Castro's Fall and Injuries
Istvan Simon writes: I am sorry that Fidel fell on the stage in Santa Clara. The only fall of Castro that I am interested in is his fall from power in Cuba. The man of the paredón is a disgraceful episode in Latin American politics, that soon enough will pass into oblivion and irrelevance in the great scheme of things.
I was talking to a Chinese student just this week about having visited Mao's Mausoleum. I told him that I thought of Mao as a murderer on the same scale as Hitler and Stalin. He agreed. Yet there he lies, in his Mausoleum. (Bertolucci was wrong about the "Last Emperor" --it was not whom the movie was about, a gentle and likeable man tragically persecuted all his life --but Mao, A dynasty of one.
I told my student that, Mausoleum notwithstanding, Mao would be horrified if he actually could reincarnate. For today's China is everything that Mao fought against. The same will happen to Castro.
Christopher Jones writes: I would like to recommend that Linda Nyquist re-direct her misplaced sympathy for Castro after his fall and injuries to the Cuban people who continue to suffer under the bearded cacique of Cuba. It is very unfortunate that Fidel did not break his neck and other body parts when he fell; was there any sympathy for Huber Matos when Fidel's torturers were crushing his testicles and electrifying his penis? Was there any sympathy for Camilo Cienfeugos when his plane was blown up because he opposed Fidel's stance on Matos? . . . the recent crackdown on the journalists led by Raúl Rivero, the story of Armando Valladares, the list is endless . . . Castro deserves no sympathy whatsoever.
Was the State Department’s “we’re not concerned” response to Castro’s fall inappropriate, I wondered? Is Boucher a loose cannon, some junior diplomat who dropped his guard for a moment in front of the media? Hardly, but first, let us not forget Fidel Castro’s message to the USA on Sept. 11:
The …communist leader …said Washington's own past use of "terrorism" against other countries was partially to blame for the three crashes of hijacked planes against New York's landmark World Trade Center and the Pentagon outside Washington.
…"In part, these tragedies are a consequence of having applied terrorist methods -- against Cuba for many years, and in the case of other countries -- because they have spread the idea of terrorism," Castro said in an evening speech.
In short, Castro blamed 9-11 on the victims.
Source:(Reuters,Havana) http://www.afrocubaweb.com/news/cubawtc.htm#Cuba%20Reacts%20With%20Horror
By the way, the full quote was: "We heard that Castro fell," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. "I guess you'd have to check with the Cubans to find out what's broken about Mr. Castro. We, obviously, have expressed our views about what's broken in Cuba."
When asked if he wished Castro a speedy recovery, Boucher said, "No."
"The situation in Cuba is of our primary concern," Boucher said. "The situation of Mr. Castro is of little concern to us, but, unfortunately, of enormous importance to the people of Cuba, who have suffered very long under his rule. And we think that the kind of rule that Cuba has had should be ended."
(Mr. Boucher made the statements during a routine daily press conference.)
Finally, who is Richard Boucher?
Richard A. Boucher has served as Spokesman or Deputy Spokesman for the State Department under five Secretaries of State and as Chief of Mission two times over the course of his career, in addition to other posts both abroad and in Washington. He is a senior Foreign Service Officer with the rank of Career Minister. He began his most recent assignment as Spokesman for the State Department in May 2000 under Secretary Albright and has continued to serve as Spokesman for Secretary Powell. Beginning in March 1989, he served as the Department's Deputy Press Spokesman under Secretary Baker and in August 1992 he became the Department's Spokesman under Secretary Eagleburger. He continued to serve as the Department's Spokesman at Secretary Christopher's request until June 1993. In June, 2000, he was also named Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. He was confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs in December, 2000, a position that he continues to hold. Prior to this assignment, from July 1999 to April 2000 hrserved as U.S. Senior Official for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. He was twice Chief of Mission at U.S. diplomatic posts overseas. From 1996 to 1999, he headed the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong as Consul General and from October 1993 to June 1996 he served as U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus. He is a career Foreign Service Officer. He entered the Foreign Service in 1977, serving in Taiwan, Guangzhou, the State Department's Economic Bureau, and the China Desk. He returned to China from 1984 to 1986 as Deputy Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai. Upon his return to Washington in July 1986, he served in the State Department's Operations Center and as Deputy Director of the Office of European Security and Political Affairs. …He speaks French and Chinese.
Source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/631.htm
RH: I doubt that the full text of what he said will appease Linda Nyquist.
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