Ryan DeSimone

Fidel Castrow Resigns Cuban Presidency

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-02-19-fidel-castro_N.htm

2/3/08

 

II.

The leader of Cuba, Fidel Castro has been very ill.  Cuba has been being run in short term by Fidel’s brother Raul Castro in hopes that Fidel would be able to lead again.  After leading Cuba for many many years Fidel finally steps aside.  Just days after the resign of Fidel, President Bush is already expressing the hope for a democratic transition in Cuba.  Bush says that the United States are going to help Cuba realize the freedoms they could have. Castro was leading one of the last communist countries.  In 1962 the US found that there were soviet missiles placed in Cuba, which almost led to a full out nuclear war.  After the missiles were taken away the true threat of Cuba to the US went away.  Many Cubans disliked Castro’s harsh rule.  People dreamed of him being taken away from power.

 

III.

A)   This article could go with the theme of Changes and Contunuity.  It could fit in this theme because the Resign of Fidel could result in a change in government.  The Government in Cuba could change into a real democracy not the kind that the Castro’s are running.

B)   The issue between Fidel and the US has gone back many years. In 1962 the soviets planted missiles in Cuba. Those missiles led us to the brink of a full out nuclear war.  Cuba had then become a huge threat to the US but at the last second the US and Cuba resolved it before things got nasty.

C)   The author of this article is a citizen of the United States.  He is an outsider in this situation.

D)   The author of this article is in favor of the US.  In this article the author tries to make Fidel sound very bad. “An ailing Fidel Castro stepped aside as Cuba's leader Tuesday, ending nearly a half-century of rule that saw him become an arch-enemy of 10 U.S. presidents as head of one of the world's last communist nations.“ The author implies that it is Fidel’s fault that he was arch enemies of 10 US presidents.

E)    I would like to hear from a Cuban who likes Fidel’s rule.  In this article there are only people who dislike Fidel.

F)    I feel that it is a good thing that Fidel resigned now there is a chance that Cuba might become a Democratic Country and one day Cuba and the US might make an alliance.