http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6294511/ This link has the video if you haven't seen it. Quite a nasty spill.
Broke his kneecap and an arm. Fortunately, it wasn't a hip. The statistics for the elderly living much longer after breaking a hip aren't too good. I wonder if a kneecap will be just as bad though. It'll be a while before he can walk again. Will he do the rehab he needs to do?
goes to show that sometimes, opponents of ameriaca AKA "evil dictators" are sometimes best left alone to live the excruciating pain of old age. Granted there are exceptions, but this indicates that we don't need to take them all out.
I've got minimal issues with doing this to dictators that aren't out to get nukes, bioweapons, or show any history of aggression. Of course Castro has been in power for a gazillion years, so waiting for old age hasn't proven to be fast enough. I assume your response was somewhat tongue in cheek.
Well, Castro always has sought the limelight. I hope he redoubles his effort to "break a leg." It's good theater.
Frrom watching the video of the fall, I was trying to see if he had tripped over a fellow's foot who was walking across the stage, or if he had managed this all by himself. If it's the former, I wonder if the guy's a tad worried right now? Considering how little some dissidents have been jailed for, what if you, even accidentally, trip your leader?? Seriously, although I was more than half serious in what I posted above, shouldn't we have resumed relations with Cuba years and years ago? This is another issue where I think Kerry will be more intelligent in his foreign policy. Kerry, along with John McCain, worked to sucessfully have the United States recognize the government of Vietnam, and to have diplomatic relations with our former enemy. Isn't it past time to do the same with Cuba? Kerry, in my opinion, would do just that, if he has a majority in the Senate that will support a treaty. They are 90 miles from us, folks, and have a rich, unique culture, along with some of the world's greatest beaches. There are thousands of Cuban Americans who could visit, and perhaps return permanently, given normal relations between the two countries. Castro, clearly, is "on his last legs." Past time to move forward with this, and Bush is actually tightening and further restricting what little interaction there is between the US and Cuba. He has made it more difficult for Cuban Americans to send money to family members, and for those few Americans who could, previously, travel there. Meanwhile, Canadians and Europeans travel to Cuba in their thousands. Just a thought. Keep D&D Civil!!
NPR just did a story a couple of days ago about Bush's post-Castro Cuba plan. I was displeased. He essentially wants to undo the whole revolution. Democratize (fine), privatize (more questionable -- I think the citizenry can decide on this one), the usual stuff. Plus, he's still holding out for restitution for those whose property was seized during the revolution. I know he's not remotely alone in that demand, but it would be a huge mistake to undo the greatest legacy of Castro and invite imperialism back in.
I think, I agree with you 100% on what you've posted about the post castro plan. Restoring the property would be the number one mistake that could be made. I think the main thing we need to worry about is not letting a level of corruption fill the vaccum once Castro is gone. Cuba may once again be a trouist paradise, with luxury hotels, resorts, casinos etc. And if the only people who get a piece of that pie are those who are connected or corrupt, or both, then it will be very hard to undo that damage.
I don't know what to make of that, but let me relate a personal and similar experience. My mother and her family came here from Nicaragua. After the communist Sandinistas took over, they had to flee. They owned a nice plot of land and had a big house down there. After the "revolution," the place was used as a whorehouse among other things. After it became a republic, my family started going down there to see what was left. They have found a family living in the house now. This is a house my grandfather built with his own hands, and now some people are basically "squating" in it. I imagine there are similar situations in Cuba as well. There isn't any property more personal than your home.
I know a friend of mine who's family is from Cuba, that has a very similar tale. I think that the property has been in their family for a long time until the revolution. I also have read about the corruption, and I believe there are a lot of people who fall somewhere in between. But I'm sure all of the people believe the land should rightfully be theirs. I don't want the corrupt people to get it, and it would be nigh impossible to sort out who has the best claim to the land, and to throw off people who are living there now, and would have to be relocated. There was a revolution for a reason. The corruption and greed were out of control. What happened after the revolution went too far in the other direction, and brought in its own corruption. But to undo everything and go back to the way it was before will only cause unnecessary grief.
Piss on Castro !! I wish he would have broken his neck and died in that fall, the guy has held that country back for decades. We need to get it back to the tropical paradise it is, casinos and big beach front property for the rich. Sheesh !! DD
