Best CIA quote….

….from the movie Havana, starring Robert Redford and Raul Julia (how cool was that guy)…..’we never lose, because it’s never over’. This by the CIA character in Cuba in 1959, who claims his next assignment is to write a book on the ‘cuisine of Indo China’ (aka Vietnam).

And in 2026 the Donald is showing signs that it’s never over. Cuba has very talented people and an incredibly rich history and geography, time for them to return to the fold. Although the movie, which is a lost gem (anything starring Lena Olin is definitionally a gem) makes it very clear that the oppression was cruel.

Cuba has very talented people and an incredibly rich history

At the height of the program (circa 2017–2018), there were over 8,000–11,000 Cuban doctors working in Brazil’s poorest, remote, and underserved regions.

... how brilliant's that

"Although the movie, which is a lost gem (anything starring Lena Olin is definitionally a gem) makes it very clear that the oppression was cruel."

Hang on, I just need to make sure I understand this correctly . . . you're saying that we should believe you that the leaders of Cuba were very bad people because you once saw a movie where they were portrayed as being very cruel?

Am I reading your post correctly, Moz?

America has become the Taliban, invading countries and creating blockades. +But hey, let's just say America are the good guy, and then create a new war hero movie - that is not actually a war.

Trump is just trying to force them into one-sided trade deals and to take over their economy with American companies. The goal is to overthrow the governments of many countries so that America can get a leader who accepts its one-sided trade deals.

The goal is to feather a nest for American companies in foreign countries.

Actually most movies about that period in Cuba, notably Godfather 2 don’t make the point that the Batista regime was as vicious as it was….mostly they show the Havana night life in a positive light. Havana goes into the actions of the Secret Police in some detail.

So no, I’m not trying to make the point that one should learn your history from movies, just that this movie illustrates a neglected aspect quite well. It’s worth a watch if you haven’t seen it.

Another recommendation if you want to read something completely different is The Brief and Wondrous life of Oscar Wao by Junior Diaz, the most outrageous book I have read in some time….centered around another island dictatorship, the Dominican Republic.

America has become the Taliban, invading countries and creating blockades.

"has become" - You'd swear US interference in other countries is something new. It's been going on forever. Even the beloved Kennedys, Bobby in particular, plotted the assassination of foreign leaders.

Every country and every politician on earth musters and wields every bit of power and influence they can.

I’d rather have an intelligent doctor I pick myself, than a government worker. Pretty soon that level of medical help will be provided for free by AI the American fix for bureaucratic medicine,

Mozart

Hall Of Famer

49,522 posts

May 01, 2026, 16:00

I’d rather have an intelligent doctor I pick myself, than a government worker. Pretty soon that level of medical help will be provided for free by AI the American fix for bureaucratic medicine,

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Is this a socialist AI that provides medical help for free? No profit means no commercial company...

In the meantime, people can rest assured that if they need medical treatment now, healthcare will be free in the future. If the Oligarchs get control over healthcare, it will be more profitable for the shareholders with reduced competition

Nothing is ever free .. don't fool yourself.

I’m pretty sure the diagnostic level of care provided by national health in Britain will be available without any direct payment…my guess is it’s true today. The physical testing, surgery and nursing are further off, and parts of that will always need the human touch.