People I know and trust who have spent extended periods of time in Cuba say it's not a bad place to live or visit.

And ER, whom I don't know but do trust, says it's awful. Therein lies the cognitive dissonance.

However, I'm old enough to regard the Official US Government Demonization of a person or country as probably a positive in their favor. It is invariably done for commercial reasons, not for humanitarian considerations.

For example: The US has learned to live and do business with the dreaded communist government of Vietnam, EVEN THOUGH 558,000 Americans died fighting that same government.

The US tolerates and promotes the Saudi Arabian government because of oil. It demonizes Venezuela for the same reason. Period. The humanitarian excuse serves the same purpose as did the nuke and WMD idea in Iraq - a gullible public believes it.

As for Cuba, I'm sure it would be a better place if the US weren't trying to destroy it and that it's not paradise. It's certainly poor. I suspect human rights are more respected there than in Iraq under Bush (the idea of "human rights" there is laughable) or Saudi Arabia under the King. I'm also positive it's not as bad a place as some people want us to believe. And I don't think that Cuba under Batista was paradise for those not "connected" either. It was just fine for the wealthier, I'm sure.

A revolution such as that headed by Castro cannot succeed without the support of most of the population. A coup such as that headed by Musharraf can.

Arf