Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Castro Retires

The Babalu Blog (now on the blogroll) has the full text of his resignation in Granma. The key line: "And I reiterated in that letter that …I never forget that ‘all of the world’s glory fits in a kernel of corn. Therefore, it would be a betrayal to my conscience to accept a responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer. This I say devoid of all drama."

Castro's letter confesses to a long health crisis; of which he was unsure he'd emerge alive. He apparently came through better than he hoped. But the sands were running out for him. And although he casts his resignation as the selfless act of a man determined to give way to younger leaders, a close reading of his letter indicates that he still hoped to hang on until it became plain his strength was no longer equal to his desire for power.

Ominously, Castro has no intention of giving up his power entirely. He intends to remain, like some kind of spectral force, the voice behind the curtain.

This is not my farewell to you. My only wish is to fight as a soldier in the battle of ideas. I shall continue to write under the heading of ‘Reflections by comrade Fidel.’ It will be just another weapon you can count on. Perhaps my voice will be heard. I shall be careful.

Several of Babalu's commenters noted that Fidel's resignation now forces a string of long delayed actions. First, Raul Castro (Fidel's brother who is no more than a few years younger and a drunk) must now emerge from the shadow of the old leader; and equally important, US politicians especially in the Democratic party, who must face the fact that the Countdown has begun.

Michelle Malkin and Fausta now have comments.




7 Comments:

Blogger Fat Man said...

I guess the corpse has started to stink.

2/19/2008 05:31:00 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Too bad Fidel didn't get that little glint of humility before his henchmen put thousands of bullets in the back of the heads of those Cubans who didn't see the halo around Fidel's head.

2/19/2008 07:35:00 AM  
Blogger Zenster said...

When Fidel says that "all of the world’s glory fits in a kernel of corn". What he really means is that "all of what he brought to this world’s glory fits in a kernel of corn".

Even if he is its sole occupant, Fidel's will be a mass grave.

2/19/2008 07:54:00 AM  
Blogger always right said...

Please! Zenster. What glory? Exactly how many actually benefited from his reign?

The size of a flea, more like.

2/19/2008 02:04:00 PM  
Blogger Doug said...

Always?
---
On the Radio
I was interviewed for NPR News today on Cuban-American reaction to the "big news" from the island prison. I believe the segment will run during today's
"All Things Considered"
show, which runs locally between 4 and 6 PM here in Miami.
If you dont get NPR locally, you can pick up the audio for today's show

right here, at 7 PM.

Posted by Val Prieto
---
Castro: Not With a Bang...

2/19/2008 02:33:00 PM  
Blogger Doug said...

Sic semper tyrannis
Henry has written a devastatingly accurate and thought provoking editorial for Pajamas Media
on today's tempest in a teacup:

Self-proclaimed “Cubanologists” in the United States have made it fashionable to refer to Raul as “the pragmatic one” and “the reformer.” Of course, in contrast to Fidel who was notoriously capricious, arbitrary, egomaniacal, and stubborn, anyone short of Stalin could be legitimately labeled as pragmatic. Even Raul, who as Fidel’s right-hand man since the days of the rebel insurgency and head of Cuba’s armed forces, has just as much blood on his hands — if not more.
What Raul wants is for the world to see his succession to the throne of the house of Castro as legitimate. That’s why the regime went to such great lengths to stage its kabuki production of parliamentary “elections.” If the world accepts the succession without objection, then Raul would have accomplished the primary goal of keeping international pressure off, at least temporarily. And that’s what this has always been about: buying time.
Read the whole excellent thing.
- Val Prieto

2/19/2008 02:52:00 PM  
Blogger Zenster said...

Always Right: The size of a flea, more like.

Don't quibble. We both know damn well that a walk through the ocean of Fidel's soul would scarcely get our feet wet.

Raul's succession to the throne would join Cuba with North Korea as the world's second communist dynasty. How much more irrelevant can communism possibly become when it stoops to mimicking European royalty?

2/20/2008 02:17:00 PM  

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