Bush remarks on Castro:

[Coexist]

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080219005883&newsLang=en

PRESIDENT BUSH: -- no, no, of course not, you were very polite. More important -- you know, the question really should be, what does this mean for the people in Cuba? They're the ones who suffered under Fidel Castro. They're the ones who were put in prison because of their beliefs. They're the ones who have been denied their right to live in a free society. So I view this as a period of transition; that -- and it should be the beginning of the democratic transition for the people in Cuba.

There will be an interesting debate that will arise eventually. There will be some who say, let's promote stability. Of course, in the meantime, political prisoners will rot in prison, and the human condition will remain pathetic in many cases.

I believe that the change from Fidel Castro ought to begin a period of democratic transition. First step, of course, will be for people put in these prisons to be let out. I've met with many of the -- or some of the families of prisoners. It just breaks your heart to realize that people have been thrown in prison because they dared speak out.

The international community should work with the Cuban people to begin to build institutions that are necessary for democracy. And eventually, this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections -- and I mean free and I mean fair, not these kind of staged elections that the Castro brothers try to foist off as being true democracy.

And we're going to help -- the United States will help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty. And so those are my initial thoughts.





:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Hypocrisy, thy name is Bush.

Let's hear some more about those political prisoners rotting in prison, you fucking asshole.

[Virginia Dare]

2. Ummm, excuse me, President shrub?....

aren't we running a concentration camp on one end of the island of Cuba?....:argh:

[lpbk2713]

4. *Yes ... well ... um ... uhhh ... ahem ... uhh ...

next question, please?*

[Coexist]

6. sometimes there are no words....

[Johonny]

3. United States will help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty

How will we help? Does this mean we are going to finally end the 50 years of ignoring Cuba and actually try to establish relations with this country?

[AzDar]

5. In other words.... We have troops landing there this afternoon.

To bring the good people of Cuba some Bush-style democracy.
:puke:

[ProgressiveFool]

7. it's amazing that even after all these years I can still be surprised by how fucking stupid he is

The whole point of Fidel stepping down was to cement Raoul's spot as his successor. It's an ancient concept, a ruler stepping down and annointing the new ruler. He might or might not hold onto actual power behind the scenes, but it doesn't really matter. The whole point is that this is done so that nothing will change.

There will be no magical democratic transitions. Political prisoners will not all of a sudden find themselves with a Pepsi in hand and a fresh new tan. The people of Cuba will not all of a sudden have 50 different laundry detergents to choose from. The nebulous hopes and smarmy well-wishes of our President will not all of a sudden wipe away the Castro dynasty.

[HuffleClaw]

8. "people have been thrown in prison because they dared speak out"

they sure have, by BUSH.


every time that wet brain opens his slack jaw, he embarrasses himself.