Bush Wants Cuban Democratic Transition Post - Castro

Bush Wants Cuban Democratic Transition Post - Castro

www.nytimes.com

KIGALI (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday said he hoped the retirement of Cuban leader Fidel Castro would be the beginning of democratic transition in Cuba.

"I believe that the change from Fidel Castro ought to begin a period of a democratic transition," Bush said at a news conference in Rwanda during a five-country African trip.

Castro, 81, said that he will not return to lead the country as president or commander-in-chief, retiring as head of state 49 years after he seized power in an armed revolution.

In Washington, Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said it was unlikely that the United States would lift its trade embargo on Cuba.

"I can't imagine that happening any time soon," Negroponte told reporters at the State Department. The United States has maintained an economic embargo on Cuba for more than four decades to try to isolate Castro.

Bush said the first step for Cuba should be to free political prisoners, and the international community should work with Cubans to start building institutions necessary for democracy.

"Eventually this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections, and I mean free and I mean fair," Bush said. "Not these kind of staged elections that the Castro brothers try to foist off as being true democracy," he said.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Bush is certainly seizing the opportunity to pump out the rhetoric to help gain himself some of his lost luster. It's not like he forced Fidel Castro to resign, but he wants to take credit for it. And he dares to point fingers about staged elections! Does it get any better? "Free" and "fair"? Please, that is the oxymoron of all oxymorons. The Bush Administration, "free" and "fair" are glaring contradictions in terms. Add in Cuba and you get yourself a pretty good pun.

www.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 19-2-2008 by Areal51]

Aye, and it would be great if the United States of America could undergo a democratic transition post-Bush

pot calls kettle black.

bush has no credabilty.

reply to post by Shar_Chi


Bad comparison when you consider that Castro was "elected" for 50 years as the leader of Cuba. Not to mention arresting any political opponents that challenge his rule. Bush is already prepared to leave office with this years election coming up. So your argument is pretty bad.

Well when was the last real president USA had? Ronald Reagan?
Afaic the last one was JFK so it compares ok in my worldview. But this is semantics, when in all truth I was just having a cheap shot

Originally posted by bigspud
pot calls kettle black.

bush has no credabilty.

Exactly, how can any american leader, talk about political prisoners. Whats gitmo, and do you people know about fritz springmeier. He talked baout mind control and the illuminati, and he is locked in in prison, set up.

America is like this dream country, where the world thinks its great, like disney land or something.

Search on the internet for the channel4 doc on american prisons, to see how people are treated in america.

reply to post by andy1033


Yeah America is so evil that millions of people are risking their lives to get to America to be tortured and killed.

Usually they died before they could get to America. Seen it in Arizona and New Mexico. Thats how much they want to get to EVIL AMERICA.

Democracy is a joke....

51% of the population dictating what I can do, say, own, and believe, is just lovely,

No thanks I'll take take the Republican Government this country was founded upon where not only that 51% but rather 99% can shove their opinions up their ass...

Promoting Democracy is the best way to ensure a world of slavery, with slaves who don't even realize they are in shackles...

If this country truly believed in freedom we would be promoting our Republican form of Government, Not this bs we call Democracy, In which the majority thinks somehow and someway it has the right and ability to invoke its manipulated and controlled will, views, and opinions on the few...

Rather or not Democracy in and of itself works and is legitimate is of little importance so long as the people believe it works and that their vote counts, They believe they have power and control simply because they are citizens and voted, and not because they were born free...

The will of the majority in a Democracy dictates the direction of the Country, and limits the power, opinions, and views of those who oppose that majority..

In a Republic the majority is of little importance, as is who gets elected, because regardless of those issues, the freedom of the people is protected so that No Man, No Majority And no Government can force its will on any individual.

That is freedom.

[edit on 19-2-2008 by C0le]

reply to post by deltaboy


Well, maybe folks come because the US, despite its problems, is better than the country they are coming from? No one is talking about an "EVIL AMERICA". Folks have the sense to know the difference between the people and its government. Anyway, there's little doubt that the current Administration has been suspected of and even admitted to committing illegal acts. Not necessarily "evil" but definitely not all good.

Hello guys and gals I personaly think any change to cuba is good castro was the lesser of two evils b4 him you had casinos comming up leagal prastitution. castro stopped it now you have castro opose him and you disapear and health system that on the outside looks good to the outside world because your not thier well I can; I was, when I was younger and I got beat in school by my teacher for telling him I will be going to see my parents in miami when they can make enough money to pay for me to be smuggled into the country so now, all the redrick bout bush being so evil he has never told any of my college proffesors to beat me if i want to go to another country I love america I love this country and I am getting tearful typing this well now i am to practice my freedom and say nothing more!

Originally posted by Areal51
Bush is certainly seizing the opportunity to pump out the rhetoric to help gain himself some of his lost luster.

So encouraging peaceful transition to some form of political liberty is nothing but rhetoric?

Originally posted by Areal51
It's not like he forced Fidel Castro to resign, but he wants to take credit for it.

Oh? Can you demonstrate, then, where he is trying to take credit for Castro's resignation?

Originally posted by Areal51
And he dares to point fingers about staged elections!

Yes, he does? Why couldn't he?

Originally posted by Areal51
Does it get any better? "Free" and "fair"? Please, that is the oxymoron of all oxymorons. The Bush Administration, "free" and "fair" are glaring contradictions in terms. Add in Cuba and you get yourself a pretty good pun.

And you complain about the use of rhetoric? I don't love the guy either, but jeez.

reply to post by Johnmike

Originally posted by Johnmike

Originally posted by Areal51
Bush is certainly seizing the opportunity to pump out the rhetoric to help gain himself some of his lost luster.

So encouraging peaceful transition to some form of political liberty is nothing but rhetoric?

Coming from President Bush and his administration, yes. It's not only rhetoric, it's empty rhetoric. See Iraq.

Originally posted by Johnmike

Originally posted by Areal51
It's not like he forced Fidel Castro to resign, but he wants to take credit for it.

Oh? Can you demonstrate, then, where he is trying to take credit for Castro's resignation?

See:

"And we're going to help. The United States will help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty," Bush said.

Source

Originally posted by Johnmike

Originally posted by Areal51
And he dares to point fingers about staged elections!

Yes, he does? Why couldn't he?

See Florida year 2000 elections fraud:

Diebold Memos Disclose Florida 2000 E-Voting Fraud
Quietly Florida Admits 2000 Election Fraud
Florida's flawed "voter-cleansing" program

That's just the first few hits from Google. There are thousands upon thousands of articles to choose from on the issue.

Originally posted by Johnmike

Originally posted by Areal51
Does it get any better? "Free" and "fair"? Please, that is the oxymoron of all oxymorons. The Bush Administration, "free" and "fair" are glaring contradictions in terms. Add in Cuba and you get yourself a pretty good pun.

And you complain about the use of rhetoric? I don't love the guy either, but jeez.

See: The Patriot Act, The Military Commissions Act of 2006, and The Bush Administration, The National Security Agency, and the telecoms warrantless surveillance controversy.

[edit on 19-2-2008 by Areal51]