TIME: Castro Is Reported to Have Cancer

[DeepModem Mom]

Castro Is Reported to Have Cancer
U.S. intelligence reports now say the Cuban leader's condition appears terminal, government officials tell TIME
By TIMOTHY J. BURGER AND SALLY B. DONNELLY/WASHINGTON
Oct. 06, 2006

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 Pérez 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."

The U.S. government has been preparing for Castro's departure for half a century. But this time, the Bush Administration has set up an interagency group to coordinate policy once the inevitable happens....

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1543828,00.html?cnn=yes

[Judi Lynn]

1. Bush needs to keep his filthy hands off Cuba. None of his business. n/t

[Bozita]

2. I think I hear loud cheering from the religious right

[ret5hd]

3. hell, there's loud cheering from some quarters right here on DU.

i don't understand some people.

[Flanker]

5. They are DLC center-right

It is bad when a party its so big it fills the whole spectrum.

[LostinVA]

27. Yup

[msongs]

4. fidel smoked one too many cancer stick cigars eh? nt

[roody]

17. Fidel quit smoking 20 years ago.

[kestrel91316]

6. I know I'm not supposed to like Castro, and I DON'T. But as someone

who has lost a father to cancer (very prematurely) I still have to feel sorrow about this situation. I just can't gloat. I have nothing invested in hating the man.

Death from cancer is always a horrible thing. His family has my sympathy.

[Jade Fox]

7. I fear for Cuba....

Whatever you feel about Castro, I believe our current government is salivating at the thought of using his death as an excuse to invade Cuba under the guise of "bringing them democracy".

[Judi Lynn]

9. He wants to return the very monsters they fought desperately to remove

from control in Cuba's government, in the Cuban revolution.

His brother even put the grandson of bloody butcher Fulgencio Batista on the Florida Supreme Court.

It appears our right-wing want the fascists right back in charge of Cuba, wants to overturn the impressive achievements of the Cuban revolution, and return them to a plantation society, or worse, without their world-class health care and education systems, etc., etc., etc. just as the American right-wing intends to void all the acheivements of the Roosevelt administration, and remove protection from American workers, and all possiblity of hope from ordinary formerly middle class Americans.

I pray they fail not only in re-subjugating Cubans, but also in permently destroying the American middle class, and making life far worse for the poorest of the poor here.

[bluestateguy]

8. I'll never shed a tear for Castro

but I do worry that Cuba may be seen by the neo-cons (incorrectly) as a prospective "easy victory" to give them a bounce with the public. That after Castro croaks they may call for an invasion or US backed coup.

[Mika]

14. Don't worry. They NEED to hate Raul as much as they hate Fidel..

.. because without a Castro as Head of State of Cuba, just who would the politicians of Florida* run against?

* - both R's and D's.

[robcon]

31. Don't worry, I do.

I hate both Castros and their police state equally.

[Mika]

42. Then you must find it a tad interesting..

.. that the hard line anti Castro US politicians (both R's & D's) support policies (sanctions, embargoes, saber rattling, Cuban Adjustment Act, Wet Foot/Dry Foot, harboring anti Cuba terrorists, etc) that only further unites Cubans behind their leadership.

As I've said in my post that you are responding to, the hard line anti Castro US politicians need a Castro as Cuban Head of State in order to have a platform/voter base in Florida. That's why they push US policies that only empowers the Castro brothers further.

It is time to normalize relations with Cuba.

[Robbien]

10. Time Mag. = Just a rag used to push Propaganda on Cuba

Time would report that pigs fly if they thought it would help the propaganda cause on Cuba.

[Judi Lynn]

11. You might find this article published in Time mag. January, 1957, 2 years

before the end of the Cuban revolution, somewhat interesting!

Time
January 7, 1957, page 33
CUBA

Creeping Revolt

The quixotic little uprising in Cuba a month ago and its accompanying 82-man rebel invasion there were never a major military threat to Strongman Fulgencio Batista, as even the revolutionaries would concede (Time, Dec. l0). But the rebels did hope that a bold show of opposition might rally the government's disorganized enemies to guerrilla war and sabotage that would, if long continued, shake Batista's government down. Last week, with bombing, killing and arson on the rise, the regime was clearly fearful of such a possibility--and trigger-happy at the thought.

Saboteurs were at work the length of the sugar-rich island. Buses were set on fire, power and telephone lines cut, store windows smashed, cars bombed, bridges burned. A train was derailed, and a railroad station burned down. In the Guantánamo power station, two bombs went off and plunged the big adjoining U.S. Navy base into darkness.

Strongman Batista conferred at length with his top military and police chiefs on ways to curb the spreading revolutionary fervor. Cops with rifles and machine guns went on guard at railroad stations and public buildings. Planes and warships patrolled the coasts.

Hundreds of suspect saboteurs were jailed. More ominously, bodies began to be found mysteriously in out-of-the-way places in the eastern province of Oriente. Most of the victims were shot through the head, but two were found hanging to trees. The dead, 21 in all, were young hotheaded revolutionary types, including a Communist leader, a student, a former police sergeant, a tobacco worker. An army spokesman let slip that they had all been wanted on charges of terrorism.
(snip/...)

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/cuban-rebels/1-7-57.htm



Camilo Cienfuegos

[Robbien]

12. Interesting find!

Thanks

When Time takes a stance against a country, it sticks with it--for fifty years it appears.

[NOLADEM]

13. REPORT: Bush reported TO BE cancer

Developing.

[roody]

35. Monkey devil monster cancer.

[1932]

15. FWIW, Richard Gott's book

Cuba: A New History (http://www.amazon.com/Cuba-New-History-Richard-Gott/dp/0300104111/sr=8-2/qid=1160259197/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-7593254-8792836?ie=UTF8&s=books), which was published 2 years ago, says that Castro has already cut way down on his participation with the party and that power has already transitioned not just to the next generation, but to two or three generations down from him. His brother is the only other person at a high level in the government who was even part of the group that fought in the hills with Castro. Half of the people, IIRC, who work for the government are in their 20s and 30s.

My impression from that book is that Cuba has spent the last 15 years transitioning from Castro. I'm sure the US government officials who provide quotes like the one above know as much as Gott about modern Cuba, if not more, which makes it fascinating to me that they want to characterize to the Americans something very different from what is most likely the truth.

Of course, spin out your narrative arc for why this might be the case, but I think it foreshadows the American strategy for Castro's death.

Oh, another thing Gott writes about is that it was possible that the deal Kennedy made with Cuba to get them to give back Russian nuclear warheads was that the US would not use its armed forces against Cuba during Castro's lifetime...

[Mika]

19. No no no NO NO NO NO NOOOOO!!!!!

Its ALL about Castro Castro Castro C A S T R O.

Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that
this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that

Just ask some of DU's hardline Cuba "experts".

[roody]

29. Well now we have Hugo.

Hugo did this. Hugo did that. Hugo said this. Hugo said that. Or is it Chavez did this?

[Little Star]

16. God help Cuba if

Castro goes while Republicans hold our government.

[roody]

18. "My government's" plan to ruin Cuba are here.

http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/cuba/commission/2004/c12237.htm

[daleo]

20. I wonder how well the U.S. army would actually do in Cuba?

It might make Iraq look like a picnic. These neo-con wars don't have much of a track record.

[roody]

21. At least many U.S. soldiers speak Spanish.

[daleo]

22. I wonder if Bush would trust U.S. soldiers that speak Spanish?

In a Cuban invasion, I mean? He might assume that soldiers that speak the local language would be to sympathetic to the people being invaded.

[citizen snips]

30. I don't think an invasion is possible

because our troops are stretched thin in Iraq.

[Floogeldy]

23. We could use a guy like him here . . .

. . . to rid our lives of all the bloodsucking government and corporate exploiters.

}(

[Ignacio Upton]

24. I'd like to see us normalize relations with Cuba

Sadly, Castro's death will be the only thing that will allow me to visit Havana and an island with a lot of natural beauty. If we're trading with China and Vietnam (we fought a freakin' war with those people!) why the hell can't we trade with Cuba and travel there? Oh, that's right...Florida's electoral votes!

[roody]

28. Go to Cuba!!!

Go through Mexico. Go to Cuba before capitalism wrecks it!

[diamidue]

33. so I hear...

My child has signed up to travel to Cuba soon thru a university program. I think it will be a great experience to visit before capitalism creeps in. I did hear that you could get into Cuba via Guatemala and other Central American countries if you bribe the right person there. And I heard that Cuba doesn't stamp passports. Does anyone know if that is true?

[roody]

34. Cuba will give you a tourist card and not stamp your passport.

Many countries have commercial flights to Cuba. The way the US knows, aside from watching us, is that you get stamped out and in of Mexico when you fly off to Cuba. It is simple to bribe the stamper if you know the rules. Better yet, do civil disobedience and tell the US you went to Cuba. Check out http://www.ifconews.org/ If your child is going with a university, they probably have permission from the treasury department, but most permitted travel has dried up.

[Ecumenist]

25. No kidding... That's what I knew from the first whisper of his

abdominal surgery. He also had that "cancer cachexia" look in the photos of his meetings with Chavez.

[Eurobabe]

26. Bush IS a terminal cancer on the US

[tinfoilinfor2005]

32. Now that they have discovered oil in Cuba, I think the neocons

have developed a whole new interest in the region. Something to watch in the future, especially if we don't (heaven forbid) take the House and Senate in Nov.

[Judi Lynn]

36. Update:Castro's Younger Brother: Fidel 'Not Dying

Castro's Younger Brother: Fidel 'Not Dying
The Associated Press
Published: October 8, 2006

HAVANA The ailing Fidel Castro is not dying, but recovering from an illness, his younger brother and Cuba's acting president said Sunday, responding to rumors that the leader was on his deathbed.

"He is not dying like some of the press in Miami is saying," Raul Castro, who has been standing in for his brother since he stepped down July 31 to recover from intestinal surgery, told a youth congress in Havana. "He is constantly getting better."
(snip)

"Fidel is more present than ever in the heart of every one of us, in our ideas, and in our thoughts," the message on the Communist Youth newspaper Juventud Rebelde's Web site said. "Although he is sick, he is here."

They also said they would defend the island's revolution against any assault by the U.S. government, calling U.S. President George W. Bush and his supporters "cockroaches."

"To Bush and his followers, we say stop being foolish, and that they are truly a bunch of cockroaches," they said in their message. "Don't mess with us, because the pioneers are also ready to defend the Revolution."
(snip/...)

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/09/news/CB_GEN_Cuba_Castro.php

[SoCalDem]

37. Cancer or no cancer, he's an old guy

and cannot live forever..

As much as I loathe flying, I might hve to take a trip there.. I was last there when I was a toddler..and If I could, I would like to see where my grandparents once lived.

[robcon]

39. Recovering from his (unspecified) illness, says Raul.

Does Castro (either one) ever speak without lying????

[bitchkitty]

40. Kind of ghoulish

to wish for anyone's death, no matter how much you hate them. You must be one of those right-wing democrats I keep hearing about?

[robcon]

41. Are you responding to me, bitchkitty?

When did I ever wish for anyone's death?

Please don't involve me in your trip, bitchkitty: allegedly reading my mind about something I never mentioned.

I called the Castro brothers liars. I did not wish that they die. I think it says a lot about you that found a strawman that you read between some non-existent lines, bitchkitty.

[hippiechick]

38. Took 40 years, but the CIA finally got it done, eh ?

:evilfrown:

[roody]

43. 47 years.