawk**? > [@](#): > > As numerous posters have pointed out, the OP is something of a bad joke. Is there some reason for perpetuating this thread, other than as an opportunity to sling a lot of partisan mud? > [@](#): > > Hmmm for all the shit certain “vitriolic” Republicans get on this board, some of you Democrats sure seem rather classless in defeat. I thought you’d wait a little longer to show your true colors. Don’t know what I was thinking. > > This is going to be so fun! Here’s hoping you get to suck on those lemons for eight long, slow years. > [@](#): > > What a painfully stupid topic. > > I don’t see Bush starting a war anywhere any time soon. I’d be VERY hesitant about going down a similar path. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/32 "2004-11-01T09:04:24Z")
Bush calls himself a “war president,” doesn’t he? As to Cuba, his idiotic ruling restricting Cuban-Americans from visiting family in Cuba to one visit in three years has already cost him a fair amount of Cuban support—he’s gotta win that back one way or another. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/33 "2004-11-01T09:42:12Z")
The one bit of traction that I think this story has is that, militarily speaking, Cuba is a lot easier than any of the other countries suggested. It’s close to the United States so getting troops and supplies there is monkey simple. It’s pretty darn small. I don’t think that their troop strength is anywhere near even our current weakened level. It’s an island far away from where our enemies are so the only insurgents that we really have to worry about is the MMA (muslim merpeoples army). Not that I think that this is anything more than pander so obvious that it’s insulting. I just wanted to point out that this is the best “next” country so far. I’ll give it an 8 out of 10. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/34 "2004-11-03T02:45:28Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > You don’t really think the people making fortunes out of the Iraq mess really _live_ there, do you? > > Cuba’s fertile soil for corporate greed. I assure you that there are plenty of CANF members just drooling at the prospect of getting their hooves back in. Hell, back in Batista’s day, there were already plenty of commuters between Cuba and Fla. Private jets only make it that much easier. > > Hell, we both live in the DR, surely you’ve heard of [\*\*the Fanjul family](http://www.newhumanist.com/sugar.html)\*\*? Yeah, I know who the Fanjuls are. Do you disagree with me that the Miami Cubans are better off with Fidel in power? What would they have to complain and nag about if the old dude keels over? Martirdom is a priced political commodity. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/35 "2004-11-03T09:11:19Z")
Doesn’t anyone remember the Cuban Missile Crisis? Or do they not teach that in school these days? Part of the agreement with the USSR that ended the crisis was that the USA agreed not to take offensive military action against Cuba. So President Bush can say that Fidel sucks and that we hope he dies real soon, but dropping the 82nd Airborne on Havana is off the table. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/36 "2004-11-03T10:08:05Z")
[[The problem for Bush, should he get re-elected, is mainstream America doesn’t see Cuba as any sort of real threat]] And, from talking to a number of Cubans (the ones who still live there), it doesn’t seem to me that they see Fidel as a threat, either. In fact many of them love the hell out of him. If Bush goes after Cuba, he’ll have to answer to a lot of other countries in the region and elsewhere, too. That’d sure continue to build our popularity abroad. ---
**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/37 "2004-11-03T10:27:17Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > Doesn’t anyone remember the Cuban Missile Crisis? Or do they not teach that in school these days? > > Part of the agreement with the USSR that ended the crisis was that the USA agreed not to take offensive military action against Cuba. So President Bush can say that Fidel sucks and that we hope he dies real soon, but dropping the 82nd Airborne on Havana is off the table. I honestly know very little about this, but my question is: Does the Russian Federation have much interest in enforcing an agreement signed between the US the Soviet Union forty years ago? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204/38 "2004-11-03T21:18:23Z")
> [@wolfstu](#): > > I honestly know very little about this, but my question is: > > Does the Russian Federation have much interest in enforcing an agreement signed between the US the Soviet Union forty years ago? It’s just a tad more than a feeling, but I suspect that Moscu couldn’t care less about Cuba. They have other concerns at the moment, and the US has recently withdrawn from pacts far more important than Cuba and well, nothing happened. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-guess-cubas-next/272204.md?page=1)