Fidel's Imagined Farewell to Bush

Lexington Institute's imagined farewell letter from Fidel to Bush:

Thank You and Farewell

The Council of State Havana,

Cuba December 2006

The Honorable George W. Bush

The White House Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. President: My final battle is nearing its end.

I have led the revolutionary struggle for so long that I have seen nine American Presidents leave office. But now it is certain that you will be the one who sees me give up my post in favor of my brother Raul, whom history commands to lead our noble Revolution and pass the torch to our next generation.

Before I relinquish my post, I must thank you for the steadfast political support you have provided for six years.

Mr. President, I have had lots of time recently to think about history. I conclude after careful analysis that not since President Kennedy has an American President done as much as you to help sustain our revolutionary project.

When President Kennedy decided to invade Cuba in 1961, it was not self-evident that we would emerge strengthened from the experience. The Revolution was young and vulnerable. We were fighting to cleanse our mountains of bandits and counterrevolutionaries. We had no allies to help us resist a full application of American military power.

But Mr. Kennedy chose to rely on Cuban mercenaries. He landed them at the Bay of Pigs, separated from the rest of Cuba by vast swamps and far from any conceivable source of support. He left them defenseless. Soon they surrendered in humiliation, and our moment of peril was shortlived.

Victory reaffirmed my personal leadership at home and throughout the Americas. But what mattered most was that President Kennedy's decision allowed me henceforth to paint internal opponents of the Revolution as instruments of U.S. imperialism. My pledge to safeguard Cuban independence was no longer a reference to history; it was the Revolution's response to an immediate threat. I made sure that this message was never lost on the Cuban people.

I do not wish to inject myself into your country's political affairs, Mr. President, but something else was truly remarkable about President Kennedy's conduct. After shamefully abandoning those men on the field of battle, he went to the Orange Bowl in Miami to bask in the applause of the survivors and their families. He accepted their flag and promised to return it "in a free Havana." It did not matter, apparently, that his strong intentions were paired with weak measures and terrible results. Results were not required to win the support of those Cubans among you who live in hatred of me. I believe that you have taken this lesson to heart.

http://lexingtoninstitute.org/1044.shtml

Comments

[Manuel A. Tellechea]

The heroes of the Bay of Pigs did not "surrender in humiliation," but only when their ammunition ran out after 3 days of unequal fighting against a force that outnumbered them more than 100:1 in manpower and many times that in materiel. Nevertheless, the Brigade 2506 inflicted many more casualties than it received.

It is the Kennedy administration that surrendered to Castro at the Bay of Pigs by abandoning the freedom fighters.

[usambcuba]

Manuel and others who have hardline views - don't you get it from this message? By pursuing policies like the embargo and restrictions, you actually helped keep in power Castro and in fact contribute to the actual succession taking place in Cuba.

[victor]

miami has always been the one to keep this embargo alive..They helped in keeping the revolution alive and continous to do so..This revolution has made more millionaires than bill gates..Bay of pigs was a fiasco. It used men,and sent them to die..Though I did not agree with that battle,I respect those that fought and died there..I have visited the area and seen the graves..They fought,I didnt agree,but they fought for what they felt was right..Miami wants to impress us..Go to Cuba and fight. Dont sit in your condo behind your conputer and talk what you know nothing about..