Castro on his death bed?

[bste_lax]

MADRID, Spain (AP) - Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro is in "very grave" condition after three failed operations and complications from an intestinal infection, a Spanish newspaper said Tuesday.

The newspaper El Pais cited two unnamed sources from the Gregorio Maranon hospital in the Spanish capital of Madrid. The facility employs surgeon Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido, who flew to Cuba in December to treat the 80-year-old Castro.

In a report published on its Web site, El Pais said: "A grave infection in the large intestine, at least three failed operations and various complications have left the Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro, laid up with a very grave prognosis."

http://tinyurl.com/ygy7xr

[Madlax16]

sounds like i can soon start getting some REAL cuban cigars....well if communism dies out with castro. well fingers crossed.

[Beta]

Anyone know who the next in line in Cuba to take the "throne" is?

[StrykerFSU]

His brother but my hope would be that the Cuban people might use Castro's death as a catalyst to kick the Commies out and join the rest of us in the 21st century. Unfortunately, his brother made his rep as Fidel's enforcer so things might not improve if he is able to take power.

Communism, building dreams (and Gulags) since 1917.

[Sonny]

IF true... the great party is about to start in South Florida. Calle Oche in Little Havana is going to become Bourbon Street Part Deux.

[Brent Burns]

What I am saying is obviously not related to this thread, but I do find it interesting that Ahmadinejad is visiting several Latin American countries including Venezuela. Those countries are not that far from our mainland. This is purely wild speculation on my part, but I wonder if Iran would want to try to get its influence on Cuba. Of course, that is highly doubtful.

[Zeuslax]

Brent wrote:

This is purely wild speculation on my part, but I wonder if Iran would want to try to get its influence on Cuba. Of course, that is highly doubtful.

Brent I think you're right on the money. There are also some high level Cubans attending some of these talks in the periphials. Again, way off topic, but it's interesting to note that Iran still flys the F-14 (which we supplied of course) and they are scrounging for parts....including in the US where two front companies have been shut down recently that purchased weapons at sales controled by the Pentegon. That's only two though!

I'm also wraped around the axle as to how much change will we actually see with the death of Castro. His brother seems to be fairly young and in good health. With the US intelligence apparatus stretched fairly thin, it's seems like it would be a good time to ramp up activity in Cuba again.

[StrykerFSU]

Hey now, let's not try anymore nation building. When the Cubans get tired of driving 1955 Benzes and hearing rumors about this "Internet" maybe they will decide enough is enough.

[mbuff]

As far as F-14s and Iran go, I've seen estimates that they can fly anywhere from 7 birds to 2 squadrons. They cannibalized 35 or so to keep the others up but they are not fully combat capable birds like our 14s.

When the Shah fell, the Grumman contractors killed the flight control computer code and took off with sensitive radar circuit boards as the story goes. Those 14's were effectively grounded for a very long time.

Most of the armaments left, if any, are pretty much at the unreliable stage of life. I know they flew some during the Iran/Iraq war which lessened the life of the bird without proper replacement parts and proper maintenance.

None the less, with the decommisioning of the US F14s, the Iranians will do just about anything to get their mitts on parts for their birds.

[Adam Gamradt]

Nothing says we're here to help spread freedom, than years of unecessary trade embargos.

I for one would buy a box of cigars tomorrow, because Macanudo's are crap. I would also probably travel there, and spend some money, but someone from my government says it's a bad place, and I can't go there. So much for the idea of a free market for everyone.

I fail to see how Cuba is a threat to the United States.

I'm not sure why we don't do more to export freedom there as well.

I would rather work with them, and try to spread freedom, like peanut butter over a saltine cracker, or possibly a nice piece of celery.

Do you guys ever stop to think that maybe we prefer them dissconnected from the world, so we can keep operating our prison at Guantanmo? Or maybe there are still people who fear communists are still plotting to take over America, and force us to eat borsch?

Now access to the internet is something everyone should have, restricting it is pretty stupid. But everyone in Cuba gets a college education for free, and their literacy rates are impressive.

Not everything in Cuba is terrible at least that's what I hear from people who are from there. Driving old cars is kind of cool, I'm not sure our countries insistance on replacing things that still work is environmentally sustainable.

[Tim Whitehead]

Stryker and Adam bith make good points. There's no need for the US to interfere with Cuba. Let them decide for themselves what they want. If it takes the people rising up and rebelling, let them do that. That's how Castro got to power, by overthrowing a corrupt (US-supported) dictatorship. Things probably aren't as bad as Americans think in Cuba, and things certainly aren't as good as the Cuban government would have us believe, but that's their issue. They are no threat to anyone except maybe people in Cuba.

[Zeuslax]

Sorry if my sarcasm was misconstrued as anything other than that. If the US really wanted to inflict change in the country they just need to lift the embargo and travel restrictions. We would have seen rapid change in many areas.

Depressing to read yesterday that Cuba's medical system is out performing the US system in many areas. Including infant mortality which the US currently ranks 26th.

[laxfan25]

I agree that the quickest way to liberalize Cuba would be to open up trade and travel between the two countries, but there might be a little domestic politics being played here.
How about we let the Cubans determine their future direction though - that would be quite the concept.
While Miami will be celebrating, there should be quite the funeral in Havana. Kind of amazing - Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush - I'm amazed he isn't preserved in amber.