Hasta el luego Castro

The news of Fidel Castro's stepping down as 'el lider supremo' has grown stale a day after his letter appeared on line in 'Granma', the Cuban Communist Party's newspaper. 'The Christian Science Monitor' published an edited version of it, and a headline put Castro's resignation in a true light. Dr. Castro left office on his own terms, not feet first which exiles in Miami had fervently prayed for, nor a bullet from a hired CIA assassin. A series of stomach operations have left the 81 Castro looking frail and worn out. And he's the first one to admit that, yet fighter that he is he will continue to exhort his fellow countrymen and women to continue the work he has done to reshape today's Cuba since taking power in 1959. Raul Castro who temporary was filling in for his brother has offered a hand to Herr Bush, to end the US' cold war against the island of Cuba, but Herr Bush refused it. The handwriting is on the wall changes are coming to Cuba, and the US once again is missing an opportunity. The changes won't please Washington nor the large exile community in Miami or New Jersey, but at least it's an opening which short of armed struggle which they cannot or are unable to accomplish, Havana is reaching out for a new beginning. Cuba of today isn't the Cuba of yesteryear, most of its people are born after the revolution and they have a sense of self and identity which they won't be willing to trade for the mess of potage that Herr Bush and the rapacious exiles in Miami are offering. Obama who says he's willing to go anywhere and talk with leaders of countries Washington won't, is not courageous enough to say once elected he'd hop on the next plane to Havana or have the new Cuban president for talks in the Oval office. It's too extreme a gesture for the moment. But sooner or later the US will have to come to terms with Castro's Cuba, and peacefully.