Hurricane Castro

[Wacahootaman]

INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY ^ | 07/17/05 | c




One-Man Storm


Tyranny: Fidel Castro is facing revolts after Cuba was hit by its worst hurricane in memory. The destruction will cost $3 billion. But Castro is doing everything he can to keep aid out. And that’s an outrage


Following Hurricane Dennis, a different wind is blowing through Cuba - the wind of change. Three spontaneous and rare demonstrations sprang up in Havana this week. Fed-up Cubans attacked an electrical substation after learning of yet another delay in restoring power. Other angry Cubans protested housing evictions.



The despair from hurricane damage on a neglected and oppressed people is leading to protests about Castro’s rule. The third protest commemorated Castro’s military assault on a boat of 41 fleeing refugees 11 years ago.


Cubans are in a dark mood. In the hurricane rubble, Castro’s failed regime offers them nothing. The damage inflicted by the hurricane is worse than anyone realized. The category 4 storm howled across nearly the length of the island at 135 mph for 12 hours, knocking out electricity and power. Some areas are yet to be heard from.


The government admits 16 deaths - with unofficial estimates higher-signaling a breakdown of Cuba’s civil defense system. Aid officials,who believed the system was good, privately admit shock.


Cuba’s now a ruin atop a ruin. Everything’s falling down.The housing stock, already rotten, is short 500,000 units. Cuba now needs repairs for another hurricane-hit 120,000 units, and thousands of those are total losses. The U.N. says 75% of the population is feeling it. With little left to lose, and state failure in reconstruction ahead, Cubans have begun to protest.


That Castro’s slamming the door on international aid is an outrage. The problem is not the initial offer of U.S. aid that Castro turned down, calling it “miserable.” Castro also warned Europe not to help, snarling that he didn’t like their foreign policies.


Those are political reasons, reprehensible in themselves as Cubans suffer. More telling are the obstacles Castro has thrown up against private aid efforts. The State Department handed its rejected cash to non-governmental organizations, and already one has had its 300-pound shipment turned away. It was trying to send buckets, chlorination tablets and blankets, but wanted to deliver them privately, not through Cuban state agents.


Castro has also turned down a U.S. disaster assistance response team, known as a DART, to assess affected areas and determine where aid is needed. These DARTs are the same highly skilled teams that swiftly pinpointed where emergency aid to tsunami-ravaged Sumatra was needed in the first hours, giving private aid organizations a roadmap for efficient aid delivery.


Castro doesn’ t want these private aid groups to see or have contact with Cubans who are beginning to challenge him. Amid the rubble, his only concern isn’t reconstruction but clinging to power in his brittle, failed tyranny. That’s why help is being shut out.


Castro says he needs $400 million to rebuild. He still has not asked even the U.N. for aid, suggesting he trusts no one. He can’t rebuild on his own, so there won’t be much rebuilding. But that doesn’t mean the international community shouldn’t speak out. Lifesaving aid to Cuba should not be subordinated to Castro’s obsession with power. Fact is, he’s already lost power.


Dennis has left Cuba in matchsticks. Castro must not get a pass to obstruct help just because he fears the matchsticks are igniting.

[Hurricaneman]

He needs to give in and ask for aid

[Innotech]

he needs to pull his head out-

[feederband]

Even country's that don't necessarily like us were grateful of the aid we gave during the tsunami..Maybe finally the Cuban people will rise up and get rid of this dictator...The flood gates of world aid will open up when he is gone...

[Hurricaneman]

Castro is essentially hurting his own people

[HurricaneBill]

I remember reading after Hurricane Charley hit Cuba, a Cuban saying that Cuban officials basically showed up to see whether her house was destroyed or not and then just left.

I agree that what Castro is doing is very selfish. In times of natural disasters, politics should be set aside to help aid the victims.

Iran let in U.S. aid after the Bam earthquake.

[HURAKAN]

He needs to give in and ask for aid

Believe me, even if Cuba suffers 5 hurricanes Dennis, he won't accept any help except if the help comes from his friends. He has too much pride to accept help from those he is always bashing.

[mike18xx]

He needs to give in and ask for aid

He needs to have his head mounted on a pike: "Sic Semper Tyrannus!"

[JenyEliza]

Even country's that don't necessarily like us were grateful of the aid we gave during the tsunami..Maybe finally the Cuban people will rise up and get rid of this dictator...The flood gates of world aid will open up when he is gone...

Heck....even IRAN let us in to help after the BAM earthquake that destroyed homes, buildings, businesses etc, and killed several thousand.

IRAN...allowed "The Great Satan" (as they view us) to help them. Castro won't let us help.

Disgusting.

The bright side, though, is his days are numbered. He's not going to live forever...and it is likely he will be dead within the next few years. Until then, though, his people will be living in misery and squalor and many innocents will die because of his arrogant refusal to allow international aid to his country.

Jeny

edit to add: I agree, feederband, that the WORLD will open up their hearts, wallets and pocketbooks to the good people of Cuba once Fidel breathes no more.

[JenyEliza]

He needs to give in and ask for aid

He needs to have his head mounted on a pike: "Sic Semper Tyrannus!"

I could heartily support that!

[JenyEliza]

Castro is essentially hurting his own people

Nothing new there. He's been doing that since 1959.

[Scorpion]

I thought thought that there wasn't supposed to be political talk on this board, but looks like its happening. That article is very biased.Members of the Communist Party live quite well in Cuba.

[Ivanhater]

tell that to the thousands of people who risk their lives trying to get to america every year..very ignorant statement scorpion

[feederband]

I thought thought that there wasn't supposed to be political talk on this board, but looks like its happening. That article is very biased.Members of the Communist Party live quite well in Cuba.

Yeah that why they take anything that will float and risk their lives to leave...

[Scorpion]

Sorry, maybe I am a little biased since I come from a family of Castro supporters, but too many people make him out to be a horrible person.

[Ivanhater]

Sorry, maybe I am a little biased since I come from a family of Castro supporters, but too many people make him out to be a horrible person.


hmmmm, cant figure out why that is.....could it be cause he is???

[JenyEliza]

Sorry, maybe I am a little biased since I come from a family of Castro supporters, but too many people make him out to be a horrible person.

I wonder why that is? Perhaps because he is an evil power hungry tyrant who doesn't care about his people (oh, except his Communist buds)?

[feederband]

Sorry, maybe I am a little biased since I come from a family of Castro supporters, but too many people make him out to be a horrible person.

Good thing your not there now..

[sweetpea]

Sorry, maybe I am a little biased since I come from a family of Castro supporters, but too many people make him out to be a horrible person.

Explains alot

[feederband]

Sorry, maybe I am a little biased since I come from a family of Castro supporters, but too many people make him out to be a horrible person.

Explains alot

HA !!!