JW

Half of the problem pre-1958 in Cuba was the American businessmen operating there. They and the Mafia used Cuba as personal bank accounts. Castro was seen as a friendly until he tied the knot with Khrushchev.

Wolf counselor Loc: Heart of Texas

My first truck was a old Ford straight six cylinder.

I could actually get inside of the engine compartment, under the open hood and change the spark plugs in the rain without getting wet.

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

I also agreed with him on this issue...

Smedley_buzkill

I remember the seventies. I remember motors that even I could work on. Manual transmissions and windows. I only drive an automatic because I got such a good deal on the vehicle.

Smedley_buzkill

'74 F-100 here. I wish to hell they still made them. I wish manual transmissions were still standard and automatics had to be special ordered. I can work on a straight shift. I don't even know where to start on an automatic.

America 1 Loc: South Miami

Most of our oil is in Texas.
Where do you find the most dipsticks?
DC.

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Yep, if you've got a vehicle built no later than 1951, they can rebuild it from the tires up.

Coos Bay Tom Loc: coos bay oregon

I love all the classic cars I see in pictures of Cuba. To me it is proof that cars were better made as well as much nicer to look at then.

Lt. Rob Polans ret.

You can always use the wrench on your rear bumper, come close to taking it off. Then you'll have to take it to a repair shop which is what they wanted all along. Expensive, but that's what happens with newer vehicles. I drive a 1999 jeep. Jostle me around? Hell yes, that's part of the fun.

Lt. Rob Polans ret.

Considering almost half of Cuba is in Miami it makes perfect sense.

Alber

It seems to me that you are not well informed about what happened in Cuba in the 50s of the past century. It is true that the mistakes of the US governments brought Castro to power. First, the coup d'etat by Fulgencio Batista was promoted, which was totally bloodless and if not with the sympathy with acceptance of a good part of the population that, after two corrupt governments of the authentic revolutionary party, wanted a change. Only a small portion of the people expressed some discontent and these were rather related to politics, who wanted power and saw that it escaped them.
In the years that Batista ruled the economy flourished and the country improved dramatically. It cannot be denied that Batista ruled for personal gain and that he did business with the mafia. Fidel Castro was a Don Nobody, a gang member who wanted to climb by any means. There are witnesses that he even suggested Batista to give the coup d'etat, in a visit he made to the country estate (Kukine) of this one to which his brother-in-law Rafael Díaz Balart Jr. took him, who later became part of the Batista regime. Rafael Díaz Balart Sr. was president of the Senate with Batista.
All this clique came from the province of Oriente and it is known that Raúl Castro's godfather of baptism was Fulgenco Batista. Equally known is Batista's gift to Fidel Castro for his wedding with Mirta Díaz-Balart and as how he amnesty him after the assault to the Moncada barracks where some people died.
Fidel Castro as a good communist was a master of propaganda and deception and he worried that the history was told at his convenience so in the style of Orwell’s book “1984” he made a great effort to change the facts in his favor. Nothing is said about his past as a gang member or of his stay in Colombia when the Bogotazo occurred.
I remember that someone already deceased who knew him during those days told me that it was very likely that he was recruited by the CIA because it was suspected that at the Pan-American meeting somebody had the idea of killing someone and it was feared that the attack was against the Secretary of State or the Ambassador of USA.
It seems that nobody remembers how the Eisenhower administration dictated an arms embargo against the Batista government or how the journalist Herbert Mathews known agent, first of the OSS and after of the CIA went to the Sierra Maestra to interview Castro and the New York Times made him famous.
The Cuban government was forbidden to use the weapons and troops related to the TIAR and therefore the constitutional army could not fight against the Castro guerrillas. Batista had to recruit and train young people to oppose them to the guerrillas, who at that time were called "casquitos" (little helmet). The Cuban army with more than 50,000 troops was defeated by a guerrilla that never had more than 2,000 men. In an Italian magazine I could see some fascimiles of crossed letters between Fidel Castro and Frank País (Chief of the insurrection in the cities) in which he informed the bearded man that he had met with American diplomats (the CIA?) And that they would deliver him explosives and weapons through the base of Guantanamo. The bearded man's response was: "the explosives have been delivered to me, the weapons will come by air."
The true story about what happened in Cuba in the last 70 years has not been written yet.

Hug

Albee, thank you. I have obviously been wrong about a lot things pertaining to Cuba for a long time. You have a much clearer picture of what went on in Cuba. Where am l in thinking that Obama was on the right track?

Alber

Obama did not have a policy to continue with Cuba. When asked about his trip to Havana, he replied: "It is going to be funny." The proof is that nothing has changed in Cuba. The opening of relationships I think is correct, but after sixty years and with a leadership in decline in Cuba is something to end this situation. Kennedy promised not to invade Cuba for 25 years. That was in 1962. The term expired in 1987 and by then the USSR had only four years left. Castro-communism is a parasite that was maintained by the USSR and absolutely nothing was done to eradicate the totalitarian regime in Cuba when it disappeared. Castro was allowed to create the Sao Paulo forum. Russia and China try to establish themselves in the hemisphere. It seems that someone benefits in the high spheres with which Cuba continues its policy and was allowed to create the situation in Venezuela. The moment is conducive to solve the problems of the hemisphere at once. Bolivia has changed course and with that they have lost a source of drug financing. The payment to Russia and China of Venezuela's debt must be guaranteed, but the exit of both from that country and their support to Cuba must be demanded. When the problem of Venezuela is resolved, Cuba's situation with oil will become difficult. Nicaragua does not represent something important and without the influence of Cuba, the Ortega regime will disappear. Most of the nations of America agree in the OAS. After ending the influence of Cuba it his important to put interest in Mexico and Argentina. The establishment of order in Mexico is vital for the United States and for this, declaring drug trafficking as terrorism is a good idea, to apply the Palermo protocol. Argentina has the vice of Peronism and it is important to determine how to eradicate it.
If the hemisphere is controlled, the infiltration of the communists in the UN and in the European Union can be stopped. Eastern European countries are the best allies against the communists, because they know them well.

Hug

Again, thanks. I do appreciate your in-debt understanding and your patience.

popparod Loc: Somewhere else.

You left out Kevvy!