Good, we need more talent in MLB.

Although I will say that I think Cuban cigars are overrated.

 

Agree. After the revolution, all of the top cigar tobacco growers knew their farms would be confiscated so they fled Cuba for neighboring nations and took their seeds with them. Within a few decades they figured out how to produce tobacco just as good and we have those. I sometimes wonder if that is what brought about the cigar fad in the 1990's ie that is when the Cuban quality cigars were reaching the US?

The CIA alone reportedly put together over 600 plans to assassinate Castro...many of which were attempted and failed. The Cuban security and intelligence folks were ON TOP OF THINGS!

 

Assassination Attempts On Fidel Castro - Wikipedia

 

"The assassination attempts reportedly included cigars poisoned with botulinum toxin, a tubercle bacilli infected scuba-diving suit along with a booby-trapped conch placed on the sea bottom, an exploding cigar, a ballpoint pen containing a hypodermic syringe preloaded with the lethal concoction Blackleaf 40, and plain, mafia-style execution endeavors, among others."

 

I was reading an article about attempted assassinations and the article's theory was that Fidel probably even had more than Hitler, Stalin and even some of the more notorious monarchs/emporers over the centuries.

 

Isn't there a theory that Robert F. Kennedy was negotiating a huge payoff to Carlo Gambino if his crime family successfully assassinated Castro the same time he was going after Hoffa for his mob ties? With enough resources (which RFK could obviously provide) I cannot believe Carlo Gambino could not pull of the hit. Even without RFK's pay off, I believe the mafia was considering killing Fidel on their own since after the revolution, most of the casinos confiscated by the revolutionary goverment were mafia owned in the first place.

Good' date=' we need more talent in MLB.[/quote']

 

Maybe the Marlins could move to Havana!

Good, we need more talent in MLB.

 

Would the first available left fielder, repeat...left fielder report to 100 Joe Nuxhall Way with due haste.

Maybe the Marlins could move to Havana!

 

Don't tell Roger Goodell about this development. He'll want to put an NFL team there. The Cuban Missiles?

Agree. After the revolution, all of the top cigar tobacco growers knew their farms would be confiscated so they fled Cuba for neighboring nations and took their seeds with them. Within a few decades they figured out how to produce tobacco just as good and we have those. I sometimes wonder if that is what brought about the cigar fad in the 1990's ie that is when the Cuban quality cigars were reaching the US?

 

Good point. The fad began somewhere and when I traveled to Japan I couldn't wait to smoke a Cuban. I do like them and I thoroughly enjoyed smoking the Cubans but the Cohibas that I buy from James Cigar Company in Danville, KY are just as good as the Cohibas that I bought at the Hyatt in Osaka.

Sen. Bob Menendez:

 

"Let's be clear, this was not a 'humanitarian' act by the Castro regime. It was a swap of convicted spies for an innocent American," he said. "There is no equivalence between an international aid worker and convicted spies who were found guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage against our nation."

 

"Trading Mr. Gross for three convicted criminals sets an extremely dangerous precedent. It invites dictatorial and rogue regimes to use Americans serving overseas as bargaining chips. I fear that today’s actions will put at risk the thousands of Americans that work overseas to support civil society, advocate for access to information, provide humanitarian services, and promote democratic reforms," he continued. "This asymmetrical trade will invite further belligerence toward Cuba's opposition movement and the hardening of the government’s dictatorial hold on its people."

 

Read more: Menendez: Obama 'Vindicated' Cuba's Government - Business Insider

 

Rep. Ros-Lehtinen:

 

“The liberalization policies aimed at easing trade and remittances to Cuba is another propaganda coup for the Castro brothers, who will now fill their coffers with more money at the expense of the Cuban people. It is quite possible that this unilateral action by the President without Congressional consultation is in violation of the following U.S. laws: Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, and the Trading with the Enemy Act. The White House attempts to normalize relationships with Cuba without the approval of Congress may be in direct violation of Helms-Burton that specifically states that all political prisoners must be released and free and fair elections must be held before establishing a diplomatic relationship. This misguided action by President Obama will embolden the Castro regime to continue its illicit activities, trample on fundamental freedoms, and disregard democratic principles.”

 

What does Florida Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen think of the Cuba news?

 

Senator Marco Rubio:

 

“I anticipate I’ll be the chairman of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee on the Foreign Relations Committee” in the new Congress, Florida Senator Marco Rubio said in a press conference hours after the release of American prisoner Alan Gross from a Cuban prison was announced along with the administration’s plans to normalize relations with Cuba, including opening an embassy there.

 

“I anticipate we’re going to have a very interesting couple of years discussing how you’re going to get an ambassador nominated and how you’ll get an embassy funded,” Rubio, an ardent opponent of lifting the Cuban embargo, said.

 

“I intend to use every tool at our disposal in the majority to unravel as many of these changes as possible,” Rubio said…

 

“This Congress is not going to lift the embargo,”.

 

No statement yet from other Cuban-American legislators, including Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ), and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

Sen. Bob Menendez:

 

"Let's be clear, this was not a 'humanitarian' act by the Castro regime. It was a swap of convicted spies for an innocent American," he said. "There is no equivalence between an international aid worker and convicted spies who were found guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage against our nation."

 

"Trading Mr. Gross for three convicted criminals sets an extremely dangerous precedent. It invites dictatorial and rogue regimes to use Americans serving overseas as bargaining chips. I fear that today’s actions will put at risk the thousands of Americans that work overseas to support civil society, advocate for access to information, provide humanitarian services, and promote democratic reforms," he continued. "This asymmetrical trade will invite further belligerence toward Cuba's opposition movement and the hardening of the government’s dictatorial hold on its people."

 

Read more: Menendez: Obama 'Vindicated' Cuba's Government - Business Insider

 

Rep. Ros-Lehtinen:

 

“The liberalization policies aimed at easing trade and remittances to Cuba is another propaganda coup for the Castro brothers, who will now fill their coffers with more money at the expense of the Cuban people. It is quite possible that this unilateral action by the President without Congressional consultation is in violation of the following U.S. laws: Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, and the Trading with the Enemy Act. The White House attempts to normalize relationships with Cuba without the approval of Congress may be in direct violation of Helms-Burton that specifically states that all political prisoners must be released and free and fair elections must be held before establishing a diplomatic relationship. This misguided action by President Obama will embolden the Castro regime to continue its illicit activities, trample on fundamental freedoms, and disregard democratic principles.”

 

What does Florida Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen think of the Cuba news?

 

Senator Marco Rubio:

 

“I anticipate I’ll be the chairman of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee on the Foreign Relations Committee” in the new Congress, Florida Senator Marco Rubio said in a press conference hours after the release of American prisoner Alan Gross from a Cuban prison was announced along with the administration’s plans to normalize relations with Cuba, including opening an embassy there.

 

“I anticipate we’re going to have a very interesting couple of years discussing how you’re going to get an ambassador nominated and how you’ll get an embassy funded,” Rubio, an ardent opponent of lifting the Cuban embargo, said.

 

“I intend to use every tool at our disposal in the majority to unravel as many of these changes as possible,” Rubio said…

 

“This Congress is not going to lift the embargo,”.

 

No statement yet from other Cuban-American legislators, including Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ), and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

 

If the Republicans take Rubio's approach, prepare yourself for another Democrat president following Obama. The R's have to get their act together on immigration and related issues if they want to win the White House.

The normalization of relations with Cuba comes at precisely the moment that the Castro brothers need it the most, since their principal foreign patron, Venezuela, is running out of money because of the collapse in the world price of oil. In effect, Mr. Obama has decided to make the United States a replacement for Maduro. It couldn’t come at a better time for the Cuban regime and gives it yet another lease on life. Yippee!

Obama clearly believes that America’s 55 year effort to undercut Castro was misguided, if not downright stupid. That belief, an article of faith on the left, is a natural one to hold if you’re fine with oppressive, expansionist, anti-American Communist dictators.

 

It’s overwhelmingly likely that Obama feels the same way about America’s 35 year effort against the theocratic regime in Iran. That too is a natural belief to hold if you’re fine with oppressive, expansionist, anti-American Islamist dictators.

Obama is fine with both types of dictators. It’s Israel with whom he has a beef.

This is a very good thing. Limited export of US goods to Cuba earlier this decade has paved the way to full trade for the future. Cuba's proximity to the US makes it critical IMO to have a good dipdiplomatic relationship with the, as we don't need any more eneenemies at this point. Opening up legal travel and trade benefits both countries.

It'll be a cold day in hell when I listen to Sen. Marco "Paid Trips To China" Rubio lecture me about the danger of thawed relations with a brutal communist regime.

If the Republicans take Rubio's approach, prepare yourself for another Democrat president following Obama. The R's have to get their act together on immigration and related issues if they want to win the White House.

 

Lol because being for the embargo on Cuba would cost them the white house.

It'll be a cold day in hell when I listen to Sen. Marco "Paid Trips To China" Rubio lecture me about the danger of thawed relations with a brutal communist regime.

 

Yep why listen to a Cuban-American about relations with Cuba. Arguably the two most powerful Americans of Cuban dissent on opposite of aisle oppose this move. I'm not a huge fan of either but if there is any subject I would think they have some inside knowledge I'm guessing this would be it.

 

There is no argument how this benefits our country of any significance . I see how it benefits Cuba. But America should never reward communism.