One huge problem with your plan.

Post #120,990 by marlowe 10/12/03 1:54:52 PM Reply	One huge problem with your plan. We're not in a position to implement it. We don't run Cuba. Castro does. And he likes his people starving. Less energy for revolt that way. Plus he can blame America for not, um, running the country, or something. Now if we were to intervene and overthrow Castro, then we might be in a position to do all those things you suggest, much as we are now doing in Iraq. But until then, we have to settle for pettier actions, like bugging tourists. You can have it either way you want it, but you can't have it both ways. Me, I'd put Castro on the list of shitty regimes to squash. Not very high on the list, though. Castro doesn't seem to be sponsoring terrorism or acquiring nukes. Not since that missile crisis a few decades back. (Rep. Jeff Flake - is that his real name?) ---------------------------------------------------------------- DEAL WITH IT. Compromise is for suckers. Seeking a middle ground is what led to 9/11. "I do not want to be admired by scumbags and liars and wife beaters. I want to be admired by good and decent, intelligent and just people, and in order to achieve this I need to do things that make me despised by their opposites." - Bill Whittle Never mind all the mass graves. Where's the nerve gas? [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfire...arlowe/index.html]
Post #120,998 by tuberculosis 10/12/03 6:29:52 PM Reply	No problem all you have to do is drop the blockade. As you mention - he likes the blockade. So why is Bush helping him? In Java, you can't escape the creepy feeling. --James Gosling
Post #121,034 by marlowe 10/13/03 8:55:35 AM Reply	I can see you haven't thought this through. At all. Dropping the blockade just gives Castro more resources for himself. Just like that oil-for-food helped Saddam build more palaces and bunkers while his victims still starved. Anything that goes into Cuba through Castro-approved channels goes straight to Castro. That's how such a regime works. You can't deal personally with the subjects of a Stalinist economy. You can't sell them anything, and you can't give them anything. It's not allowed. Assuming you're at all sincere in wanting to help the common people of Cuba, the real blockade you need out of the way is the Castro regime. He's blockading the people. All our blockade does is to blockade Castro. Now I'm all for lifting the blockade that is Castro if you are. And then the other blockade won't be needed anymore. Just like we had the sanctions against Iraq lifted after Saddam was gone - overcoming a slightly reluctant UN Security Council - we'll do with Cuba. But first things first. ---------------------------------------------------------------- DEAL WITH IT. Compromise is for suckers. Seeking a middle ground is what led to 9/11. "I do not want to be admired by scumbags and liars and wife beaters. I want to be admired by good and decent, intelligent and just people, and in order to achieve this I need to do things that make me despised by their opposites." - Bill Whittle Never mind all the mass graves. Where's the nerve gas? [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfire...arlowe/index.html]
Post #121,063 by tuberculosis 10/13/03 12:52:25 PM Reply	More than you have I'm sure I wandered around that country for 3 weeks trying to understand what's going on. Dropping the blockade just gives Castro more resources for himself. Just like that oil-for-food helped Saddam build more palaces and bunkers while his victims still starved. Anything that goes into Cuba through Castro-approved channels goes straight to Castro. The oil for food program was really oil for money. We ought to be sending food, medical supplies, and building supplies. There are whole communities painted all one color because a bulk shipment of paint came in once. Its that bad. 41 years of blockade doesn't work. Time to establish trade relations. China is no better for human rights (and in fact they were showing very old Chinese communist propaganda films with english subtitles on the TV in my hotel room in Havana) but we manage to do quite a lot of trade there. Opening trade with Cuba will allow us to exert influence. At the moment there is no reasoning with Castro as he is certain (and correct) that the US just wants to kill him. Castro will not live much longer - it would be best to open trade, work with him and begin preparing for the post-Castro years. At this point there will be an opportunity to remake Cuban government, but only if we aren't pouting outside the door. Certainly nothing can be solved without communication. The Bush plan amounts to sitting on your thumb hoping something will get better even though this hasn't worked in 41 years. In Java, you can't escape the creepy feeling. --James Gosling
Post #121,083 by GBert 10/13/03 3:58:38 PM Reply	We've got him just where we want him Oh ye of little faith! It's working just fine -- just like we wanted it to. According to our calculations, Castro will be calling it quits within 15 years, provided we don't stop now. Giovanni I'm not a complete idiot -- some parts are missing
Post #121,086 by Silverlock 10/13/03 4:16:27 PM Reply	It hasn't worked yet. Let's do it some more! ----------------------------------------- It is much harder to be a liberal than a conservative. Why? Because it is easier to give someone the finger than it is to give them a helping hand. Mike Royko

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