Castro Steps Down

While I think I only have one loyal reader (due to my extended sabbatical), if anyone stops by, I'd love to hear your opinions!

So "Fidel Castro" sends out this letter saying he won't accept another nomination for "president" of Cuba. Interesting. I'm not convinced it was he who sent the letter, nor am I convinced he's even alive.

It's been suggested that his much less charismatic, though far more brutal brother, Raul, will be nominated. While Raul has been standing in for Fidel while he deals with his "failing health" (and/or death), I don't think he'll be able to hold the country together once he's officially in charge. I've read some pondering about some other politician in Cuba being nominated--getting some young blood in there--mind you the young blood I've seen mentioned is 56. I guess if you consider he was only a school boy when Fidel seized the country in late 1959 he would be considered "young."

March should be interesting, just as we line up our candidates for our own presidency, Cuba will "nominate" a new ruler. Now if only we can keep our own driving needs to maintain "manifest destiny" out of Cuba's realm, they might have some sort of a shot at becoming free. And I say becoming free by however they choose to define it. Just because our "freedom" works for the United States, I fully disagree with attempting to impose our beliefs on another country. Just take a look at the middle east or read Bitter Fruit if you need any examples of how it doesn't work. Baby Bush is already jumping on the "let's save Cuba" bandwagon. Leave well enough alone. They'll figure it out and ask for help when/if they need it. It may get ugly, but could you honeslty expect anything else. Fidel was in power longer than any other ruler worldwide (save monarchs). For nearly 50 years it was just whatever he said. If he's not calling the shots, is their old system going to be able to work? Will a new system emerge? Or will we see a series of overthrows, constant toggling for power?

Maybe things won't change. I think they will, at least to some extent. I'd love to see their economy open up. I'd love to be able to travel there. I'd love to see their schools be open to US students. You may or may not know that Cuba has one of the BEST education systems world wide. It's that their economy is so bad that MDs can make more money driving cabs. I'd love to see the United States and Cuba to get over themselves and allow free travel--let families visit each other, let tourists invest in their economy.

Now that I'm in a totally different academic setting, I've got no one to debate, ponder, and/or bounce ideas off of in this respect. Agree, disagree, whatever, I'd love to see some amount of discussion/debate on the topic.