Running On Empty

Here’s some news that may prove ominous for America’s future as a world leader. China overtook the United States as the number one sales market for automobiles around the globe.

The China Passenger Car Association reported a 45 percent increase of passenger car sales from ‘08 through ’09. In contrast, American sales of cars and trucks plummeted 21 percent during the same time period as the country’s recession scared potential buyers away from dealerships.

This development is the first time ever that another country not name the United States bought more cars. Forecasters say this trend will continue in the 2010.

Shit Americans aren’t even number one at consuming no more? Damn, things are not looking up.

Castro’s Family Secret

In a Spanish-written memoir released today, Juanita Castro, sister of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, remarks on her collaborative work with the United States Central Intelligence Agency against her sibling shortly after the country’s failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961.

Juanita, who was a supporter of the 1959 overthrow of then dictator Filgencio Batista, began working with the agency after she became disenchanted with Fidel’s communist revolution.

In the book titled “My Brothers Fidel and Raul: The Secret Story,” Juanita decided to meet with an operative in Mexico City at the request of the wife of a Brazilian ambassador to Cuba. According to her accounts, Juanita agreed to gather information against her brother’s government because she was concerned that supports of Castro’s coup who were not communists were being isolated by the new government.

Juanita worked with the U.S. government through the Nixon administration when the CIA told her they were no longer pursuing their convert fight against Castro because it adversely affected the country’s relations with the USSR.

Osama’s Son Dies

It is being reported by United States’ officials that one of Osama bin Laden’s sons, Saad, has been killed.  It’s believed that Hellfire missiles fired from a U.S. Predator drone sometime this year killed him. After years of house arrest in Iran, Saad bin Laden traveled to Iran last year, according to National Intelligence director Mike McConnell. U.S. spy agencies are about 80 – 85 percent sure of his death.

Last Man Standing

By CLS

Well, we always knew it would come to this some day. The United States is now the only country left in the Americas not to officially recognize Cuba under the Castro brothers.

With yesterday’s inauguration in El Salvador bringing that beautiful country’s first leftist leader to power since the end of their vicious civil war in 1992, incoming President Mauricio Funes’ first act as leader was to at long last restore relations with communist Cuba.

This leaves the US in a position that most others would find uncomfortable, yet it seems to suit the generally aloof voting populace here to have unnecessarily tense relations with a significantly weaker neighbor over an outdated ideological disagreement.

Felicidades a Presidente Funes y su decision tambien. It’s time to end the goddamn embargo already!

United States & Cuba to Normalize Relations?

By CLS

Another long belated policy shift appears to be taking place under the new American president. Long time Cold War nemesis Cuba and the United States seem to be slowly, but surely, developing a dialogue that will ultimately lead to normalized relations between the two nations.

Trading their warmest words in a half-century, the United States and Cuba built momentum towards renewed ties last Friday, with President Barack Obama declaring he “seeks a new beginning” with the island’s communist regime.

Considering how the US has normal relations with countries that it fought bitter wars against (i.e. Vietnam), and is strongly allied with some of the more repressive regimes on the planet (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, etc.), it is due time that it recognizes the legitimacy of communist Cuba.

While I hope we don’t see a Cancunization of this beautiful island for touristic purposes, any kind of opening is better than the stalemate that has persisted between these two neighbors for some 49 years.