>While I agree that Castro played the 'standing up the the Yanqui imperialist' card skillfully and a lot of his popularity came from overthrowing Batista - who was a Mafia backed thug, make no mistake that his hanging on to power was the result of Soviet subsidy and his secret police.

With the U.S. cutting him off completely just because he kicked the corrupt U.S. butts out of the country, what were his other options?

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>I find it ironic that so many of those who were rightly offended by Abu Ghrab and suspicious of Gitmo seem oblivious to The Isle of Pines and other examples of the murderers and torturers Castro has used for 50 years to impose his brand of benevolent socialism.
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>Any regime that works so hard to keep its people from escaping can't be the paradise it claims.
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>Free health care? Yeah, cool. Seems it isn't all that free.
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>>>>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7252109.stm
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>>>I have a feeling Fidel will be retiring in a more profound way pretty soon. We'll see.
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>>>I must admit a certain fondness for the old goat. Not for his politics or for what he has done for Cuba, or should I say not done. But you have to give him credit for what he did as a young man, having a belief in principles strong enough to lead a revolution and actually overthrow a government. And for the audacity to withstand a hostile superpower 90 miles from his shores for decades. Like him or loathe him, admire him or not, he has left footprints in the sand.
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>>I think the sanctions and covert operations against Cuba by the US contributed a lot to keeping him in power. And what would Cuba be like now if he hadn't come along. Probably another tinpot latin dictatorship with low standards of living for everyone except a few corrupt businessmen and politicians. At ease under Castro they had universal health care and education.
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>>Nick