Castro slams Brit sub expense.

[u-5075]

New attack sub will sink Britain, says Castro
Published on Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Caribbean Net News, Cayman Islands

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Cuban President Fidel Castro slammed Britain for building the Astute class of nuclear-powered attack submarines he said is destined to sink whatever is left of Britain's international prestige.

(Britain's World War II prime minister Winston) "Churchill said, 'Sink the Bismark.' Today (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair says: 'Sink whatever's left of Britain's prestige,'" the ailing 80-year old leader said in an editorial published Tuesday by Cuba's official daily Granma.

Furthering his criticism of Britain's staunch support of the US occupation of Iraq and Washington's "imperialistic system," Castro said the "marvelous submarine would bring about either (the end of Britain) or the holocaust of the human race."

"What a wonderful feat," Castro said, adding that Britons, however, "surely cannot feel any pride" in the new weapon.

Britain on Monday announced a 395-million-dollar contract to build the 7,800-tonne HMS Audacious, fourth in the Astute class of nuclear-powered attack submarines, the largest and most powerful ever built in Britain for the Royal Navy.

Granma said the four vessels, the first of which is expected to be launched in January 2009, would cost a total of 7.5 billion dollars to build.

With that money, Castro said, "you could train 75,000 doctors and treat 150 million patients," or build 3,000 well-equipped clinics.

Castro handed power to his brother Raul on a temporary basis in July of last year after undergoing intestinal surgery.

While he has not been seen in public since then, Castro has published in Granma his thoughts on international politics, energy and environmental issues.

[novagator]

Why does Castro care?

Why does Castro care?

[gerwalk]

I know this is hardly

I know this is hardly the place to discuss these kind of things but... since you asked:

If these figures are correct (are they?) we all should care about it for these very same reasons:

<"you could train 75,000 doctors and treat 150 million patients," or build 3,000 well-equipped clinics. >

sometimes when I see the over-inflated figures of these super-duper military projects and see the poverty and misery in some parts of the world (most of them being former colonies of an old time global empire) I tend to think that way too.

I understand the needs of the UK (or other countries) for modern SSNs or other weapons systems but sometimes the figures involved are so huge that I doubt the ethics of such defense expenditures.

Ah! BTW: I'm Castro! (though not Fidel)

[mylo]

I didn't know Castro was

I didn't know Castro was still alive. Why the hell isn't he out on a Cuban golf course ? ....he's criticizing the Brits ?, give me a break.

A boat full of doctors or clinics isn't going to put a British presence on the high seas, which I think is more important. If people would just eat decently, excercise a bit, and quit abusing the health care system with their whiney little complaints, leaving the doctors we do have to treat the ones who really need it, we wouldn't need half the doctors anyway.....pill pushing bastards, most of them are in worse shape than the general public. I have no use for doctors. If I fall ill, I've accepted death as my fate.

I say build the subs, at least you're getting something for your dollar as well as employing a lot of skilled trades people. .....just don't sell them to us if they start to leak.

It's an expensive game, but it has to be played......or step aside and let "whoever/whatever" run the show.

Mylo from Canada. Staunch military supporter....if we had one.