(NPR) After so very few public appearances since intestinal surgery in 2006, this was news indeed. Fidel Castro appeared on Mesa Redonda, a prominent talk show on Cuban television, to discuss world events. His comments included an accusation that the United States was the culprit in the sinking of the South Korean ship (the Cheonan), and a warning US-North Korean and US-Iranian tension could ultimately trigger a global nuclear war.
His appearance, unquestionably current with comments on global events and direct reference to articles published in the previous week, will no doubt quiet (at least temporarily) the persistent rumors of his health among Cubans abroad. And the timing, following the state’s release of prisoners as arranged with representatives from Spain and the Catholic Church, is almost certainly a way to say, “I am here and I am on top of everything … I am a part of every decision that is being made,” even without directly commenting on the arrangement/concession.
Kendall Myers and Gwendolyn Myers, the couple in their 70s that was arrested in an FBI sting operation at the beginning of June and accused of spying for years for the Cuban regime, were today sentenced in the United States. Kendall received a life sentence; Gwendolyn in the end will serve around 6 years.
Most interesting from the testimony in the trial was Kendall’s comment that he and his wife spied for Cuba for nearly 30 years because of their “solidarity with the Cuban people,” not “out of anger for the United States or from a feeling of anti-Americanism.”
A few months ago, I wrote about the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. While it appears likely that the war will carry on into the foreseeable future, enough time has passed for us to make an honest assessment of each side’s relative […]
The Ukrainian Army has made dramatic strides in the last few weeks. Ukraine’s tactical commanders have outfoxed their Russian counterparts, and by issuing a feint towards the south the UA has been able to earn substantial gains in the north of their country. The impact of these efforts have been compounded by the steady stream […]
In mid-May the Irish political party, Sinn Féin, won the plurality of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Many American readers might not fully understand the significance of Sinn Féin’s political victory- but rest assured that subjects of the United Kingdom and a wide range of political movements the world over have heard the message […]
The first wave of the Russian offensive in Ukraine has fallen short of Russian autocrat Vladmir Putin’s ambitions. Most analysts deduced that Putin had hoped to achieve a decapitation strike of the Ukrainian government- taking Kiev and replacing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zolinski with a pro-Kremlin voice. Kiev has been threatened repeatedly through the course of […]
On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
