Ever since President Fidel Castro was sidelined for what was said to be abdominal surgery last July, Cuban officials have maintained that the country's leader will return to his post. ''We will again have him leading the revolution,'' said Foreign Minister Felipe P?rez Roque just two days ago, speaking at an outdoor rally to protest the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, according to the Communist Party daily newspaper Granma.

 

But U.S. officials tell TIME that many in the U.S. government are now convinced that Castro, 80, has terminal cancer and will never return to power. "Certainly we have heard this, that this guy has terminal cancer," said one U.S. official.

 

Of course, such intelligence reports could be wrong, and one official cautioned that definitive proof is nearly impossible for the U.S. to come by. Yet the fact that the Cuban government removed Castro from the public stage before his death could suggest that Castro and his would-be successors were aware of a terminal condition and wanted to gauge public reaction to his absence. "They got to see how people would react," says one U.S. official. "They have had a chance to see how things might work without out him functioning day-to-day."

 

Contacted by Time, the Cuban government denied the imminent demise of its leader. One high ranking official said, "The United States Intelligence Services have been wrong for more than 47 years in their predictions not only in relation to the health of the Cuban President but also in all aspects regarding our country." He referred to Castro's July 31 statement as the only definitive assessment of the President's health. In it, Castro declared that surgery and treatment for intestinal bleeding "obliges me to spend several weeks in repose, away from my responsibilities and duties." Cuban sources say that preparations continue for a belated but elaborate celebration of Castro's 80th birthday on Dec. 2.

 

The U.S. government has been preparing for Castro's departure for half a century. That doesn't mean that things will change much. Fidel's brother Raul, 75, has been acting president since Fidel went into the hospital and has given no indication that he will change the policies of the isolated Communist government that has tormented the U.S. since taking power in 1959. Though he has until recently kept a very low profile, Raul Castro ? not Fidel ? was feted as the host of the non-aligned nations' summit on Sept. 15. Then Raul called a high profile meeting of the country's local, provincial and national leadership at what he called "this historic moment in our country's history." In another sign of his increasing prominence, two weeks ago Raul delivered his first televised national speech at the close of a trade union federation congress.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8...1543828,00.html

Would anyone mind if we overthrew their government? Probably not since the USSR went under.

Would anyone mind if we overthrew their government? Probably not since the USSR went under.

 

but its the practice of this which we need to stop...right now...no more interferring with foreign countries if they pose zero threat to us...

Would anyone mind if we overthrew their government? Probably not since the USSR went under.

 

but its the practice of this which we need to stop...right now...no more interferring with foreign countries if they pose zero threat to us...

and plus cubans would never let that happen

Would anyone mind if we overthrew their government? Probably not since the USSR went under.

 

but its the practice of this which we need to stop...right now...no more interferring with foreign countries if they pose zero threat to us...

and plus cubans would never let that happen

 

Cubans in Miami?

 

Yeah right, most especially the old timers have wanted the US to bomb the crap out of Fidel for 45 years now. The generation that saw Kennedy call off airstrikes during the Bay of Pigs invasion has NEVER forgiven Kennedy and Democrats for that.

 

As a Cuban-American myself, I wouldn't mind if the US government intervened.

 

Most of the Cubans in Cuba wouldn't mind if it meant a change in government. The situation down there is desperate.

no what i meant was cubans have to much pride to let the americans take them over...sure they want castro out but they dont want bush either....look at what happened to puerto rico its been ruined to an extent

no what i meant was cubans have to much pride to let the americans take them over...sure they want castro out but they dont want bush either....look at what happened to puerto rico its been ruined to an extent

 

 

:blink:

 

The US would only be in there temporarily to help a transition government and help fund rebuilding.

 

PR has it nice, they get a bunch of money from the US government. It's not our fault their politicians don't know what to do with it.

Cubans would be scared of another Platt amendment. But let's not exactly call Puerto Rico a land of misery. They've got it made.

no what i meant was cubans have to much pride to let the americans take them over...sure they want castro out but they dont want bush either....look at what happened to puerto rico its been ruined to an extent

 

 

Puerto Rico...ruined? I'm from PR man...and apparently the "disaster" caused by the USA looks quite nice!