GET THE COMMUNIST OUT OF THIS THREAD AT ONCE!

In all seriousness, Cuba sounds like a pretty cool place to visit.

c0r meet-up?

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Originally posted by Moongoose Not that Fidel is the only one to blame for the situation down there...its been what now, about 60 years? Embargo working well i see.

It's not about the embargo, it's all about the communist regime. They could do very well if they had a free(er) market without doing business with the United States. Even their cigars, once the envy of the world by far, have lost their place atop the podium being regularly outdone by the likes of Nicaragua, thanks to the Fidel regime's command-and-control policies over every facet of the industry. It also doesn't help that a lot of the great cigar maker families and rollers leave and take their talent with them, again thanks to Fidel (i.e. the Padrons and Garcias).

Again, not saying its great, but still better off than under Batista where the population was enslaved by US interests and ruled ruthlessly by an American backed dictator.

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Originally posted by Joss Weatherby Again, not saying its great, but still better off than under Batista where the population was enslaved by US interests and ruled ruthlessly by an American backed dictator.

This comparison is like asking someone if they'd rather have AIDS or Herpes. There are no rationalizations to be made in favor of Fidel Castro and what he's done to that island. And I know it's the immediate knee-jerk reaction for anti-American Americans like yourself to blame America first, or purport that we have some role in the misery of every other country's conditions, but this just doesn't pass the smell test.

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Originally posted by The17sss It's not about the embargo, it's all about the communist regime. They could do very well if they had a free(er) market without doing business with the United States. Even their cigars, once the envy of the world by far, have lost their place atop the podium being regularly outdone by the likes of Nicaragua, thanks to the Fidel regime's command-and-control policies over every facet of the industry. It also doesn't help that a lot of the great cigar maker families and rollers leave and take their talent with them, again thanks to Fidel (i.e. the Padrons and Garcias).

Im not disagreeing with you...well i am, but only a little bit. While the ineptness of the regime is bringing the country down, the embargo has arguably made the situation much worse, then what it would have been had they been allowed to trade with one of the wealthiest and most prosperous nations on the planet.

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Originally posted by Moongoose Im not disagreeing with you...well i am, but only a little bit. While the ineptness of the regime is bringing the country down, the embargo has arguably made the situation much worse, then what it would have been had they been allowed to trade with one of the wealthiest and most prosperous nations on the planet.

ok... yeah you can definitely make that argument. i hope that whatever is in place in the near future doesn't involve Raul or any of Castro's other minions. I'd like to see that country do well.

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Originally posted by The17sss or purport that we have some role in the misery of every other country's conditions, but this just doesn't pass the smell test.

all I'm going to say is, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara.

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...e d u bb z...

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Originally posted by The17sss This comparison is like asking someone if they'd rather have AIDS or Herpes. There are no rationalizations to be made in favor of Fidel Castro and what he's done to that island. And I know it's the immediate knee-jerk reaction for anti-American Americans like yourself to blame America first, or purport that we have some role in the misery of every other country's conditions, but this just doesn't pass the smell test.

I don't say that though, and in the case of Cuba it is very clear what role the US had.

Here is the deal Kevin, people rose up in popular revolt, so obviously something was super shit there for them to do that. Happy groups of people don't throw away their lively hoods to radically change their own situation, they don't need to. Since that hasn't happened in Cuba, you have to surmise that conditions actually might be a bit better there now.

The only reason we have such a draconian policy on Cuba is because of the fucking Cuban-American vote in Florida, which is a major swing state in presidential elections. Had they had an opportunity to trade with their closest trading partner, who happens to be an economic super power, then maybe they would be better off.

Also, I am not an anti-American American. I am an anti-stupidity American, and since most of the country is fucking stupid now it might be hard for someone like you to figure out the difference.

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Originally posted by Joss Weatherby Here is the deal Kevin, people rose up in popular revolt, so obviously something was super shit there for them to do that. Happy groups of people don't throw away their lively hoods to radically change their own situation, they don't need to. Since that hasn't happened in Cuba, you have to surmise that conditions actually might be a bit better there now. The only reason we have such a draconian policy on Cuba is because of the fucking Cuban-American vote in Florida, which is a major swing state in presidential elections. Had they had an opportunity to trade with their closest trading partner, who happens to be an economic super power, then maybe they would be better off.

Yeah I'm well aware of the pre-Castro revolts due to oppressive conditions. It's just hard to say "at least it's better now" when "better" is such a relative term in this case; choosing between the better of two militant dictators who crush opposition isn't a great option.

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Also, I am not an anti-American American. I am an anti-stupidity American, and since most of the country is fucking stupid now it might be hard for someone like you to figure out the difference.

Always entertaining when a guy who dropped out of high school and has never produced anything of substance for society has the stones to lambaste most of the country for being stupid.

It's pronounced "Amurrka"

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Originally posted by OrangestO This isn't about physics, this is about waves.

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Originally posted by The17sss Always entertaining when a guy who dropped out of high school and has never produced anything of substance for society has the stones to lambaste most of the country for being stupid.

I didn't drop out, I just never graduated. In fact I had a really good attendance record.