Fidel is a bitter, broken down old man.
Don’t forget, this is the man who suggested that if Cuba was invaded, the Russians should launch a first strike on the USA. The Russians ultimately removed even those missiles not covered by the agreement that ended the crisis because they reasonably feared that the Cubans were preparing to seize them for their own use against the USA.
He lost. His side lost, his ideology lost.
Why is anyone surprised ?
To be clear, Castro did not rip into the United States, he ripped into Barack Obama. I read his entire letter, translated into English. The logical flow is not too good, although he seems to provide some focus near the end:
He seems to be saying that Obama is coming to town with a lot of feel-good sentiment and suggests that they all forget about the harm that the U.S. has done. And although Obama is going to great lengths to open the door to reestablishing the relationship, to some extent I can empathize with this response.
I know that Cuban Boxers can withstand a Tremendous amount of punching.
Still, I have no idea how happy any of them would be after 57 years of Dictatorial Power…
To do so would ignore all the pain and death caused by Cuba’s exporting of revolution and terrorism. This isn’t a good, innocent man pondering this. This is an angry revolutionary terrorist supporter who will go down in history as a tyrant and a failure.
Give that man a cigar!
The Cuban government being what it is, If Fidel is speaking publicly, I think we can assume that his remarks were vetted and approved.
The regime arguably gets some propaganda benefit from the US outreach but does not benefit at all from actually changing, which is why they haven’t offered to do so and continue to denounce the US.
It’s essentially the same reason why the Ayatollah insists that the hostility between the US and Iran will continue despite the nuclear deal.
The embargo was imposed unilaterally by the United States on Cuba, not the other way around.
Cuba has traded freely with other countries because no other country has imposed an embargo on Cuba.
Personally, I think the embargo was a massive mistake because it has given the Cuban government an excuse and a rallying point. But it’s US policy, not Cuban policy n
CIA got him mid-post!
RIP Northern Piper.
This. This whole “opening of relations” just seemed a bit too condescending for Fidel.
Watching CNN talk non-stop about how its impossible for the oppressive Cuban government to now justify opening relations with the demonized USA got me thinking…Hold up. Just who do they think had held up economic/diplomatic ties?
I’m sure it’s a face-saving measure.
While it does seem like we've held on to this embargo thing 20+ years too long, I'm curious as to why it seems to have been so effective. If Cuba can trade with everyone else, why is it still such a rundown backwater? You'd think that between sugar, tobacco and tourism, they'd be able to maintain a decent income from the rest of the world.Does he need an excuse to rip into the country that blatantly targeted to have him assassinated, tried unsuccessfully to invade his country and that treats Guantanamo Bay as a dumping ground for human rights violations? If I were him and not looking to be around much longer I’d be barking out that I had JFK assassinated and ask what are you going to do about it? Even if it didn’t really go down that way, kind of a political version of giving us theraspberry salute. I fart in your general direction. 
Because it’s a corrupt dictatorship, and most of the benefits of all that trade inure to a very small (and increasingly aged) elite.
The embargo was and always has been pointless. But hopefully with a vastly more gigantic trading partner 90 miles away, and at least a little bit of reform on the island, the Cuban markets will open up a bit.
Agreed. Claiming to defend the people against an external threat (whether real or imagined) is Page 1, Line 1 of the Dictator’s Playbook. The Cuban government, like that of Iran and North Korea, is founded on the premise of opposing the “evil” capitalist US empire. If the bogeyman ceased to exist, so would the entire rationale for their system of government.
The Soviet Union propped them up, did it not, and the USSR no loner exists.
They were not only ‘sold’ enough oil for their own needs in exchange for sugar, they were actually given extra that they sold on the open market for cash.
Now I think they’re getting it from their revolutionary buddies in Venezuela in exchange for sugar, doctors and other ‘assistance’.
Except Venezuela is in really bad shape, and how long Maduro can hold on to power is anyone’s guess.
So… the US ripped him a new asshole? :dubious:
Let’s see. 2nd President Adams had designs on Cuba in the 18th century.
Cuba was definitely in Monroe’s thoughts regarding US domination of this hemisphere.
We tried to buy the place from the Spanish for $500 million.
Trumped up invasion during Spanish-American “War”.
Later US companies ran the sugar industry - not for the benefit of the locals.
We had at least 4 other invasions/occupations from the early 1900’s.
Guantanamo was not the only port/coaling station we arranged for from sympathetic/imposed governments. See Platt ammendment.
We backed a few dictators ourselves. Gerardo Machado in the 20’s and early 30s. Then General Fulgencio Batista in the 40’s and 50’s. Batista’s second term/military coup was planned in Florida. Good times for American companies and organized crime. Also total domination of the Cuban economy.
So 60-70 years of economic, political, and military misrule and intervention - I’d be a little pissed too.
Castro and his elites weren’t much better than the groups they replaced but; they were homegrown bosses rather than bosses from the outside.
Not that we treated Cuba any different that any other Caribbean, Central or South American country. The various economic interventions, coups, and outright invasions are over 100.:eek: The totals are dependent on definitions so you get different figures here and there.