Announcement

**Julian Delphiki** · February 19, 2008, 04:20

NOOO!!!

**Dinner** · February 19, 2008, 04:26

About time.

**Rufus T. Firefly** · February 19, 2008, 04:41

So our Cuba embargo worked! Thanks goodness Kennedy and Johnson and Nixon and Ford and Carter and Reagan and Bush and Clinton and Bush stayed the course; otherwise, who knows how long he might have stayed in power.

USA! USA! USA!

**ZEE** · February 19, 2008, 04:41

HAVANA - Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro said Tuesday that he will not return to lead the country as president, retiring as head of state 49 years after he seized power in an armed revolution.

Castro, 81, said in a statement to the country that he would not seek a new presidential term when the National Assembly meets on Feb. 24.

"To my dear compatriots, who gave me the immense honor in recent days of electing me a member of parliament ... I communicate to you that I will not aspire to or accept -- I repeat not aspire to or accept -- the positions of President of Council of State and Commander in Chief," Castro said in the statement published on the Web site of the Communist Party's Granma newspaper.

The National Assembly or legislature is expected to nominate his brother and designated successor Raul Castro as president in place of Castro, who has not appeared in public for almost 19 months after being stricken by an undisclosed illness.

His retirement drew the curtain on a political career that spanned the Cold War and survived U.S. enmity, CIA assassination attempts and the demise of Soviet Communism.

A charismatic leader famous for his long speeches delivered in his green military fatigues, Castro is admired in the Third World for standing up to the United States but considered by his opponents a tyrant who suppressed freedom.

LINK

**Deity Dude** · February 19, 2008, 04:42

I doubt this means that we lift the embargo - which I never really understood anyways.

**C0ckney** · February 19, 2008, 04:43

i thought he was dead already!

**BeBMan** · February 19, 2008, 04:46

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
So our Cuba embargo worked! Thanks goodness Kennedy and Johnson and Nixon and Ford and Carter and Reagan and Bush and Clinton and Bush stayed the course; otherwise, who knows how long he might have stayed in power.

USA! USA! USA!

**Jon Miller** · February 19, 2008, 04:53

If he could have lasted another year he might have been able to add another Clinton to that string.

JM

**MarkG** · February 19, 2008, 05:50

HAVANA - Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro said Tuesday that he will not return to lead the country as president, retiring as head of state 49 years after he seized power in an armed revolution.

so close to winning Tropic at the end of the 50 years...

**Lancer** · February 19, 2008, 06:31

What does it m e a n?

**Wezil** · February 19, 2008, 08:13

Nothing. Canada will still accept Cuban political refugees while simultaniously encouraging its citizens to vacation there.

**Rufus T. Firefly** · February 19, 2008, 08:14

As a State Department official with access to reams of classified information, I can tell you that it now seems clear that Castro was just waiting to win the OT "20th Century Dictator Hurt or Heal" thread.

But I can't tell you how I know that.

**Kidlicious** · February 19, 2008, 08:49

He's still the leader of the Communist Party

**Wezil** · February 19, 2008, 08:56

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
... I can tell you that it now seems clear that Castro was just waiting to win the OT "20th Century Dictator Hurt or Heal" thread.

He was clearly waiting for the OT Dead Pool.

Announcement

Fidle Castro Resigns!!!!

Fidle Castro Resigns!!!!

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