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From: rcb@fortune.UUCP (Robert Binstock)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.misc
Subject: Re: Domino theory
Message-ID: <3724@fortune.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 28-Jun-84 12:08:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: fortune.3724
Posted: Thu Jun 28 12:08:08 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 30-Jun-84 03:18:17 EDT
References: <279@cepu.UUCP> <1179@rti.UUCP>, <560@opus.UUCP> <3664@fortune.UUCP>, <530@noscvax.UUCP>
Organization: Fortune Systems, Redwood City, CA
Lines: 28

>>Cuba is a bad example.  We "were friends" with Castro's revolution.  
>>In fact, a couple of students at the US Navy run High School in 
>>Gitmo who ran off to join the revolution were considered heros by 
>>"the rest of us kids". I was in the elementary school there at that 
>>time.  However, after taking over, Castro "showed his true colors."

>>R.E. Van Cleef (REVC)

My understanding [quite possibly incorrect] from various sources is 
that the "true colors" showed by Castro were 1) his insistence that a 
communist economic system didn't necessarily mean a political 
dictatorship and 2) his avowed intention to maintain some independence 
from the great powers, notably the U.S., the gargantuan nation in his 
back yard.  Both of these positions are understandable, even if one
considers them misguided.  At the first signs of this kind of behavior,
however, most of our government threw in its hand and began to 
consider him an enemy.  (Also, some very outspoken criticism of the
racial situation in the U.S. didn't help much.)

I'm not defending Castro, God knows; it turned out that he DID create a
dictatorship and totally trashed any chance he had at independence
by establishing a lackey relationship with the USSR.  I'm just 
suggesting that if we had dealt with him in a more sensible manner --
used the right combination of persuasion, coaxing, and threats -- 
the whole Caribbean/Central American picture might be very different 
today.

Bob Binstock