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August 1, 2006
Meet Little Brother, Worse Than Big Brother
I'm not above being delighted by the brutal dictator Fidel Castro's health problems, but breaking out the champagne may not be appropriate. Control of the communist island prison known as Cuba is passing into the hands of Castro's younger brother Raul — who may be even worse.
Raul attempts to compensate for his lack of charisma with even greater fanaticism. When Fidel named him as his successor way back in 1959, he warned, "Behind me are others more radical than I." Raul played a major role in Cuba's military adventures in Angola and Ethiopia during the 1970s. Whereas Castro didn't admit to being a communist until 1961, Raul belonged to a communist youth group even before the Cuban Revolution.
In 2001, Raul warned that the USA ought to do its best to normalize relations with Cuba while Fidel is still around, because later "it will be more difficult" — apparently meaning he plans to be even more unreasonable.
It's not clear whether Fidel's immense popularity among our entertainment industry's dimmer bulbs will transfer to Raul when his control of Cuba becomes permanent.
Posted by Van Helsing at August 1, 2006 10:03 AM
Comments
It`s hard to believe he could be worse, but stranger things have happened.
Be careful what you wish for, indeed.
Posted by: Mickey at August 1, 2006 10:17 AM
Raul himself is 75 and wont be around much longer than Fee-del.
Maybe the CIA can send him a box of exploding cigars to congratulate him on his rise to the throne.
Posted by: General Jack D. Ripper at August 1, 2006 10:29 AM
