charisma, CIA, Shrub outclassed

[Doug Millison]

>Subject: ZNet Commentary / Saul Landau / Fidel and Cuba at 40 / Jan 6
>Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 17:15:51 -0800
>
>
>FIDEL AND THE REVOLUTION, FORTY YEARS LATER
>By Saul Landau


[snip]

>On January 9, Fidel Castro entered the capital. He had stopped in several
>cities on his trek westward from the Sierra Maestra to meet and greet people
>and talk of justice and independence. That evening as Castro’s speech was
>directed at trying to persuade rival revolutionary groups to disarm, an
>extraordinary phenomenon occurred. A white dove landed on Fidel's shoulder.
>(Did he stage this or did it just happen?)
>
>For the babalaos, the high priests of Santeria, Cuba's popular religion, the
>dove signified a clear message from the gods. From then on, Fidel took on
>the stature of Obatallah, the god of immense strength and will that will
>guide the people on its true course. His name on the street became el
>caballo, the horse, the animal that symbolizes that diety. From then on,
>Fidel acquired truly charismatic stature -- charismatic meaning having
>god-like attributes.
>
>

[snip]

>  President Dwight Eisenhower, already
>grouchy from heart attacks, interrupted his golf game long enough to order
>the CIA to overthrow Cuba’s revolutionary government as it had done in Iran
>in 1953 and Guatemala in 1954. The CIA formula meant recruiting a mercenary
>army of anti-Castro Cubans who had come to the United States during the
>first year and a half after the revolution, staging an invasion and
>replacing the popular government with a U.S. stooge.
>
>

[snip]

>Over forty two years, US presidents have tried terrorism; they've tried to
>isolate Fidel, wage psychological and maybe even chemical and biological
>war; and strangle his economy which, until a decade ago, enjoyed Soviet
>support.
>

[snip]

>  Cuba's infant mortality rate is
>half of Washington DC's.

[snip]

>George W. Bush will be the tenth president who promises to bring down Castro
>and the revolution. This is an unfair contest. Fidel should check his brains
>at the door so they can start even. Imagine, Obtalallah doing battle with
>the Pretender to the American throne!##
>
>Saul Landau is the Director of Digital Media and International Outreach
>Programs for the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences.


Commentaries are a premium sent to Sustainer Donors of Z/ZNet and that to
learn more about the project and join folks can consult ZNet at
http://www.zmag.org or the ZNet Sustainer Pages at
http://www.zmag.org/Commentaries/donorform.htm
-- 
d  o  u  g    m  i  l  l  i  s  o  n  <http://www.online-journalist.com>