By Anthony Boadle, Reuters

HAVANA (Feb. 1) - Cuban President Fidel Castro said on Tuesday the only way the United States could overthrow his communist government was by the nuclear destruction of Cuba.

Castro, whose one-party state was recently labeled an "outpost of tyranny" by U.S President George W. Bush's administration, said Cuba would resist an American invasion like Vietnam.

Since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Castro has repeatedly accused the Bush administration of wanting to invade Cuba to oust him. U.S. officials say the charge is rubbish.

"I hope I'm wrong ... but if they make the mistake of attacking and invading this country, I recommend Mr. Bush had better launch 50 nuclear weapons and exterminate us all," Castro said in a speech.

"We prefer to die in heaven than to survive in hell," the 78-year-old leader told delegates to a literacy conference.

Castro said he watched Bush's second inaugural speech last month and reiterated his view of the danger Cuba faced. "I saw the face of a crazed man," he said.

"I assure you this country could be exterminated," he said.

The United States broke off diplomatic ties with Havana after Castro's seized power in a 1959 revolution and aligned Cuba with the former Soviet Union in the midst of the Cold War.

Hostility between Washington and Havana has escalated under Bush, who stepped up U.S. support for Castro's opponents and criticism of human rights abuses on the island.

During confirmation hearing last month, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Cuba, along with Burma, Belarus and Zimbabwe, "outposts of tyranny" that needed to be watched.

Washington has become increasingly worried about Castro's close alliance with leftist President Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, a major supplier of oil to the United States.

Castro said Venezuela had guaranteed oil supplies to Cuba, but he denied exporting Cuba's communism to Venezuela, where more than 20,000 Cubans doctors and teachers have been sent to work in slums.

"I do not advocate the Cubanization of other countries," he said.

Castro, standing up in military uniform for half of his four-hour speech even though he is recovering from a broken knee, said Cuba had long prepared to defend itself from U.S. invasion.

"Extermination by weapons of mass destruction is the only way," he said. "We are not afraid."

"Nobody was frightened here when hundreds of nuclear arms were pointing at this country in 1962," he added, in reference to the missile crisis in which Washington and Moscow came to the brink of nuclear war over Soviet missiles deployed in Cuba.
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Lets call his bluff.

I think there was a good reason Castro wasn't concerned in 1962, he knew Khrustchev would pull out as soon as the US did anything... what an ass.

Ya but can't "death" also defeat him?

I was just thinking the same thing. Anyhow, who cares about someone who talks four hours? I can't believe he is acting so childish to risk his people's lives with such stupid comments, but then I'm very familiar with this type of gov.

Cuba is but a stone in the pond. 5 nuclear warheads? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease. I agree with an above post. Let's call his bluff. Hell, 78 years old? Break his other knee, take his cane, and throw a firecracker at him.

Hahaha. A single regiment of the US Army would knock Castro's government out... and that's hardly being facetious. A nuclear attack, please.... send some Rangers or SEALs down there and clear up his head. He's still arrogant at almost 80 years old.... he does know the US has the capibility to strike anywhere on the planet within 15 minutes, doesn't he?

He's saying Bush has the face of a crazed man? Obviously he's never taken a look in a mirror.

Actually, if he had a mirror, wouldn't he see an ancient "has-been" that has no strategic threat to the U.S. at all for over a decade?

Indeed, his banana army would collapse pretty quickly if the U.S. ever invaded.

Sounds like the old fart is mouthing off to get more attention. Maybe we should let him post here on the boards. He would fit right in with some who have no real lives and post here talking trash and hunger for someone to talk with.

A little off topic, but did you guys see that video of Castro falling off the stage? Hilarious.

That's horrible, man.

Yeah, it kind of is, but Castro has it comming. He hasn't exactly been the kindest person in world history, just ask his own people.

CK--Check out this article I posted on here a week or so ago. Click -Pat

I think a good fart would blow cuba away.

If the Cubans are willing to fight for freedom then I dont think even the US could beat them. It might take a while but the Cubans would win. Its happened throughout history the people who are more committed to their cause will eventually pull through.

PS - I think that's a very romantic notion, but I disagree for a few reasons. First, Cuba doesn't have the reasorces or support to fight a long war against a technologically superior enemy. Second, I don't think the Cuban people would be very dedicated to fight to defend Castro. And third, Cuba isn't very big, and it's and island which makes it much more vulnerable to a good strong embargo. It's hard to fight without bullets, or medicine, or food, or gasoline, or... well, you get the point. Dedicated or not, Cuba wouldn't stand a chance.

Ck--I would bet that the majority of Cuba backs Castro. The few who flee can't represent them all. -Pat

Pat - We're not talking about a "few" who are fleeing, we're talking about thousands who are fleeing. All yoy have to do is look at the Cuban community in Florida, especially Miami to see the vast amount of people who have already successfully escaped from Cuba. Or check out how many people came over during the Marial boatlift.

Cuba isn't much of a threat. Why bother?

Besides, if and when Castro falls, and there was talk of ending the embargo -- I wonder how Florida sugar growers would react to that? (research THAT Patrick).

Castro certainly no angel being a doctrinaire Marxist, and Cubans have to some degree or another, suffered under him, but they've also built a pretty decent medical system. And their sugar industry is hot. Castro's literacy program was quite effective. There are far worse places to be than Cuba.

Where do you get this from? What has he done for them that would give them reason to back him?

Where do you get this from? What has he done for them that would give them reason to back him? [/b][/quote]What has he done? Cuba has FREE heatlh care and FREE education. Castro overthrew that asshole Batista and made life better for poor Cubans. Is it time for change? Yes. Should Castro be remembered as man for the people? Hell yes. You always seem to talk a lot of crap on Castro and Cuba, but never show any kind of evidence. Care to share some now?

Damn US embargo

Very nice move here.

Cuba Bans Smoking in Many Public Places
By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ, AP

HAVANA (Feb. 7) - The country known for it high-quality cigars banned smoking of all kinds in public places Monday, as the Cuban government acknowledged the health risk of tobacco.

Smoking will be banned in restaurants, except in designated areas, and cigarette machines also will be removed. The law will also suspend sales of cigarettes to children under age 16 and at stores less than 100 yards from schools.

According to government statistics, four of every 10 Cubans smoke, and 30 percent of the 15,000 deaths from preventable cancers each year can be linked to smoking.

News of the ban was first announced last month, when it was published in Cuba's National Gazette by the Commerce Ministry.

The resolution said the move was "taking into account the damage to human health caused by the consumption of cigarettes and cigars, with the objective of contributing to a change in the attitudes of our population."

Tobacco is the communist-run island's third-largest export - producing an average of 150 million hand-rolled cigars worth about $200 million a year - and is recognized worldwide for its quality.

"We are going to suffer, but we weren't born smoking," parking attendant Enrique Perez said in an outdoor parking lot Monday, a burning cigarette dangling from his hand. "It's good to give up the vice."

But some Cubans didn't seem to know, or care, and continued to light up their black tobacco cigarettes in enclosed areas now designated as nonsmoking.

"I won't give you my name," a woman worker in an office building in Old Havana said as she stubbed out her filterless cigarette in a hallway ashtray by the elevator.

Some said the prohibition will be hard to enforce, especially because the government has not said what penalties the new rule could carry.

"How will they convince the people if they don't say what the fine is?" asked Rolando Duran, a 40-year-old who acknowledged to smoking occasionally at social gatherings.

Nevertheless, Duran said he welcomed the new rules, as did numerous ex-smokers.

"Smoking kills," said former smoker taxi driver Eduardo Bossa, who said he was happy that he could now prohibit his fares from lighting up in his cab.

Cuban President Fidel Castro, who gave up smoking years ago, once joked about giving away boxes of cigars, saying, "The best thing to do is give them to your enemy."