Comments on: Cuba, Lets Be Honest

By: MikeSouth

MikeSouth — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 01:03:08 +0000

In reply to LurkingReader. @BFI Good catch on Desi Aranaz the book was indeed about Batista NOT Castro Arnaz was famous here long before the Cuban Revolution started.

By: LurkingReader

LurkingReader — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 21:15:32 +0000

In reply to bfi.

@bfi

For the past five years there has been a visa process in place for approx 50,000 annual Americans to visit Cuba. What I hear from most in South Florida is that the visas go to “tourists” and those with family are still being denied visas. The speculation about why is rampant but most feel their American dollars are welcome via the high cost official process while their politics aren’t. They hope this latest deal will make it cheaper to support the families they have no hope of seeing again.

As technology improved commerce and travel over the past 60 years the embargo became less and less effective. There was a definite effect while Cuba had to establish other means of trade but that time has long passed along with the initial effects of the embargo. Venezuela is just one country that benefitted early on taking over immediate supply & demand to Cuba despite Russia still grabbing all the headlines.

It amazes me how ignorant as Americans we are to not only our own but our nearest neighbors political history. My kids tried to tell me we never had interment camps in the USA…given the fact that both are college educated and took AP History this saddens me. Schools spend so much time on STEM and accommodating the social cause du jour that they never go near accurately portraying the worldwide ripples felt in conflicts.

By: bfi

bfi — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 05:48:26 +0000

I wondered a bit how Cuba was related to the adult biz, but both are about Freedom to say and do. Of course politics is almost as much fun as sex. Mike South got it generally right, but as for some of the comments, I do not know where to start. I’ve been to Haiti and I’ve been to Cuba, and I can say Cuba is not another Haiti. I’ve never read the Desi Arnaz autobiography, but I can assure all that when the Arnaz family fled Cuba, Fidel Castro was in elementary school; I know its easy to get the dictators mixed up.
Cuba is known throughout the world for the quality of its medical personnel, and Castro offered to send some of them to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, but W said no way. They sure would’ve done better than some American medical personnel there who abandoned some patients.
Fidel was a lawyer but he studied at the University of Havana, not at a NY law school. He was hailed as a hero in NYC after he toppled Batista.
Finally, we did not trade 3 Cuban spies for “one American do-gooder.” We returned 3 Cuban spies in return for Cuba returning one un-named US spy and releasing 53 political prisoners. The return of the “do-gooder” was separate but simultaneous; he was in Cuba working as a subcontractor for the US Government, doing things which are against Cuban laws.
Since the US gave Cuba independence after winning it from Spain in 1898, Cuba has generally been ruled by a series of dictators replacing dictators. We’ve invaded Cuba more than once, but unlike Germany and Japan who we recognized not long after they killed Americans in combat and in prison camps, and China, which the US recognized less than 25 years after China helped North Korea fight and kill Americans in combat and which still holds prisoners from the Korean War, and Vietnam which was recognized about 20 years after the war in which 58,000 US troops were killed, Cuba has never fought and killed Americans except in limited defensive actions, such as the Bay of Pigs. Sanctions against Cuba have not worked, and President Obama is taking the correct approach. Many Americans have already visited Cuba, which is certainly safer than visiting North Korea, but as Mike said, beware the ciguatera, which I picked up in the Caribbean many years ago.

By: common sense

common sense — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 17:29:23 +0000

This was a good deal for Obama. He traded 3 Cuban spies for one American do-gooder and some great tips on how to run a dictatorship! It’s a Christmas gift from one commie to another! lol

By: artwilliams

artwilliams — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 12:36:58 +0000

I think this is a good idea. Why wouldn’t a country have at least diplomatic ties to another. Talking is better than not talking but let’s take off the “rose colored glasses” here. The real test will be when American corporations ask for compensation for their property. After all, the American government — at it is now constituted — exists to aid businesses. This is not for the people.

By: MikeSouth1226

MikeSouth1226 — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 01:55:35 +0000

RT @AngelinaCastroX: Thanks @MikeSouth1226 for bringing this to attention!
http://t.co/V8rqUONx5S
It’s a new day for us Cubans. I can’t wa…

By: AngelinaCastroX

AngelinaCastroX — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 00:51:48 +0000

Thanks @MikeSouth1226 for bringing this to attention!
http://t.co/V8rqUONx5S
It’s a new day for us Cubans. I can’t wait to see what’s next

By: LurkingReader

LurkingReader — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 23:50:19 +0000

In reply to Dirty Bob. It's a shame Ukraine didn't follow his example with all the housing they nationalized sold and now are re-patriating as they dump tenants on the street.

By: LurkingReader

LurkingReader — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 23:46:03 +0000

In reply to John Sons. He was seriously sick with a systemic infection for a long time...guys definitely got a steel constitution to live.

By: Dirty Bob

Dirty Bob — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:45:19 +0000

I remember my family (grandparents) losing a shitload of Cuban-Venezuelan Oil stock when he took over.