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Let's all give Fidel Castro a hug.

XJEEPER

XJEEPER

NAXJA Member # 13
NAXJA Member
Location
Wasatch Range
I want to know how these folks got to Cuba and who paid for it?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21008.html

Another point of view........
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/columnists/myriam-marquez/story/989534.html

Castro keeps the Cuban majority in poverty because he's a cruel, heartless Communist who has enslaved his people to keep himself in power. This is a prime example of the government controlling the economy and having ultimate power to make all decision. Great healthcare program too.
I know this doesn't flow well for the PC crowd..... whooptey-do.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article4138127.ece
 
There is plenty of blame to go around when it comes to Cuba and our foreign policy.

Our best bet is to resume open relations with Cuba, and to trade openly with them.

That may not sit well with you, but I believe it would go a long way towards making things better for the Cuban people, and it would not hurt to have the Castros talking to us instead of Hugo what's his face.

They can even continue to be "Communist" as far as I'm concerned.
 
I think we do need to open back up trade and travel with Cuba. It's just to damn close to our shore's.

I do disagree with the CBC going to do this and acting like Fidel is the victim here. Why wasn't someone from the Secretary of State's office sent?

There was a funny picture I thought, Castro wearing an ADIDAS jump suit.

06lede_castro.480.jpg



That house of his looks pretty nice too.









Commie bastard
 
"lives in a moderate house"...

that part of the article made me chuckle. Yes, the house he chose to show you is very moderate and meant to convey that image to you. I am Positive that he does NOT have a house at the beach and a hunting lodge in the mountains and a small castle on the other side of the island...

Of COURSE what he showed you is the true living accommodations and all that he has
 
Zuki-Ron said:
There is plenty of blame to go around when it comes to Cuba and our foreign policy.

Our best bet is to resume open relations with Cuba, and to trade openly with them.

That may not sit well with you, but I believe it would go a long way towards making things better for the Cuban people, and it would not hurt to have the Castros talking to us instead of Hugo what's his face.

They can even continue to be "Communist" as far as I'm concerned.
Click to expand...

Explain to us how free trade with Cuba will help the Cuban population, with a Communist Dictator still in control?
 
I admire Fidel, we, US Government, tried dozens of times to knock him off from flat out shooting to poisoning his cigars. Yes, He's a scumbag but how can you not help but admire someone who thumbed his nose at us for all these years. There were people in DC, and probably still are, who chewed NY city phone books in frustration over him. Besides what does the senate or congress care, they get Cuban cigars in the private store they have.
 
RichP said:
I admire Fidel, we, US Government, tried dozens of times to knock him off from flat out shooting to poisoning his cigars. Yes, He's a scumbag but how can you not help but admire someone who thumbed his nose at us for all these years. There were people in DC, and probably still are, who chewed NY city phone books in frustration over him. Besides what does the senate or congress care, they get Cuban cigars in the private store they have.
Click to expand...

I agree, and he is smart enough to know leave well enough alone.
He may have snubbed his nose at the US but he kept it clean and we left him alone... for the most part.
The US GOV may have tried a couple times to kill him (although I have never seen any proof of it) but other than be a communist dictator, he didn't do much else to the US. so he has been left alone.
That's what I have seen.
I would like to get my hands on a Cuban cigar.
if trade opens up again, then I would get as many as i can right away, because once they start selling to the us the quality will go down to accommodate the quantity...
and welcome to the free world. crappy cheap Cuban cigars.
 
muduck18 said:
I agree, and he is smart enough to know leave well enough alone.
He may have snubbed his nose at the US but he kept it clean and we left him alone... for the most part.
The US GOV may have tried a couple times to kill him (although I have never seen any proof of it) but other than be a communist dictator, he didn't do much else to the US. so he has been left alone.
That's what I have seen.
I would like to get my hands on a Cuban cigar.
if trade opens up again, then I would get as many as i can right away, because once they start selling to the us the quality will go down to accommodate the quantity...
and welcome to the free world. crappy cheap Cuban cigars.
Click to expand...

They are actually nothing to write home about, there is a lot of nostalgia surrounding Cuban cigars. I used to buy them at the Hudsons bay trading company in Ottowa every year when we would go there on middle weekend during annual training at Ft Drum.
As far as Cuba and the world, they have nothing there but second and third class hotels, over priced, unless money is invested there they won't go anywhere. It's also hard to get to, no real direct flights from the northern hemisphere more or less. From here you need to fly to another country to get there.
 
What concerns me more than opening up to Cuba is why do we have a Congressional Black Caucus? Is there a White Caucus? Is the Black Caucus bigger? ;)
 
I have about two dozen FINE Cuban Cigars right now. They aren't as hard to get as people think. HA. You are right though, they really aren't anything to write home about, and once trade opens back up, you can be sure the quality will take a nose dive.
 
x2elite said:
I have about two dozen FINE Cuban Cigars right now. They aren't as hard to get as people think. HA. You are right though, they really aren't anything to write home about, and once trade opens back up, you can be sure the quality will take a nose dive.
Click to expand...

Eh, we buy all ours from Honduras and Ecuador and other south/central places, we send buyers out all over the place every month. I'm getting quite an education here and the 'try these and tell us what you think' has proven interesting. I tried one yesterday that was so strong I had to go home and trim my nose hairs and just about shave my back and my chest. LOL
 
HAHA.... nice.... I like several of the Dominican Cigars, and have even got a box or two of really good mexican cigars. Alot of the Dominican Cigars are actually repackaged cubans, due to the trade embargo. I have a very close friend who operates a cigar boutique in Cozumel, and he keeps me up to date on the good stuff.
 
x2elite said:
HAHA.... nice.... I like several of the Dominican Cigars, and have even got a box or two of really good mexican cigars. Alot of the Dominican Cigars are actually repackaged cubans, due to the trade embargo. I have a very close friend who operates a cigar boutique in Cozumel, and he keeps me up to date on the good stuff.
Click to expand...

Sssshhhhhh :D
 
XJEEPER said:
Explain to us how free trade with Cuba will help the Cuban population, with a Communist Dictator still in control?
Click to expand...


In return, I will ask YOU a question.

What positive things have we accomplished with our Foreign policy towards Cuba?

Answer: Nothing.

Think of it this way a bit:
The type of government in control hardly matters. When you cut off trade, you deny everyone a decent standard of living. That is counter to our goals.. Those people don't blame Castro, he's the local guy. They blame us for not trading with them, not investing in their oil fields, not investing in their health care system etc, and for trying (repeatedly) to off their leader.

It has worked this way all around the world. When we deny aid, when we stop trading with a country, it's the people who suffer, not the heads of State. As a boss of mine said to me once 'If this ship sinks, I will be standing on all your heads as it sinks into the abyss'.
 
Eh, set fire to the island.....who cares....

I like how people want to blame the U.S. for all the world's problems. Seems to be a common mentality, even in our own country....

"US Government, it is YOUR fault I couldn't pay my adjustable rate mortgage, you need to bail us all out!!!"

"US Government, it is YOUR fault Cuba sucks so bad.....and damn you for taking in all the refugees, no questions asked!!!"

Tell you what, lets create a new tax system where you fill out a form that lists all the places you want your tax money to go for foreign aid. You can then check North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Syria and Iran and we can save the world by throwing US tax dollars at it, and trading our moon pies and RC Cola with them.

Because all of those countries have soooooo much to offer us that we can't live without.....
 
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Zuki-Ron said:
In return, I will ask YOU a question.

What positive things have we accomplished with our Foreign policy towards Cuba?

Answer: Nothing.

Think of it this way a bit:
The type of government in control hardly matters. When you cut off trade, you deny everyone a decent standard of living. That is counter to our goals.. Those people don't blame Castro, he's the local guy. They blame us for not trading with them, not investing in their oil fields, not investing in their health care system etc, and for trying (repeatedly) to off their leader.

It has worked this way all around the world. When we deny aid, when we stop trading with a country, it's the people who suffer, not the heads of State. As a boss of mine said to me once 'If this ship sinks, I will be standing on all your heads as it sinks into the abyss'.
Click to expand...

Have to say, after spending a considerable amount of time here http://www.historyofcuba.com/cuba.htm , I realized that there was a lot that I didn't know about Cuba and Castro, not to mention the role that the Spanish and US have played their country. Makes me rethink my previous comments......although I'm not quite ready to play footsy with Fidel.
 
Fidel Castro hasn't been running the country for over a year now. His little brother Raul is now the leader of Cuba. He is actually allowing the people there more freedom than Fidel ever did.
 
you cannot open up trade to Cuba as long as Castro and his groupies are in power. That is rewarding bad behavior..plain and simple. In years past the US has sent delegates to many communists countries, similar to the Hanoi Hilton situation. Nothing will develope from this. If so, somehow Obama will be apologizing for how awful we've been to them.

I have about a dozen Cuban cigars in my humidor. It is very, very difficult to tell if you have true Cubans or fake. Opening up trade would ruin their tobacco quality.

RichP...do you sell CIgars? you mentioned you have buyers?
 
fscrig75 said:
Damn dog, what do you have against moon pies? Those got me through some cold nights sitting in ma's tent in Korea.
Click to expand...

Nothing! I think RC Cola and Moon Pies are our best export! However, Cuba has nothing of value to trade back with us!!!! :D
 
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