What kind of relationship are we gonna have with cuba? Will we lift the embargo completely? Will cuba's new leader be a hardline commie like castro? Will it turn into a tropical vacation spot with fancy hotels? Something like it was in the 1950s? I've seen some hot look'in cuban women, so I'm hoping for the best.

When Castro dies, the MOST brutal ruthless candidate will take control. Because he will be a completely vicious shitbag he will likely be a communist as well. Try too remember that Baptista was also a vicious shitbag. He was just a US friendly(and mafia friendly)vicious shitbag. I too long for the days of vacationing at Cuban 5 star resorts for $25.00 a night like the Europeans do. I hear the diving kicks ass. The best bet is for a McDonalds in Havana. After 40 years of a cold war with Russian it was Moscow McDonalds that broke communism. These people just want happy meals.

Yeah, we need to open up trade big time and exploit the heck out of the place.  There's nothing that would doom Communisim there faster than that.

Ross

Hmmmm...
A pet topic of mine.

Steyr hit the nail on the head. Castro is an idealogue. He will make sure that his sucessor is along his lines of thinking.
But the Cuban people are sick of the Communist way.
THere is a reason for that big-ass US millitary base on Cuba. When Castro dies, it empties, and democracy is restored.

Okay,
you buy the first round of daiquiris at the Copa.
[X] [X]

European business has been gobbling up real estate in Cuba for some time now. They're going to capitolize on the best market in the western hemisphere.

I know lots of people who have gone to Cuba recently, via Mexico, and say the place is party central! Lots of resorts and nightlife, at least for the tourists. Cheap hookers too!

My dad used to go there on his college spring breaks. He actually was on the LAST commercial flight to ever leave Cuba for the States. He has tons of stories about Cuba that would make any heterosexual man's chin drop. VIVA CUBA, F*CK CASTRO!

If its his brother,I heard he was twice as bad.

No one knows who it will be....
Some think that it will be along the traditionial lines...
But he has a young advisior named Omar Guiermellio that some say may be the "chosen one"...
People say he is so along Castro's lines, it's uncanny, and he even [I]looks[/I] like a young, clean shaven Fidel.

Whatever happens, I think the US should end the embargo. Mexico is getting too expensive. American's need a new cheap place to vacation.
[smoke]
Plus,
"Give me back my cigars!!!

When the Embargo ends, Castro is gone, and the new capitalist Cuba is an 80 mile boat ride out of Miami, it won't be "cheap" anymore.

They have a lot of financial catching up to do, and you can bet it will be at the expense of American Tourists, or Cuban/American citizens returning to se thier familys

True, but even at a 100% markup a 5 star resort will be $50.00 a night. But you failed to consider the European market that keeps the government alive. Even a "capitalist" Cuba cannot afford to alienate them. Europeans can and do travel anywhere in the world. They will simply got to Thailand or Eastern Europe at a greater rate. They also vacation in the former Soviet Union a great deal. Europe is Cubas bread and butter and won't pay too much of a markup. The American tourist in Cuba is an iffy proposition for any Cuban government. There are political reasons for many Americans to not support a NEW Cuba and just plain old misconseption will keep most Americans stateside.

But returning Cubans will pay a great deal for restoring "their" economy. As they should.

Well, here's how I see it.

The European market [I]has so far[/I] been keeping Cuba afloat.... Because of the American embargo.

When an ungodly monster consumer oriented capitolist beast market like the US is a mere 80 miles from your shores, it is enough to support any nation 5 times the size of Cuba.
Remember. They have I think 6 Million People, all living under Commiunism?
We have 265,000,000 hungry capitolists that would love to have a summerhome on an Island, or smoke a fine Cigar, or fuck a fine $25.00 whore. All a mere hand full of miles away.
Cuba will act as a lynchpin between Euro-US commerce, with both parties pouring $$$ into the Cuban system to gain control of it's rescources, and revenues.But I think distance is a critical factor.
We can sail barges and supplies and goods to Cuba cheaper, since we are closer then Europe.
We can fly people in and out of Cuba cheaper, since we are closer, and we can import Cuban goods cheaper, since we are closer.
Being closer means a more efficient way to get things done cheaper, and that's why all your Cuba belongs to the US.

Did some diving in Guantanamo Bay with the ship's UDT guys in 1973 when we there for a shakedown cruise.  It was pretty damn awesome.  We also cruised up and down the coastline and had a little staredown with a Cuban gunboat one day.  That was exhilirating!  That is a beautiful island.

I would like to be able to obtain cuban cigars without feeling like a smuggler hiding a dime bag.  Partagas, Punch, Montecristo, COHIBA!!

Okay, back under control now...mea culpa.

Disney will buy all of Cuba and make the worlds biggest amusement park with a roller coast that pulls 9G's.  It will cost 900 U.S. dollars a head to get in to the park.  That way they have money to finance the worst scripted most expensive love story about Desert Storm.

Does anyone know if Castro has "groomed" a second-in-command to take his place?  Just curious.........

Janet Reno is available.

The biggest lie of all is that CUBA suffers simply due to the US Embargo.  [b]The entire rest of the World trades with Cuba![/b] Israel has a trade mission in Havana! Everyone except the US trades with Castro, and that decision is certainly our right to make.

What are WE missing?  Beaches, rum, sugar and cigars, basically.

The beaches we have in the U.S. Virgin Islands puts anything Cuba has to shame.  As a matter of fact three of the top ten beaches in the World (according to National Geographic) are in the U.S.V.I. (Magens Bay #1; Cinnamon Bay #4;
Trunk Bay #6).

Rum? HELL, when have WE ever run outta rum???
Rum we can get from (once again) the U.S.V.I., Barbados, and the rest of the West Indies.

Sugar? From Louisiana and Texas, of course! Why buy from a foreign country when you can buy the best from folks who are paying your grandma's
Social Security checks.

Cigars? I'll light my FIRST Cuban cigar from the funeral pyre of the Bearded One!  In the meanwhile, why turn our backs on the Costa Ricans, Guatemalans, etc., who are producing
very nice quaility cigars as it is?

I doubt Raul Castro hisself [sic] can overcome the feeling of collective relief of the Cuban people when the [i]viejo[/i] goes to meet his Maker.  I don't think they'll put up with another one without a hotly debated contest.

Eric The(I'llDrinkACubaLibreOnHisGrave)Hun[>]:)]

The day that Castro dies.  I will be happy to get some real Cubans for a change.  Janet Reno is a logical choice ti succeed Castro.  Old, loud mouth, and can blame someone else.

I expect that post-Castro Cuba will be a lot like post-Kim Il Sung North Korea: more of the same, but faster movement towards normalcy.

BTW, who do you think will last longer: Fidel or the Pope?  

[url]http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/rcqastr10501.html[/url]

[url]http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/cu.html#Govt[/url]

I have a question: Why has the US not "normalized" relations with Cuba already? We did it with Vietnam and China. What gets us so upset about this tiny Island? Jeez, the Bay of Pigs fiasco was forty damn years ago. All the embargo does is hurt the Cuban people. It's time to move on.