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Zachary Guadamour's avatar

Thank you Ben Norton. Good history lesson. The people of Cuba benefitted from Castro as pposed to the dictator ulgencio Batista who allowed the United States to exploit Cuba. The other Cuban American war hawk whose parents fled persecution under Batista is Ted Cruz.

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MNT's avatar

Thanks for the info!

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Ahenobarbus's avatar

"the socialist revolution in 1959"

Once again, I've always rooted for Cuba and have a lot of respect for many of their social programs. But in 2025, it's clear this was merely a petty bourgeois nationalist coup that sided with Stalinism to survive the Yankee onslaught during the Cold War. I've always applauded their anti Imperialism. However, the working class of Cuba played no part in the process of taking or administering power in Cuba and that remains true today.

Why do I quibble? If your history is warped to find Socialist revolution anywhere there is an opposition to Imperialism your analysis as clever as it may be will never reflect really. Just look at the genocidal Imperialist Bernie Sanders. You'd probably have been popping the champagne had he won in 2016 screaming Socialism at the top of your lungs. Millions of workers in the US sincerely want a social revolution. For that reason the Dem wing of Imperialism has created a false Socialism to lead them into a blind alley. This false Socialism depends on slip shod history which intellectuals in their orbit knowingly provide or are simply useful idiots. My demand: tell the workers the truth. If you don't know the truth, don't speak on the topic.

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John William Reitter's avatar

Exactly! Thanks.

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

Here's hoping that this recent UNGA vote against the US on the Cuba embargo indicates that there are enough votes (2/3) in the General Assembly to pass a Uniting for Peace resolution to provide a protective force for Palestine that circumvents the UN Security Council and its veto power.

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ChatterX's avatar

"Every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba. If such a policy is adopted, it should be the result of a positive decision which would call forth a line of action which, while as adroit and inconspicuous as possible, makes the greatest inroads in denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation, and overthrow of government."

- Lester Mallory, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, 1960

***

https://dwkcommentaries.com/2023/04/21/state-department-secret-memo-from-1960-set-basis-for-subsequent-u-s-policies-regarding-cuba/

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MNT's avatar

Interesting piece. Thanks!

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