Cuba is back in the news today.  Or more to the matter, Fidel Castro is in the news.  He is not doing so good.  Given that he is almost 80, it is to be expected. 

Something that I have never understood is why the US hates Castro so much.  US has imposed a total embargo against Cuba because Castro is their communist dictator.  The irony of this situation is probably not evident to most Americans.  Castro overthrew Fulgencio Batista, who was a dictator, back by the United States.  Batista overthrew the last elected leader of Cuba in 1952. The US had no problem giving Castro protection from Batista after one of Castro's failed coup attempts. 

The most ironic position of so many US Presidents, going back to JFK, have held disdane for no other countries' leader more than for Castro.  Even Saddam Hussein received more visits from US Presidents than Castro.  To my recollection, the only time that Cuba came close to being a threat to any other country was during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which was possibly a direct result from the Bay of Pigs invasion.   Otherwise, Cuba has just been a thorn in the toe of each successive US administration.

US Citizens are "banned" from traveling to Cuba, but that can be circumvented just by either flying from Canada or Mexico.  The US is the only country to have an embargo against Cuba.  The US has never had an embargo against China, the former USSR, Vietnam, Cambodia, or even Korea that lasted even close to the length of the Cuba embargo.  So, it can't be just because Cuba is communist.  What could possibly be the reasoning why Democratic and Republican adminstrations hate Cuba more than they hate any other country?

My own personal feeling is that Castro is one of the very few leaders of a country that has stood up and embarrassed the US.  The US sheltered  him, but then when his coup finally succeeded, he wasn't quick to thank the US for our help.