What is to stop the US from toppling the Cuban regime and putting in a democratic govt? Who would not want this to happen in the world besides Castro? What real consequences would occur to global politics or the global market if this went down?

Who would not want this to happen in the world besides Castro?

My first guess would be Russia. Even though they are not Communist anymore(supposedly), they still like having that little anti-american island right off of our shores.

Long overdue, what has taken so long anyways?

I cannot believe that they have allowed this defiance on their doorsteps for so long.

It's good to keep your enemies near and dear so you can see what they are doing. OR

The NWO folks want to test the socialist thing out to see how they can best control the masses. Government Health Care will be the first major step in the US. The Canadians are beta test too.

What is to stop the US from toppling the Cuban regime and putting in a democratic govt? Who would not want this to happen in the world besides Castro? What real consequences would occur to global politics or the global market if this went down?

Yeah, Russia would be a little ticked...but then again, they did go to the Euro, so maybe it would be a good start to payback! Castro double...your time is up!

duncanidaho,

as a Canadian I know that we already have public healthcare (as they like to call it but I prefer government myself). So your comment confuses me?

by take over, you mean by military might, invasion?

or a TAKE-OVER, thru another process??

i see any military incursion as really non-productive,

the world community is a harebreath away from reacting to a developing PAX America Empire Building campaign, allready!!!

the present policy in law, regarding cuba, which pres. bush mentioned in the speach Today, is: It Is Illeagle To Travel to Cuba for (vacation/entertainment & such)
******
so, why not 'create' pilgrimage sites or other ventures to attract people/markets/money & profits...then the countrymin can respond with a polish 'solidarity' movement of their own??? just like Iraq regime...the few elite will head for the hills when the Cuban peoples sieze the controls--or a benefactor grabs the reigns of power

what's Fidel now, 77ish??

let law & order mixed with democracy & capitalism be the instruments of 'taking over'....we should be able to engineer that, in cuba---seeing we did that to the only other 'super-power', adversary (ussr)

riffraff,

good points you made. Personally I think that washington is expecting Castro to croak soon but that may not happen though. I expect that whoever follows him will be a great deal more moderate even if they call themselves a socialist.

as a Canadian I know that many from our Country do business down there now and I know many that have travelled in cuba (two brothers have been there). I also know that American business is in fact operating there through a special mechanism or agreement with Cuba and the US that few Americans know about now.

For some reason that I cannot fathom, the US has always been hands off Castro (excepting the bay of pigs fiasco), and I have never understood this.

You see I don't want to go to Paco the smuggler in a seedy alley to get Cubans...oh dear that didn't sound right..oh well...erm...anywho

There is so much Cuba can offer to the US besides refugees and old cars, it is a crying shame that Castro won't just open up, because you know the US won't lose face by backing down with embargos and the like.

Funny thing,
My father met Castro back in the 50's(before he took Cuba) somewhere in central America. My dad was out camping with some youth ranger organization and they met up with Fidel and his band 'o rebels and they all camped together for the night.
Anyhoo
He tells me Fidel was a really friendly guy and they all had a good time trading items and sharing food ect.
By the way, My father is a registered republican!!

I don't think Fidel is really as bad as he is made out to be by the media.

I'll see if I can get any more info next time I talk to my father (if he can remember ANYTHING anymore).

Does anyone else notice the timing of all this?

Considering the recent mumblings about a renewal of the "cold war" and the arms race, this really shouldnt be a surprise. After all, Cuba would be the perfect forward deployment base for any kind of attack against the US.

Not that any such attack would have much of a chance of success, but placing nuclear armed cruise missles (or at least threatening to do so) only 90 miles offshore of the US would certainly have some deterrent/negotiation value attached to it.

Therefore, not a surprise that the US is thinking preemptively about Cuba.

It was nothing more than Bush getting over w/ the Anti-Castro types in Florida. The dems are campaigning, he needs to also. Bull# aside - it's nice to know to let them know when they get tired of Castro's workers paradise that we're here from them.

and, that damn JFK! {shakes head}

Question is, will we really be here for the Cubanos? Or will it be another Bay of Pigs?

it'll be a quagmire, for sure. lol

Depends. Castro croaks, we get some moderates in power, open up some diplomacy channels, do some trade deals, stuff like that. Lot of ties between people. Who know - they can only benefit, me thinks. I'd love to go there too. (tourism would boom) I can't wait - there will be change in our lifetime w/ Cuba, for sure.

Well, keep in mind, we did everything we could to help Castro "croak" throughout the 60s. Maybe he will eventually die of old age.... probably in another 20 years!

I would love to go to Cuba for a vacation!