Cuba's army.

[CastleBravo]

But again, the problem lies in the leaders that implement the system, not in the system itself.

Communism could work. And I could have sugarplum fairies hiding in my fridge. However, neither has ever happened in real life. Therefore, I am confident in saying that both are B.S., and can get on with my life. I'm not going to be agnostic about sugarplum fairies and communism being able to work, just because I can't disprove the theoretical future occurance of something that has never happened in the entire course of human history up to this point.

And how can you say that there is nothing wrong with a system if nobody can ever make it work? I would think that a major component of a system being good would be the ability of people to actually, you know, use it with some kind of quantifiable success.

For instance, there are plenty of people complaining about the various percieved imperfections of capitalist democracies. But you can actually objectively measure how, on average, capitalist democracies actually improved the lot of the great mass of their constitutents. Compare the infant mortality trends in the United States against any communist country in human history for details.

 

[RosaMariTB]

Oops...I was under the impression that Mr. Fidelito was a dictator just like Francisco Franco was. I am really here because there are a few things I don't understand.....?
The cubans risk their lifes by thousands++++crossing with boats and inside boxes but they can't get together to fight for their country and make it better,don't they (most the time) end up loosing their lifes anyway?
They come here complaining how bad is there but they carrie their cuban flags in the car, how is that? if I don't like my country I sure won't carrie the flag
I went to Bank of America and the teller was new, she automatically started talking in hispanic and told me she had move from Cuba a couple yrs. ago I then asked her how she like it here and she replied with a it's OK...but I like it there better is more fun, then I asked her why she was here and she replied "for $" is not bad in there but is better here.
Does anyone know what's realy going on?
I am not saying Fidelito is a Saint but I think that many cubans are taking an advantage of the Politics involved. There is good and bad everywere it just happens that some places have more bad and others more good.
This is getting here like the tower of Babel and as croocked as Pissa.

 

[CarbineCaleb]

There is good and bad everywere it just happens that some places have more bad and others more good.

From what I know, I would agree with that. Cuba is not a democracy and lacks political freedom. It is somewhat poor, especially since the collapse of the Soviet Union, no doubt in large part because of US embargo policies.

Castro does seem to be somewhat repressive. However, it's not like he is some kind of Stalin.

On education in Cuba, Wikipedia reports:

According to UNESCO research, Cuba's primary school students have almost twice as much knowledge as the average student in the rest of Latin America. In a 1998 study by UNESCO, Cuban third and fourth graders were better educated in basic language and mathematics skills than children in all other Latin American countries that took part in a study. All students regardless of age and gender wear school uniforms (colours denote grades level)

On healthcare in Cuba, Wikipedia reports:

Cuba's healthcare is widely recognized as one of the best in the world. Since the Cuban revolution, Cuba has been committed to the international struggle, sending medicine, doctors and teachers to the third world. Cuba has spent large sums of money in order to take care of the world's less fortunate. Today, Cuba has over 20 0000 health workers in Venezuela, 600 hundred in Honduras, 200 doctors in South Africa, and many more spread around the word.

High quality education and healthcare are very nice things for a society to have - and it seems that they have these indeed.

I suspect that many people who leave Cuba are doing so for economic reasons. I suppose the political freedom issue could be very frustrating, and certainly I wouldn't like to have no choice here in the US. I will say though that in the US, we have complete political freedom, and yet, the system itself of politics seems to be very corrupt, and riddled with dishonest people who pursue policies for self-interest, or party interest, or business crony interest, rather than actual national interest. As a result, national interest, while always cited in rhetoric designed to stir the people, suffers quite frequently.

 

[johnbt]

"Castro does seem to be somewhat repressive."

You might say that, although I believe any impartial observer would omit the word somewhat. JT


http://reid.senate.gov/record2.cfm?id=204089

Since 1959, more than 100,00 Cubans have been persecuted by Castro's regime. Over 18,000 of whom were killed or have disappeared. Just this past March, Castro launched a massive crackdown on leaders of independent labor unions, opposition parties, and the pro-democracy movement that led to the arrest of 80 dissidents. Castro denied these detainees due process and subjected them to secretive trials, after which 50 of them received prison sentences of up to 28 years.

In April, three Cubans hijacked a ferry in an attempt to flee Castro's repressive regime. The Cuban government summarily tried these men behind closed doors and then executed them by firing squad. Journalists have endured especially severe punishment from Castro. In 2002, his government killed 25 journalists and threatened, harassed or detained 1,420 more.

"Fidel Castro has led a tyrannical regime in Cuba that systematically violates basic human rights, including freedoms of expression, association, assembly and movement, and he shows no sign of ending his campaign of terror," Reid said. "101 years ago today, a proud Cuban people declared their independence. Cuban Independence Day should be a celebration of freedom for the Cuban people. Instead, their island has been hijacked by a cruel dictator whose false promises of prosperity have given way to cowardly acts of intimidation. The sad truth is that the Cuban people still are not free."

 

[Eghad]

The best way to end any tyrannical regime is the flow of information. By opening trade and tourism with Cuba instead of isolating it....

 

[johnbt]

Plenty of Americans have been to Cuba recently - the college professor across the street and her husband are two that come to mind. They just couldn't catch a direct flight.

www.culturecuba.com/USA-Cuba-Travel.html

"USA Cuba travel is our specialty. Our experts do Cuba travel for American citizens wishing educational, cultural and religious exchanges and humanitarian missions for all types of customized tours to Cuba.

If US citizens have a license for Cuba travel, then we can organize any trip. This means that American universities or colleges holding OFAC licenses can use our services for the full travel and academic programs. The same holds for those holding religious or humanitarian licenses for legal travel to Cuba.

Licensed travelers can choose, through our expert agency, USA departure cities from OFAC-authorized travel service providers to Cuba. Since June 2004, there are flights operating from Miami only. Flights from Los Angeles and New York to Cuba no longer operate.

Cancun and Mexico City air to Havana is available, as is Canada Cuba direct flight departures such as from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver."

John

 

[CarbineCaleb]

You might say that, although I believe any impartial observer would omit the word somewhat.

Well, I am not a relative of Fidel's

I was not aware that he may have actually killed 18,000 for political reasons - if true, then he is a lot worse than I thought. I'll try to learn more about this.