[MartyFan]

Originally Posted by RedFanAlways1966

<tries to avoid politics>

It would be real nice to see Cuba participate. It would be even nicer to see Castro change his ways... for the suffering people of Cuba. How bad must a place be for people to make crude rafts and attempt to float on the ocean (sharks, etc) to "freedom"?

The United States and Cuba used to be friendly. Until 1959 when Castro and his armed comrades overthrew the government and tossed out all American companies and interests. Castro once allowed the U.S.'s biggest enemy (at the time) to put missiles in Cuba that were aimed at the United States. This action was probably the incident that came closest to causing a war (nuclear?) between the world's two superpowers at that time. Things seemed so bad that the United States setup a program to investigate the best way to assasinate Castro.

Puerto Rico? Pull out as far as I am concerned. And the same goes for any other country that threatens to do so. No one is stopping any other country from not participating. I do not like to see politics getting in the way of sports (like the 1980 and 1984 Olympics). But this one has a 46 year history. How come countries like Puerto Rico do not take a stand against a country and a leader who does not freely allow his people to play MLB (w/out having to risk their lives to get here)? That lack of freedom is a lot BIGGER thing than banning Cuba from this tourney. It bothers me that people do not see the BIGGER picture here. But such is life.

I agree...and I also only saw that they would withdraw as a host city...In our current world climate it is easy to forget just how deperate things must be in Cuba for people to try and escape the way they have for over 40 years.

I agree that anyone who wants to press the nations buttons in accepting Castro and his goons..."STEP OFF".

Okay, sorry hope this was not too political but then again it is a political subject.