Castro

[David Casseres]

>I remember seeing a collection of independent documentaries on PBS 
>related to Cuba today.  Much of it was very critical of the Castro 
>regime, particularly from the artist communities (I've read some novels, 
>too _Dreaming in Cuban_ for one that support the anti-Castro ideology).  
>Economically, Cuba is in a shambles, I'm sure in some part by the effects 
>of the U.S. boycott.  Generally, I equate Cuba with places like Iran in 
>that despite all the rhetoric, these countries have a hard time 
>"delivering the melons". 

If it weren't for the boycott, Cuba would be a vastly different place.  
Castro might not still be in power, for one thing!  But with or without 
Castro, there really wouldn't be a big problem delivering the melons.

>Also, if you're gonna criticize US foreign policy (there's lots to 
>criticize--do we have one is really the question), what about Castro's 
>foray into Angola and Mozambique during the 70's.

What about it?  The local populations, by all acounts I've ever seen, 
hailed the Cubans as liberators against the terrorism of Jonas Savimbi 
and his ilk (alternately sponsored by the CIA and China) and as a 
stabilizing force in countries that had been reduced to chaos after the 
badly-prepared withdrawal of Portuguese colonial governance.

>Finally, if Cubans were polled, I'd say most would say Castro should step 
>down.

Why would you say that?



Cheers,
David