Fidel Castro steps down

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Well lets not divert the thread any further. It's pretty well established that China can't do anything and won't be able to for a good while.

And even if they did, they'd be crushed like a bug on the windshield of a speeding car.

[Enkidu]

This is of coarse after my equivilent of the CIA assasinates the leader.

If several hundred CIA trained soldiers couldn't take down Castro, I don't have much hopes of Chinese troops taking out his succesor.

Well, I'd go there and do it myself if I had to. "No mister Cuban president that's not a gun in my pocket. I just like you that much. Oops, I guess it was a gun. Sorry, my bad. Don't worry I will fix this by making Cuba stronger then ever."

Like I said, I'd bide my time if I had to. I'm only 19 right now, I can wait a decade or two to build up my forces. By the time I pull it off you'd probably all be dead by then from old age.

But we're talking about a world where I rule China. Like any of this will ever happen.

Are you not aware of the One Fact Everybody Knows about Fidel Castro? He holds the record for surviving more assassination attempts THAN ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS WALKED THIS SWEET EARTH. OVER 600! We are talking pistols, tommy guns, rifles, poisoned wetsuits, exploding cigars, poisoned cigars, knives, bombs. At some point someone must have tried to drop a twenty ton weight on him like the frigging Roadrunner, simply because they have tried everything else. This can be attributed in part to Castro's extraordinary luck and the utter incompetence of many of the would-be assassins, but you can't ignore the fact that Castro has kick arse security/counter intelligence, which presumably his brother will inherit.
As to Cuban Missile Crisis II: A Taste Of The Orient I'm with Capn Seafort, Rochey and Cpl Kendell.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

If several hundred CIA trained soldiers couldn't take down Castro, I don't have much hopes of Chinese troops taking out his succesor.

Well, I'd go there and do it myself if I had to. "No mister Cuban president that's not a gun in my pocket. I just like you that much. Oops, I guess it was a gun. Sorry, my bad. Don't worry I will fix this by making Cuba stronger then ever."

Like I said, I'd bide my time if I had to. I'm only 19 right now, I can wait a decade or two to build up my forces. By the time I pull it off you'd probably all be dead by then from old age.

But we're talking about a world where I rule China. Like any of this will ever happen.

Are you not aware of the One Fact Everybody Knows about Fidel Castro? He holds the record for surviving more assassination attempts THAN ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS WALKED THIS SWEET EARTH. OVER 600! We are talking pistols, tommy guns, rifles, poisoned wetsuits, exploding cigars, poisoned cigars, knives, bombs. At some point someone must have tried to drop a twenty ton weight on him like the frigging Roadrunner, simply because they have tried everything else. This can be attributed in part to Castro's extraordinary luck and the utter incompetence of many of the would-be assassins, but you can't ignore the fact that Castro has kick arse security/counter intelligence, which presumably his brother will inherit.
As to Cuban Missile Crisis II: A Taste Of The Orient I'm with Capn Seafort, Rochey and Cpl Kendell.

We're talking hypothetically as to why China would want Cuba. So far we haven't come up with a realistic sane reason yet that would apply to the present. Distant future maybe, after Castro's brother is gone. He's pretty old himself, he'll be gone by the time I have kids.

And I thought the one fact everyone knew about Castro was that he overthrew the puppet government the US put there after taking credit for liberating Cuba from Spain, even though the Cuban rebel forces had all but won the war.

[Sionnach Glic]

Uh, no. Castro was one of the leaders of the rebellion. Hell, he was even thrown in jail after being captured in a previous uprising, but was released later on. He recruited Che Guevara, and a lot of the rebels that would eventualy fight in the revolution. IIRC, he acted as a military commander during the rebellion itself.

[Enkidu]

If my Grandmother had wheels, hypothetically, she could be a wagon.

China does not have a reason for a war with the US. Growing trade links make war a ever less attractive prospect for the Chinese. There are potential flash points such as Taiwan, but neither side wants a fight. Even if China won, it would leave them exhausted, and potential future superpower rival India would be there, to pick up the trade that China would lose, with its great big military intact.
When you start placing a military force thousands of sea miles from home just off someones coast, it is hard to launch a surprise attack. If, for example, hypothetically, Mozambique brought the Irish Republic into it's sphere of influence, and started grouping it's brigades on the Emerald Isle, HM Government would start to suspect unfriendly intentions.
Even if this Chinese Expeditionary Force was able to land in the Southern US, How the hell are they going to keep it in supply?
Then factor in the Monroe Doctrine, whereas the Chinese buildup would be seen, at least, as massive provocation, and at worst (for the Chinese) give the US a casus belli to launch a preemptive strike against them. After all, WWIII was missed by a whisker in the Cuban Missile Crisis. I suspect the Chinese where paying attention.
As to post Fidel Cuba:78 year old Raul Castro is hardly a spring chicken, so I don't think he will be there for too long anyhow. Apparently, Obama is on record as been in favour of a rapprochement with Cuba, so with a new President, possibly him, and a new leader in Havana relations could begin to normalize. Hugo Chavez will probably be a factor, bank rolling continuing Socialist government. Without him, Cuba would probably become a normal Banana Republic within a decade. With Chavez, it might take longer, especially if a strong post Raul candidate emerges. From what I read, little is known about any other strong leadership figure in Cuba.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

If my Grandmother had wheels, hypothetically, she could be a wagon.

China does not have a reason for a war with the US. Growing trade links make war a ever less attractive prospect for the Chinese. There are potential flash points such as Taiwan, but neither side wants a fight. Even if China won, it would leave them exhausted, and potential future superpower rival India would be there, to pick up the trade that China would lose, with its great big military intact.
When you start placing a military force thousands of sea miles from home just off someones coast, it is hard to launch a surprise attack. If, for example, hypothetically, Mozambique brought the Irish Republic into it's sphere of influence, and started grouping it's brigades on the Emerald Isle, HM Government would start to suspect unfriendly intentions.
Even if this Chinese Expeditionary Force was able to land in the Southern US, How the hell are they going to keep it in supply?
Then factor in the Monroe Doctrine, whereas the Chinese buildup would be seen, at least, as massive provocation, and at worst (for the Chinese) give the US a casus belli to launch a preemptive strike against them. After all, WWIII was missed by a whisker in the Cuban Missile Crisis. I suspect the Chinese where paying attention.
As to post Fidel Cuba:78 year old Raul Castro is hardly a spring chicken, so I don't think he will be there for too long anyhow. Apparently, Obama is on record as been in favour of a rapprochement with Cuba, so with a new President, possibly him, and a new leader in Havana relations could begin to normalize. Hugo Chavez will probably be a factor, bank rolling continuing Socialist government. Without him, Cuba would probably become a normal Banana Republic within a decade. With Chavez, it might take longer, especially if a strong post Raul candidate emerges. From what I read, little is known about any other strong leadership figure in Cuba.

I think you just summed up half of what's been said in this arguement. Good work. Can we move on now?

[Sionnach Glic]

You're a bit late, Enkidu.
We've already told Blackstar all that.

[colmquinn]

All I could think of during your long discussions on China V US was the great Peter Sellers movie The Mouse That Roared, where an impoverished little country decides that in order to get funds from the US they should declare war on them and surrender so the US will pour funds into them like Japan and Germany.
About as realistic too.

[Captain Seafort]

All I could think of during your long discussions on China V US was the great Peter Sellers movie The Mouse That Roared, where an impoverished little country decides that in order to get funds from the US they should declare war on them and surrender so the US will pour funds into them like Japan and Germany.
About as realistic too.

If the Chinese tried that approach I doubt it would go pear-shaped the way the Grand Dutchy of Fenwick's did.

[Captain Seafort]

On-topic (:o) Raul's officially suceeded him

Raul Castro named Cuban president

Raul Castro has been unanimously selected to succeed his brother Fidel as leader by Cuba's National Assembly.
Fidel Castro stepped down last week after nearly half a century in charge.

Raul has in effect been president since Fidel had major surgery in July 2006. It is understood that he was the only nominee in a vote seen as a formality.

But the real shock was when he chose 78-year-old Politburo hardliner Machado Ventura as vice-president, says the BBC's Michael Voss in Havana.

There had been speculation that Raul Castro, aged 76, would name one of Cuba's younger generation of communist leaders as his number two.

But he instead opted for one of the original leaders of Cuba's communist revolution.

What this means for the prospects for change remains unclear, our correspondent says.

Economic challenge

In an address to the nation, following the behind-closed-doors vote, Raul Castro said the Cuban government would continue to consult Fidel Castro, 81, on major decisions of state - a move backed by the National Assembly deputies.

Raul Castro paid tribute to his brother as he accepted the presidency saying:

"The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution is unique, Fidel is Fidel, as we all know well, he is irreplaceable."

Our correspondent says Raul Castro now has to steer the Caribbean island through un-charted waters in an unpredictable period of economic and political renewal.

Before Sunday's session, Raul Castro had suggested implementing major economic reforms and "structural changes".

He has worked to ensure a smooth political transition, keeping the army loyal to the regime and strengthening the Communist Party's hold by introducing reforms and weeding out corrupt officials.

He has also had the advantage of continued economic support from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the form of millions of barrels of cheap oil, our correspondent adds.

Letter announcement

Fidel Castro, who has ruled Cuba since leading a revolution in 1959, announced his retirement in a letter published on the website of the Cuban Communist Party's newspaper Granma last week.

He said he had not stepped down after undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in 2006 because he had had a duty to the Cuban people to prepare them for his absence.

But retirement, he added, would not stop him from carrying "on fighting like a soldier of ideas", and he promised to continue writing essays entitled Reflections of Comrade Fidel.

Though he has not been seen in public for 19 months, the government occasionally releases photographs and pre-edited video of him meeting visiting leaders from around the world.

As predicable an outcome as they come, but at least it's official now.

[Sionnach Glic]

Yeah, I'd assumed he'd get into power. It'll be interesting to see who'll step up after these two step down. They're both quite old.

[Mikey]

Actually, Raul's 2iC will be a 78-year old party official(!).

And Raul has seemed decide to hold to his big brother's advice.