On recent changes in Cuba/U.S. relations.

“The United States will come to talk to us when you have a black president and the world has a Latin American pope.” 

The clock is no longer ticking towards the era where this quote by ex-Cuban president Fidel Castro becomes a reality. The shifting state of the relationship between the island nation of Cuba and the United States has been exemplified by the opening of a Cuban embassy in the U.S. for the first time since the overthrow of the Batista dictatorship in 1959. While we can't safely say that the embargo placed on Cuba by the United States will end, we can already see the conception of diplomatic interactions between the two countries. Hopefully in the near future we will finally see the end to the illegal, 53-year blockade on Cuba, which has relentlessly subjected the country to restrictions not just on it's export goods (tobacco and rum being the worst losses) but also necessary provisions for healthcare, monetary and financial trade, and access to new technologies - leaving the country in somewhat of a stasis. The fact that Cuba exists in a state of anything other than total humanitarian crisis, which is the unequivocal point of the embargo, is thanks entirely to the countries social-model; the free provision of all citizens with food, housing, education, and healthcare, regardless of pressure from international powers.

Even now that the Lefts dream of a Cuban flag emerging out of a sea of "Viva Fidel!"s and "Viva Cuba socialista!"s on the streets of Washington has been achieved, some are predictably still championing the position of defeat. On the day that international solidarity should be at it's strongest, accusations of betrayal, revisionism, and even senility against the Cuban leadership for daring to accept a deal which alleviates their people from just some of the afore mentioned restrictions, seems to illuminate the need for more sectarianism rather than less. If you would rather stay in the camp of defeat and fringe politics then that choice is yours. It's better you remain there than ask other people to fight to the last drop of their blood because you perceive them as ideologically inconsistent.

I should add that i'm not proselytising for the "opening up" of Cuba to American influence, nor should we equate bringing socialism into the 21st century to market-oriented socialism. I don't believe that route would be desirable for the Cuban people, nor do I believe it's what we'll get - Raul Castro has made it clear that they will not "negotiate their social system" and while the promise of the younger Castro doesn't quell all fears, it ranks as slightly more promising introduction to friendly relations with the West than "To get rich is glorious!".

Most importantly of all, the attitude which should be combatted is the harrowing glee from liberals that this change in foreign policy by the U.S will soon lead to Cuba emerging from the rubble of communism into an American-style parliamentary democracy - with it's very own CNN and O'Reilly factor of course! As the media confetti of any true democracy. Below the bug-eyed calls for "Freedom for Cuba!" (or the freedom for Levies and McDonalds to set up shop their anyway), a sinister mentality simmers; the assumption that Cuba, as it currently exists, is some kind of tyranny. While it is true that the nucleus of human rights abuses in the Caribbean does exist on Cuban soil, it has nothing to do with the Revolutionary government. The Cuban government has protested the presence of a CIA torture camp in Guantanamo bay for 36 years and each time the United States essentially replies with "What you gonna do about it?". Indeed the 53 years of sanction and sabotage by the U.S. has left Cuba in a state of siege and many democratic rights have been suspended, but regardless of how Cuba organises it's representation of it's people, the only form of democracy liberals will be happy with is one that includes the capitalists and kleptocrats of pre-revolutionary Cuba, who looted the country of it's wealth and subjected it's population to poverty and military repression.

Cuba will remain on the same path it has been for over half a century, and the celebrations of victory won't be drowned out by the grumbling of zealous ideologues or the opening of cash registers in preparation for a brand new exploitable market. Cuba will remain a beacon to the third world, as an example that you don't have to choose between the domination of Global capital or mass poverty. It's future will depend on how much it sticks to the original revolutionary ideas which liberated the country. Perhaps it's the case that this belated opening up is a tactical manoeuvre to inject neoliberal influence at the right time. Perhaps the old order will be returning to it's vomit soon. But for now, socialism will be exalted as more and more people will be lead by Cubas example that standing up to the West objectively pays off.

Debunked: "10 of the Most Psychotic Quotes from Socialist Hero Che Guevara":

He was not Cuban, but he left his country to fight for the freedom of the Cuban people against the torturous dictator Fulgencia Batista. He was not African, but he travelled all over Africa aiding the anti-colonial struggles there. 

There are some however, who try to twist his legacy into something that it isn't. There are people on the right who actually preferred Cuba to be under the control of the old U.S. backed dictator, and hate the fact that the achievements of the Cuban revolution shine as a beacon of hope to the third world, that they one day will be liberated from the chains of globalised capitalism. There is also the pitiful so-called Left who reject Che's belief in violent struggle and guerrilla warfare as if to say dictators can be overthrown through peaceful means.

Ernesto Che Guevara is my hero because he embodies the true image of what a man should strive to be. He embodies rebellion and the idea that one should never be content with the status quo, that people should tremble with indignation at every kind of injustice in the world and fight with all they can to change it.

I was linked to this article by 'thelibertarianrepublic' yesterday, titled: “10 of the Most Psychotic Quotes from Socialist Hero Che Guevara”. I read it, and I am now going to debunk this complete and utter Horseshit.

#1 “What we affirm is that we must proceed along the path of liberation even if this costs millions of atomic victims.”
Che Guevara didn’t want an invasion of Cuba at all but said that they should be willing to use Nuclear weapons in order to defend themselves from one. Cuba was invaded but obviously no nukes were actually fired. Che did want retaliation against the West for the invasion but Fidel Castro convinced him against it. Funnily enough, what the article leaves out and fails to address is the fact that the U.S. was illegally invading and attempting to destroy the nation of Cuba. 

#2. "To send men to the firing squard, judicial proof is unnecessary ... These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail. This is a revolution!"
This quote is fake.
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Che_Guevara#Disputed 
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Talk:Che_Guevara#Confirm_quote.3F


#3. “We must eliminate all newspapers; we cannot make a revolution with free press.”

Again, context is needed. This was said during a time when relations between Cuba and the U.S. were at their most hostile. All countries go into a state of lockdown when they’re threatened by aggressive powers. In the UK, for the sake of stability, we completely lost the vote during WW2, and the ruling parties didn’t fight each other. You'd also find yourself in prison pretty quickly if you started printing out literature proselytising for Hitler.

#4. “We executed many people by firing squad without knowing if they were fully guilty. At times, the revolution cannot be stop to conduct much investigation."
This is just a rehashing of the second quote. See the answer to #2.

#5.“The black is indolent and a dreamer; spending his meager wage on frivolity or drink; the European has a tradition of work and saving, which has pursued him as far as this corner of America and drives him to advance himself, even independently of his own individual aspirations."
This is one of the favourite ‘go-to’ quotes dredged up by the right to try and accuse Che of being a racist. This was said in 1952, before the revolution took place i.e before Che Guevara actually became “Che Guevara”. At this point he was not the hardened idealistic revolutionary the world knew him as.
In Che’s later life, he championed black liberation. Not only in Cuba, where he pushed for racially integrated schools, years before they were racially integrated in the United States, but he fought for black liberation in Africa as well. He left Cuba to fight with both the Angolan Peoples Liberation Movement and the Mozambique FRELIMO organisation against white Portuguese colonisation.

In 1965, during his visit to The Congo he fought alongside 130 Afro-Cubans and the all-black Congolese fighters. He also spoke in the U.N. against apartheid South Africa, which was at this time still supported by the British government.

African Liberation leaders have all spoke fondly of Che and his dedication to the anti-colonial struggle. From Nelson Mandela in South Africa, to Nasser in Egypt, to Ben Bella in Algeria; they have all regarded Che as not only a dear friend but an influential spirit. 

The attempt to mask one of the greatest contributors to black liberation as a racist by pulling up some quote from his youth is despicable. It is a shameful attempt to demonise the decades of black liberation struggle against racist imperialism and the outsiders who helped actively fought for it.


#6. “Hatred as an element of the struggle; a relentless hatred of the enemy, impelling us over and beyond the natural limitations that man is heir to and transforming him into an effective, violent, selective, and cold killing machine. Our soldiers must be thus; a people without hatred cannot vanquish a brutal enemy.”

This quote comes from his personal diaries. There are mountains of quotes like this from people who ride on a combat adrenaline. Here’s one such example from American hero and protagonist of the new ‘American Sniper’ movie, Chris Kyle: “You do it until there’s no one left to kill. That’s what war is. I loved what I did… I’m not lying or exaggerating to say it was fun.”

All this proves is that Che was a soldier and reacted to the same chemical functions that every other soldier does, which he was. He's not wrong either, hatred is a useful tool to be used in war. The difference is, Che Guevara fought to liberate Cuba from a dictator. The U.S. and Britain have slaughtered over 3 million people in Iraq and Afghanistan in a military occupation. 

#7."I ended the problem with a .32 caliber pistol, in the right side of his brain. . . . His belongings were now mine."
Contrary to what the articles claims, Che did not “accuse” Eutimio Guerra of spying. Guerra admitted to repeatedly giving away the location of the rebel position to the Cuban air force. The information given by Guerra allowed Batista’s forces to burn the homes of rebel-friendly peasants. The “belongings” Che refers to were the 10 thousands pesos given to Guerra by the Cuban government. 

#8. "Our technical comrades at the companies have made a toothpase ... which is as good as the previous one; it cleans just the same, though after a while it turns to stone."

I could not find the origin of this quote. However, I’d hardly say coming up with excuse to workers in an office counts as ‘psychotic’. 

#8 "My Nostrils dilare while savoring the acrid odor gunpowder and blood." "I'd like to confess, Papa, at that moment I discovered that I really like killing."
See answer to #6. Again, there has been much worse said from the mouths of imperialist soldiers.

#10. “It’s a sad thing not to have friends, but it is even sadder not to have enemies.”

What he means is if you’re not challenging the system you can’t form enemies, therefore if you don’t have enemies you are not challenging the status quo at all. Another great cigar-smoking, anti-fascist leader actually said something very similar: 

"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.” - Winston Churchill.