Raul Castro offers "olive branch" to US, but only after Bush

[MB_722]

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/americas/news/article_1335354.php/Raul_Castro_offers_&quotolive_branch%22_to_US_but_only_after_Bush

Havana - Interim Cuban President Raul Castro on Thursday again offered an 'olive branch' to the United States, but said no dialogue would be possible with Washington until after US President George W Bush leaves office.

The November 2008 US presidential elections will bring Bush's 'erratic and dangerous' administration to an end, Castro said in a speech to mark the 54th anniversary of Fidel Castro's first attempt to topple Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship.

One of the most noted aspects of the celebrations was the absence of Raul Castro's ailing brother, President Fidel Castro.

'The new (US) administration will have to decide if it wants to keep the absurd, illegal and failed policy against Cuba or whether it accepts the olive branch that we offered' on December 2, Raul Castro said, referring to statements made in a speech last year.

'If the new US authorities finally step aside from their arrogance and decide to talk in a civilized manner, they're welcome,' he said.

'If not, we are ready to keep confronting their hostility policy even for 50 years more,' the defence minister said, adding that Cuba 'substantially increased' its 'defensive capacities' in the past year.

Fidel Castro was last seen in public exactly a year ago. Five days later, he temporarily delegated power to his brother, Raul, while recovering from a surgery apparently due to intestinal bleeding.

Raul Castro issued assurances Thursday about his brother's health, but did not set a date for an eventual comeback of the man who governed Cuba for almost half a century.

lol Bush and company are pathetic.

[Hugo Chavez]

way to much power in the presidency when one man can come along and totally buttream America and walk away smirking and giggling.  Don't know why I said that here, but I don't blame Raul or anyone for not wanting to talk to us while Bush is in office.

[rockyfortune]

sounds good...Cuban stogies for everyone!

[Al Doggity]

Olive branch?

So he's willing to let America lift economic sanctions against Cuba's horrendous human rights record?  He's not just a dictator-in-waiting, he's a real prince!

The funny thing is that since Raul's been in power, he's instituted a series of economic and human rights improvements that have absolutely nothing to do with American policy. Cuba's problems are Cuba's fault.