: Cuba - Glorious revolutionary people's state. (Yet, strangely, people have little say in the government and cannot freely leave the country): Puerto Rico - Poverty stricken victim of American imperialism and racism. (People can freely leave and, if they wish, can either 1} Pay no federal income tax, or 2} Pay the tax, and vote. There are substantial numbers of Puerto Ricans in the U.S. Army, apparently willing to volunteer to fight for their 'oppressors')
I'm glad you didn't argue that the people of Puerto Rico control their own destiny, because they don't, no more than the Cubans and probably less. Puerto Rico is a colony, no two ways about it. Anyway, people fight in the army largely for economic reasons. Joining the army si a good deal, it gives you an excellent education and training and it adds to your earnings later in life. Some people in the army don't agree with what teh military stands for, they're just professionals doing a job.
: Cuba - Has the superior system of communism, and the brilliant genius of Fidel. (GDP: $1,540)
: Puerto Rico - Struggles under the exploitive system of capitalism. (GDP: 8,600)
The GDP is a misleading statistic, many argue. It doesn't take into account the fact that some goods in Cuba are available free, and taht cuba offers free health care and education. Also it ignores the underground economy in Cuba, and it doesn't take into account "intangibles" like national morale. "Poverty in freedom is better than riches in chains".
: Cuba - Peace loving state. (Except in Angola, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Grenada, etc.)
Umm, no, Cuba was not the aggressor in any of these cases. Nicaragua liberated itself from the bloody US-backed Somoza dictatorship and Cuba sent aid, naturally enough. When a country liberates itself, anyone would (oir should) want to offer congratulations and a helping hand. The US was teh aggressor in Nicaragua, and not Cuba. Same with Grenada, they liberated themselves and Cuba simply offered aid after teh revolution. In Angola, Mozambique and Ethiopia Cuban troops were sent to defend these countries against foreign aggression from South Africa and Somalia respectively. Cuban military force was a major factor in breaking teh back of South African apartheid at the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale. In Grenada, Mozambique, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Angola the side the Cubasn supported was morally superior to their opponent. Cuba was doing a good thing by intervening in these conflicts.
: Puerto Rico - Toils under a miserable imperialism, bent on world domination. (Whose troops spend most of their time peace-keeping and in garrison.)
The troops are fine, it's the government that commands them which is the problem. The US government committed blatant aggression in Nicaragua, Chile, Iraq, Laos, etc. etc.
: I am waiting for you to regale me with tales of desperate Puerto Ricans making for the Cuban shore, eagerly seeking all that wonderful health care. From the above economic figures, they are likely to have significantly better bribes than the locals. (Or did you actually think health care in a communist country was free?)
It IS free, at least freer than in a capitalist country. (No, don't tell me about Sweden, their health care system is not capitalist). Corruption happens everywhere, but is substantially llower under communist governemnts (see Kerala vs. the rest of india, Burkina Faso vs. most of teh rest of Africa, etc.) Except maybe udner the pathological Mao-ist regimne in China.
: I'll take my three whacks, please.
Um?
Incidentally, I can now supply several examples of refugees fleeing capitalist states for socialist ones. Thank you for giving em time to find them.
1) During the apartheid area 42,000 Namibians fled into socialist Angola and Zambia.
2) 250,000 refugees fled Togo (a capitalist state) for refuge in Benin and Ghana during the eraly '90s.
None.
