Slashdot Mirror
Fidel Castro Is Dead (nytimes.com)
Striek quotes the New York Times: Fidel Castro, the fiery apostle of revolution who brought the Cold War to the Western Hemisphere in 1959 and then defied the United States for nearly half a century as Cuba's maximum leader, bedeviling 11 American presidents and briefly pushing the world to the brink of nuclear war, died Friday. He was 90. His death was announced by Cuban state television.
In declining health for several years, Mr. Castro had orchestrated what he hoped would be the continuation of his Communist revolution, stepping aside in 2006 when he was felled by a serious illness. He provisionally ceded much of his power to his younger brother Raul, now 85, and two years later formally resigned as president. Raul Castro, who had fought alongside Fidel Castro from the earliest days of the insurrection and remained minister of defense and his brother's closest confidant, has ruled Cuba since then, although he has told the Cuban people he intends to resign in 2018.
Kebertson shares an AP article which remembers a book proclaiming "Castro's Last Hour" -- in 1982. And Miamicanes jokes there'll be celebrations among Castro-haters in Miami, sharing a CNN article which notes that in the end, Castro "lived long enough to see a historic thaw in relations between Cuba and the United States."
In declining health for several years, Mr. Castro had orchestrated what he hoped would be the continuation of his Communist revolution, stepping aside in 2006 when he was felled by a serious illness. He provisionally ceded much of his power to his younger brother Raul, now 85, and two years later formally resigned as president. Raul Castro, who had fought alongside Fidel Castro from the earliest days of the insurrection and remained minister of defense and his brother's closest confidant, has ruled Cuba since then, although he has told the Cuban people he intends to resign in 2018.
Kebertson shares an AP article which remembers a book proclaiming "Castro's Last Hour" -- in 1982. And Miamicanes jokes there'll be celebrations among Castro-haters in Miami, sharing a CNN article which notes that in the end, Castro "lived long enough to see a historic thaw in relations between Cuba and the United States."
this isnt going to be a very popular opinion here, but the reason for the historic thaw is surprising. Typically the united states is content to hold trade embargos indefinitely against any nation that so much as thinks of challenging unfettered capitalism. The reason for this thaw is similar to the reason for the Iranian thaw. The US is losing geopolitical capital at an unprecedented rate early in the 21st century.
central and south american leaders are no longer subscribing to the teachings or guidance of american politicians. instead theyre renationalizing their resources and divesting from markets typically dominated by american presence. Cuba was a last ditch effort by the state department to keep a foothold in trade agreements that are rapidly moving away from the dollar as their standard. Prior to this we had tried calling in our debts from socialist democracies, demonizing their policy in our media, and withholding world bank investment only to find these countries far more resilient and fungible than they were 35 years ago when we could routinely replace their leaders with a coup.
Good people go to bed earlier.
Most people are unaware of the US involvement in pre-Castro Cuba, and would be shocked if they did a little research.
Castro and communism are not my choices for leaders or economic systems, but the US is responsible for overthrowing lots of governments around the world, then acting shocked when a dictator or religious zealot steps in.
Hopefully Trump won't renew the economic oppression of the Cuban people. We have behaved shamefully.
You can say anything about Fidel, but he was a tough guy. Cuba resisted bravely (if you allow me to use the term) to an enemy way bigger and more powerful for many years. Curiously, the end of the Castro era could have arrived long before if the past presidents would have used the Obama approach: Embrace, extend and extinguish. Personally, I think he chose a wrong path and became the perfect example of why communist social structures are not sustainable. "Join together to share the lack of wealth", to use Stallman's words, simply goes against human nature. RIP, anyway.
Open Source Network Inventory for the masses! Kuwaiba
The most capitalist day of the year.
If a war torn banana republic is beating you that badly on growth, there is something seriously wrong with your economic policy.
Let me guess... an embargo?
That aside get your statistics right: Cuba GDP per capita is up 250% since 1970 and Honduras GDP per capita is up 230% in the same period and still half of the Cuban GDP per capita, life expectancy in Honduras is 73 years, in Cuba 79 (higher than USA by the way). Sen. Joseph McCarthy legacy still lives on.
Cuba's hostility against America is legendary.
From a non-US perspective, USA's hostility towards Cuba is far more legendary. While most of the world have had diplomatic relations, trade and travel to Cuba, USA has consistently refused. This is not due to Cuba not wanting any relations.
Batista's Cuba was famous for literacy and doctors per capita, compared to the rest of Latin America, so Castro's improvements were pretty small
Life expectancy in Batista's Cuba was far lower than in the USA at the time, in Castro's Cuba it is higher. Literacy in Batista's Cuba was estimated between 60% and 76% (because there is no data for the neglect countryside), taking the highest esteem it was the fourth highest in Latin America at the time, today it is 99.7% according to Unesco data, highest in Latin America.
Try harder.
Well, we're in the realm of alternate histories here. But just from a power politics standpoint Castro would have been forced to side with the Soviets no matter what his true principles were, or indeed if he had no sincere principles whatsoever. The Soviets were friendly and the Americans were hostile. American business interests preferred his genuinely odious predecessor Fulgencio Batista, who could be bought by anyone with sufficient money, even the Mafia.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.