dictator resigns !!

[bayman]

fidel castro has resigned as cuba's president/dictator, which i am amazed at as i thought dictators kept going until death or a political coup had occured

[Thiele]

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html more to come

[GWW]

fidel castro has resigned as cuba's president/dictator, which i am amazed at as i thought dictators kept going until death or a political coup had occured

Hes been ill for quite a while now.

[RustyCage]

fidel castro has resigned as cuba's president/dictator, which i am amazed at as i thought dictators kept going until death or a political coup had occured

Hes been ill for quite a while now.

Even so, I assumed he'd just be there until he died. This could get quite interesting.

[GWW]

fidel castro has resigned as cuba's president/dictator, which i am amazed at as i thought dictators kept going until death or a political coup had occured

Hes been ill for quite a while now.

Even so, I assumed he'd just be there until he died. This could get quite interesting.

I haven't read the article, presumably hes going to pass on the leadership to his brother. I guess in a way he can still have some influence by chosing who replaces him.

[bulldogproud]

Gee, I thought that the title of this thread meant that a moderator here had resigned - only kidding, lads!!

[Dog_ger]

Oh Fidel.

USA invented a word to scare people.

Communist.

The sound of this word changed the thinking of mere mortals.

Did you ever do wrong...?

No doupt I will be told on Safooty...?

I am a vague dummy sometimes....

[JAS]

Some political expert (no idea who he was) on a news channel here did point out that Fidel was fairly unique as a dictator because despite the USA's best efforts with sanctions etc no one in Cuba starved to death and no child was ever refused the chance of an education. I have no idea if the guy was correct but I must admit I always considered Fidel to be probably the least threatening of my lifetime but then I was only 18 months old for the missile crisis.

Regards
JAS

[bulldogproud]

Fidel was certainly less scary than the US were and still are.
Cheers

[JAS]

Fidel was certainly less scary than the US were and still are.
Cheers

Yep...must admit if I had to chose a dictatorship to live in Cuba wouldn't be a bad choice compared to some of the others of the last 40 or so years...I give you these examples for comparison (yes I know they aren't all officially 'dictators' but close enough):

Idi Amin
Sadam
Pol Pot
Papa Doc
Military Junta in Argentina

Regards
JAS

[johntheclaret]

Fidel was certainly less scary than the US were and still are.
Cheers

Yep...must admit if I had to chose a dictatorship to live in Cuba wouldn't be a bad choice compared to some of the others of the last 40 or so years...I give you these examples for comparison (yes I know they aren't all officially 'dictators' but close enough):

Idi Amin
Sadam
Pol Pot
Papa Doc
Military Junta in Argentina
Regards
JAS

I've heard of all in the above list except Regards. Which counrty did he dictate in

[firstblood]

Here's a couple of nasty dictators.....

[Ronnie]

Even some 10 year olds understand that, for all it's faults, the USA is a democracy with all the attached benefits of that state of affairs.
Cuba has been run by a ruthless dictator who has ensured that Cuba's best export has been it's best and brightest people seeking a decent life.
Be nice to think that in the not too distant future Cuba can join the ranks of the world's prosperous, free countries and give it's people something more than a communist rant to comfort them.
But yeah, as far as dictators go, Fidel was probably not the worst, but that isn't saying much surely.

[Wedgie]

Even though I dont think things will change at all Cuba had some really good things happening.
I could be wrong but I heard they the best health care system in the world.

[Ronnie]

he did have some good things going, their infant mortality rates compare to New Zealand for one.
It's more the compete and utter repression of anything resembling dissent, throwing into jail 'counter revolutionaries" etc.
Not like a Mugabe though, who should make all mankind cry.

[Psyber]

he did have some good things going, their infant mortality rates compare to New Zealand for one.
It's more the compete and utter repression of anything resembling dissent, throwing into jail 'counter revolutionaries" etc. Not like a Mugabe though, who should make all mankind cry.

Many dictators have done some good things - usually early in their careers.

Even Hitler manged to curb Germany's massive inflation of the 30s. The first step was to revalue the currency so it didn't look so bad. I have a 10 Billionen Deutschmark postage stamp which has been overstamped with the Swastika and a "10 NeuMark" designation.