I don't think that most Cubans in Cuba, who now are throwing off chains of almost 70 years oppression, want the Communists to still be in charge, which is something that Trump needs to realize in dealing now. To allow Communists to still control Cuba is to allow China a foothill in the Western Hemisphere, a 90-mile boat drive to allow China to push their influence onto the US, would be an enough of a rationale for the US to not allow the remaining Communists in Cuba to hold the reins of power in that island nation. I am surprised that Trump would allow China to remain on the doorstep of the US.
i keep thinking about that caller to your show whose uncle lost his eye because they couldnt sanitize the medical instruments. i hope that cuba will soon be free and not commyish
I’d say I’m surprised that “If not us, who? If not now, when?” is the top comment in today’s thread, but at this point, nothing about MAGA’s devotion to Orange Jesus is remotely shocking.
Forget foreign policy altogether. What’s actually fascinating - and deeply unsettling - is how quickly “deeply held beliefs” can be… updated. Not through debate, not through new evidence, but strictly though loyalty.
Donald Trump didn’t rise to power quietly. His message may have been filled with racism and lies, but it was loud, consistent, and obvious: fear, retribution, and - critically - isolationism. MAGA rallied behind it for years. He mocked foreign entanglements, attacked Democrats and “neocon” Republicans alike, and promised to pull America back. That wasn’t a side note; it was the foreign policy.
And now? Overnight, the script has flipped. The same voices that once condemned overseas involvement are suddenly quoting action-movie taglines about global intervention. No philosophical evolution. No reckoning. No debate. Just a seamless pivot because the Orange Messiah changed his tune.
At some point - perhaps from the very beginning - MAGA stopped being about policy and strictly became a loyalty test: can Dear Leader say or do anything that triggers disagreement?
Apparently not.
And honestly, that’s the most consistent position MAGA has left.
Glen, you’re right about one thing: I do spend a lot of time focused on America’s enemies. It just so happens they’re wearing red hats, quoting your Orange Jesus, and wrapping lies, corruption, and authoritarianism in a thin layer of fake Christianity.
And yet, they are not. They are the socialist, radical Left--like you--who hate Christians and Jews, and who cannot stand that America is a greater nation than any other ever on the face of the planet.
You belong in North Korea. That is where your heart lies. Because you hate America and Americans.
dan, no script has flipped. Opposing endless, pointless wars isn’t the same as taking strategic action to advance U.S. interests.
Iran and Venezuela are key pressure points in the global energy system that China depends on. A stable Middle East with a friendly Iran and freer oil flows work to our advantage - and hurts China, which currently buys most of Iran's oil exports. Likewise, a friendly, oil-rich Venezuela and a China-free Panama Canal matter greatly to us. Cuba is about stopping growing Chinese influence just 90 miles from our shore.
If Trump's foreign policy succeeds, the 21st century definitely tilts in our favor. If this is "4-D Chess," I'm all for it.
David, I never said I'm against eliminating an unfriendly regime in Iran that supports terrorism globally. However, there is no debating that the MAGA script has flipped:
Orange Jesus 2011:
“Our president will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate. He’s weak and ineffective.”
Orange Jesus 2013
“Remember that I predicted… Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly—not skilled!”
The issue has always been weak, unfocused policy versus strategic leverage. Acting from strength to pressure regimes like Iran - especially given China’s dependence on its oil - is a different category from political rhetoric alone.
"Strategic leverage” and “acting from strength" means using power selectively to achieve a defined objective - not open-ended military commitments with no clear end. That’s very different from the neo-con model of prolonged, nation-building wars.
First, let me say that I support the war being waged in Iran. However, let me next say that if I were in Iran's leadership, all this bombing does is make me more determined to acquire the nuclear deterrence that will prevent this from every happening to us again. And unless you're going beat us not from the air but on the ground (which is where it absolutely has to be done), you can forget about regime change.
The Israelis call it "mowing the grass," where periodically they have to go back into Palestinian held territories and reduce their capability of waging attacks. If you don't think we are going to have to either put troops on the ground or go back in from time to time to keep the Iranians in check, you're dreaming. That is, you are on your way to being a neo-con . . . you just don't know it yet.
I don't consider myself to be MAGA. Trump articulated my long held beliefs. I knew tv news was BS long before Trump said fake news. I had quit voting Dem because the party had gone insane. I knew the covid vaccine talking points were BS. I takes a minimum of 5 years to assess a drug. They KNEW nothing about the side effects.
Climate change has a massive signal to noise ratio problem. It's like going to a Metallica concert with front row seats, and communicating with your friends in the balcony via tapping Morse code on your belt buckles. There is a signal, but I defiy you to get it.
I remember Hollywood making fun of PC. Now, UK citizens are in prison for social media posts. Trump has delayed that. If we can keep Dems out of power, we may dodge that bullet.
I have not moved. Trump is stating my long held beliefs.
Danny, you obviously did not read the interview Donald Trump gave to a British newspaper in 1988 (almost 40 years ago) where he stated that while he did not plan on being President, if he were and Iran was still a problem, he would take over Kharg Island. No one had ever heard of Kharg Island then, but he is doing it now. Trump is doing what needs to be done. Why are you so negative?
Maybe I’m naive, but my gut feeling is we have too many irons in the fire right now: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, economic woes, debt up to our eyeballs, gas, inept congress, etc. You all know. Can we just accomplish one thing, like how the southern border was closed? That was great.
Also, I haven’t read anything on any site on what the Iranian people are currently up to.
The Iranians are trying to survive. There's the bombing on one hand - as strategic as it is, there's still great risk to the population.
The government is still cracking down on suspected Mossad or "collaborators." My understanding is one of the jobs Israel is tasked with is dismantling the police state: targeted assassinations of IRGC and Basij leadership; checkpoints; police stations, etc. Essentially, the structure that exists to control the populace. They can't rise again without these threats eliminated or substantially reduced. So many thousands have been terrorized and killed.
The coach of that women's soccer team returned to Iran, after initially seeking asylum in Australia, because members of her family went missing. So, there's still a lot of the power structure that needs dismantling. Keep praying for them and wisdom for Israel and ourselves.
Seems to me that they are on their knees - now is the time to do away with that regime and fully support a free system there. The Cuban people seem to want it; the $$$ is certainly there to support it. Much easier to do than Iran. Big country, a long way away. That is going to require the will of the people to overwhelm the existing power.
As I said yesterday: The Commies gotta GO, toppled, out, 100%, for all time.
Cuba would be a paradise for investment and tourism. I've always wanted to visit Havana and go to some of the places where Ernest Hemmingway used to hang out.
Let's do what JFK would not.
Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un gets North Korea ever-more isolated...
Heck.... X-box Boy Kim probably has lots of backup generators.
The only reason that North Korea remains in its current state is because China is right on the other side of the Yalu River... If they were an island like Cuba, they'd be toast...
I think in both cases, Cuba and Iran, and we can add Venezuela to the list, Trump is proceeding in a way that has the best chance for a lasting result. In Iraq, we dictated and meddled and did what we thought was best, and it fell apart. In these three places now we are simply taking care of the thing we see as an American interest and letting the rest be dealt with by those who live there as they see fit. We don't have troops in any of those three places. In Venezuela we brought a rogue leader to justice...and left. In Cuba, we've exerted economic pressure but haven't done anything else for the most part. In Iran we are removing the Iranian ability to carryout their statement of "Death To America" (and Israel) but haven't, as yet, put boots on the ground in country. In Iran we are waiting, I presume, for the Iranian people to handle things, which is the right way to go about it. I think we are going to have Cuba fall and join actual free democracy in the Western Hemisphere without an American shot being fired, and it will be fantastic. When Venezuela sees what happens in Cuba (or the other way around) they'll fall in line too.
The Iranian people have neither weapons nor organization. The regime does, and I doubt that recent events have made it any less determined to acquire its own nuclear deterrence.
This is not to say that I oppose what we are doing in Iran - once we bombed them last year, the course we are now on probably became our only option. I am simply being realistic. What we are doing now we will have to do again.
I don't know if that amounts to a "forever war," but if that is what it takes to deny a dangerous theocracy nuclear capability, then that's what it takes.
Ask anyone in any country what type of government they prefer. The answer you'll most likely get is something along these lines: A government that lets me live my life in peace, enjoy the fruits of my labor, doesn't tax me too hard, and doesn't ask me to spy on my family and friends.
Agreed ... so I would reject out-of-hand an effort that leaves the basic communist structure in place in Cuba. Halfway measures are not worth the blood and treasure we will expend.
Absolutely. Half-measures are no good. It's like cancer. You have to remove it all, or else it will just start to spread again. The communists/socialists/Marxists need to be completely wiped out, so a new government structure can be created.
After WWII, we completely wiped out the Nazis and Tojo's fascism.... We completely rebuilt those governments from the ground-up.
Perhaps if the Allies had done a little bit of "nation building" with Germany after the Great War, instead of just knocking them to the curb and then repeatedly kicking them, maybe the Germans wouldn't have taken the world to war again 20 years later...
I could not agree more. You apparently misunderstand my point. I am not opposed to investing in the stabilization of world order. I simply point out that this is not what Trump said he would do.
Having lived in Florida as Batista was replaced by Castro and having had the opportunity to grow up alondside Cuban refugees, I am surprised we don't have another semi-clandestine Bay of Pigs orchestrated by the thousands of disaffected Cubans here. Wouldn't be the best option, but there will be those who have adapted to wielding power that need to be 'removed', perhaps forcibly, on the down-low. Perhaps heart attacks from too much cane sugar?
Forcing regime change in Venezuela and now Cuba will go down as some of Trump's biggest accomplishments. Whether he can pull off a similar miracle in Iran or not remains to be seen. However, the Iran conflict does expose a risk for the US that I worry about. Militarily, the US is winning hands down but there are a lot of people (China/Russia, Democrats, isolationist Republicans) with a vested interest in pushing the narrative that we are losing. I worry that, while Trump is doing the right thing by defanging Iran, Iran's messing with the global oil price via the Strait of Hormuz will cause a shock to the global economy. We are better insulated from oil prices in the US, but I worry that this will exacerbate affordability issues heading into the 2026 and 2028 elections and sweep into office Democratic Socialist candidates who want to ally with Islamists instead of confronting them. The election advice Republicans needed to focus on was affordability because the average American doesn't see the long-term geopolitical aims Trump is advancing but they do feel the pain in their wallet.
Hey everyone — it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and I wanted to give a quick update. Not news or Cuba related. Just me telling you what’s up with me.
As some of you know, I was diagnosed with stage 3 stomach cancer back in April 2024. After several rounds of treatment and a lot of ups and downs, things were looking clear for a time. But late last year, follow-up tests found small remaining cancer cells hidden in scar tissue.
Because of that, I made the decision to move forward with a total gastrectomy. On February 26th, my stomach was surgically removed.
The hospital stay was rough — about 8 days of pretty intense recovery — and the first couple days at home weren’t much easier. I’m now about three weeks out, and I’ll be honest: it’s been a slow and humbling process.
Right now I’m on a feeding tube for most of my nutrition, with a gradual transition back to eating by mouth. That part has been an adjustment. Eating isn’t what it used to be — small portions, slow pacing, and learning how my body reacts to everything all over again. Some days go smoothly, others are a bit more challenging.
Energy has been the biggest hurdle. Everything takes longer — getting up, moving around, even just sitting at the computer. It’s a lot of trial and error figuring out what works, how much is too much, and when to rest.
That said, there are small wins. I’m starting to tolerate simple foods like yogurt, soup, and applesauce. I’m getting stronger little by little. And I’m beginning to find a routine that works for this stage of recovery.
The plan is about a 6-week recovery window before hopefully removing the feeding tube, assuming everything continues progressing well.
I wanted to share this both as an update and to see if anyone here has gone through something similar — especially life after a gastrectomy. As I know Erick’s wife similar cancer fight. We got this.
Appreciate all the support. Still in the fight — just taking it one step at a time.
Keep fighting Chaz. I endured my own cancer battle with papillary thyroid cancer. Though not nearly as invasive as your treatment was, my treatment still took a toll. What made the diagnosis worse is that I'm a cancer researcher and knew exactly what to expect. That crystallized a lot of things for me. I'm grateful for my care team, family, friends, and work colleagues. I leaned on them all and they were the best support I could ever ask for.
I'm glad to hear that things are improving. I'm currently helping my daughter while she recovers from ostomy surgery. She's going through something similar and being with her, I can imagine the difficulties that you're experiencing. I am glad that you're on the downhill side of this, but prayers will continue for a speedy and complete recovery.
Keep looking forward! Sounds like you are making real progress in a very difficult situation. My mom called it the big C (a cold was the little c) but believed God, family, and friends were her secret weapon. She also believed finding a joy everyday no matter how small, adjustments are just a part of living, and a good rant once a week about something stupid was cathartic and it worked for 37 years 3 diagnoses (Trinity Project fallout). Hang in there.
She worked as telephone operator for town to base. Almost everyone local died of cancer of one kind or another including several of her brothers. She lived longer than most probably as left to Fl shortly and had a great spirit! She used say that some of the Scientists would call up just to talk about normal everyday things.
Oh dear, so sorry to hear of this medical journey, but what remarkable strength to take this on as you have. Sending you prayers for strength and healing. You got this!
Think marathon. The best advice is included in a few of the comments below - small wins are still wins and they will eventually decide the battle. Being strong sometimes means just putting one foot in front of the other.
Chaz, it sounds like you’ve been fighting an incredibly serious challenge, and I’m glad to hear things are starting to move in the right direction, even if it’s slow. Those small wins you mentioned aren’t small at all; they’re real progress, and they'll keep adding up!
The "experts" who say he is doing it wrong have not lifted a finger to try to do any of it at all. From my perspective, they may take a seat. I would imagine that it is pretty much impossible to get every detail right when you are trying to remake the whole area, secure the country from the millions of illegals allowed in, and effectively destroy the Iranian regime. And if he didn't meet resistance from all directions on every little thing, it would be a lot easier. And since people tend to be extremely myopic, he has a very short window.
Well said. Resisting the actions in Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela equates to Democrat support for these regimes. The left’s biggest problem with Trump is that his actions are solution-based while the Democrats (and many Republicans) remain invested in talking about and raising money on the problems. If Trump solves their talking point problem, what do they have left?
Questioning the wisdom of these policies does not equate to support for these regimes, any more than it was for those who questioned the wisdom of the Iraq War. Of course, we now know that they happened to have been right.
Part of the "blood and treasure" being committed to the Iran war belongs to those who disagree with this policy. This gives them the right to disagree, not out of support for America's enemies, but out of concern for the long-term welfare of this country, which just so happens to belong to them too.
Lincoln and Truman dealt with the same critics. Trump has done more in 15 months than most Presidents accomplish in two full terms. It would be nice if the RINOs and Dems would at least be supportive of protecting our homeland.
I don't think that most Cubans in Cuba, who now are throwing off chains of almost 70 years oppression, want the Communists to still be in charge, which is something that Trump needs to realize in dealing now. To allow Communists to still control Cuba is to allow China a foothill in the Western Hemisphere, a 90-mile boat drive to allow China to push their influence onto the US, would be an enough of a rationale for the US to not allow the remaining Communists in Cuba to hold the reins of power in that island nation. I am surprised that Trump would allow China to remain on the doorstep of the US.
ya know there used to be a ferry that would run between key west and cuba. maybe soon there will be one that runs again
i keep thinking about that caller to your show whose uncle lost his eye because they couldnt sanitize the medical instruments. i hope that cuba will soon be free and not commyish
I’d say I’m surprised that “If not us, who? If not now, when?” is the top comment in today’s thread, but at this point, nothing about MAGA’s devotion to Orange Jesus is remotely shocking.
Forget foreign policy altogether. What’s actually fascinating - and deeply unsettling - is how quickly “deeply held beliefs” can be… updated. Not through debate, not through new evidence, but strictly though loyalty.
Donald Trump didn’t rise to power quietly. His message may have been filled with racism and lies, but it was loud, consistent, and obvious: fear, retribution, and - critically - isolationism. MAGA rallied behind it for years. He mocked foreign entanglements, attacked Democrats and “neocon” Republicans alike, and promised to pull America back. That wasn’t a side note; it was the foreign policy.
And now? Overnight, the script has flipped. The same voices that once condemned overseas involvement are suddenly quoting action-movie taglines about global intervention. No philosophical evolution. No reckoning. No debate. Just a seamless pivot because the Orange Messiah changed his tune.
At some point - perhaps from the very beginning - MAGA stopped being about policy and strictly became a loyalty test: can Dear Leader say or do anything that triggers disagreement?
Apparently not.
And honestly, that’s the most consistent position MAGA has left.
It is interesting that you are always on the side of America's enemies. It is your most consistent position.
Glen, you’re right about one thing: I do spend a lot of time focused on America’s enemies. It just so happens they’re wearing red hats, quoting your Orange Jesus, and wrapping lies, corruption, and authoritarianism in a thin layer of fake Christianity.
And yet, they are not. They are the socialist, radical Left--like you--who hate Christians and Jews, and who cannot stand that America is a greater nation than any other ever on the face of the planet.
You belong in North Korea. That is where your heart lies. Because you hate America and Americans.
Perhaps your Orange Jesus can facilitate the transfer. Didn't he fall in love with Little Rocket Man after they exchanged "beautiful letters?"
What a sad life you must lead, enveloped by so much hatred.
In my training, we call that "projection."
Dan, slightly off topic. Did i read correctly here that you live in the East Village? If so, is there still a bar there named the Pyramid Club?
David, what's going on? It closed during the pandemic, I believe. The space is now a different music venue: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSIHaZfjmSb/
Just curious. Strange little bar that I went to once in a different lifetime.
dan, no script has flipped. Opposing endless, pointless wars isn’t the same as taking strategic action to advance U.S. interests.
Iran and Venezuela are key pressure points in the global energy system that China depends on. A stable Middle East with a friendly Iran and freer oil flows work to our advantage - and hurts China, which currently buys most of Iran's oil exports. Likewise, a friendly, oil-rich Venezuela and a China-free Panama Canal matter greatly to us. Cuba is about stopping growing Chinese influence just 90 miles from our shore.
If Trump's foreign policy succeeds, the 21st century definitely tilts in our favor. If this is "4-D Chess," I'm all for it.
David, I never said I'm against eliminating an unfriendly regime in Iran that supports terrorism globally. However, there is no debating that the MAGA script has flipped:
Orange Jesus 2011:
“Our president will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate. He’s weak and ineffective.”
Orange Jesus 2013
“Remember that I predicted… Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly—not skilled!”
The issue has always been weak, unfocused policy versus strategic leverage. Acting from strength to pressure regimes like Iran - especially given China’s dependence on its oil - is a different category from political rhetoric alone.
What does "strategic leverage" and "acting from strength" mean, and how is that any different from what the neo-cons that Trump condemned were doing?
"Strategic leverage” and “acting from strength" means using power selectively to achieve a defined objective - not open-ended military commitments with no clear end. That’s very different from the neo-con model of prolonged, nation-building wars.
First, let me say that I support the war being waged in Iran. However, let me next say that if I were in Iran's leadership, all this bombing does is make me more determined to acquire the nuclear deterrence that will prevent this from every happening to us again. And unless you're going beat us not from the air but on the ground (which is where it absolutely has to be done), you can forget about regime change.
The Israelis call it "mowing the grass," where periodically they have to go back into Palestinian held territories and reduce their capability of waging attacks. If you don't think we are going to have to either put troops on the ground or go back in from time to time to keep the Iranians in check, you're dreaming. That is, you are on your way to being a neo-con . . . you just don't know it yet.
I don't consider myself to be MAGA. Trump articulated my long held beliefs. I knew tv news was BS long before Trump said fake news. I had quit voting Dem because the party had gone insane. I knew the covid vaccine talking points were BS. I takes a minimum of 5 years to assess a drug. They KNEW nothing about the side effects.
Climate change has a massive signal to noise ratio problem. It's like going to a Metallica concert with front row seats, and communicating with your friends in the balcony via tapping Morse code on your belt buckles. There is a signal, but I defiy you to get it.
I remember Hollywood making fun of PC. Now, UK citizens are in prison for social media posts. Trump has delayed that. If we can keep Dems out of power, we may dodge that bullet.
I have not moved. Trump is stating my long held beliefs.
Danny, you obviously did not read the interview Donald Trump gave to a British newspaper in 1988 (almost 40 years ago) where he stated that while he did not plan on being President, if he were and Iran was still a problem, he would take over Kharg Island. No one had ever heard of Kharg Island then, but he is doing it now. Trump is doing what needs to be done. Why are you so negative?
Maybe I’m naive, but my gut feeling is we have too many irons in the fire right now: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, economic woes, debt up to our eyeballs, gas, inept congress, etc. You all know. Can we just accomplish one thing, like how the southern border was closed? That was great.
Also, I haven’t read anything on any site on what the Iranian people are currently up to.
Prayers for Susie Wiles.
The Iranians are trying to survive. There's the bombing on one hand - as strategic as it is, there's still great risk to the population.
The government is still cracking down on suspected Mossad or "collaborators." My understanding is one of the jobs Israel is tasked with is dismantling the police state: targeted assassinations of IRGC and Basij leadership; checkpoints; police stations, etc. Essentially, the structure that exists to control the populace. They can't rise again without these threats eliminated or substantially reduced. So many thousands have been terrorized and killed.
The coach of that women's soccer team returned to Iran, after initially seeking asylum in Australia, because members of her family went missing. So, there's still a lot of the power structure that needs dismantling. Keep praying for them and wisdom for Israel and ourselves.
I thank you Rachel for your response.
You're very welcome. Also, here's an interesting article about what Erick talked about today and what I was referring to:
https://iranwire.com/en/features/150446-targeting-the-regimes-street-control-israels-strikes-on-basij-posts/
Will read tonight thanks
Seems to me that they are on their knees - now is the time to do away with that regime and fully support a free system there. The Cuban people seem to want it; the $$$ is certainly there to support it. Much easier to do than Iran. Big country, a long way away. That is going to require the will of the people to overwhelm the existing power.
Cuba had a 6.0 magnitude earthquake last night. Not sure how much damage was caused but coincidence? I think not.
Wow, did not know that.
As I said yesterday: The Commies gotta GO, toppled, out, 100%, for all time.
Cuba would be a paradise for investment and tourism. I've always wanted to visit Havana and go to some of the places where Ernest Hemmingway used to hang out.
Let's do what JFK would not.
Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un gets North Korea ever-more isolated...
Had to laugh over your North Korea comment. I imagined Kim Jong Un saying, "Lights are out?? What's the big deal, we do that all the time!"
🤣🤣🤣
Heck.... X-box Boy Kim probably has lots of backup generators.
The only reason that North Korea remains in its current state is because China is right on the other side of the Yalu River... If they were an island like Cuba, they'd be toast...
Katrina proved that 3 days after the grid goes down, civilization ends. Let the Cubans handle the commies.
For a while there, New Orleans had turned into "Little Haiti"..
I think in both cases, Cuba and Iran, and we can add Venezuela to the list, Trump is proceeding in a way that has the best chance for a lasting result. In Iraq, we dictated and meddled and did what we thought was best, and it fell apart. In these three places now we are simply taking care of the thing we see as an American interest and letting the rest be dealt with by those who live there as they see fit. We don't have troops in any of those three places. In Venezuela we brought a rogue leader to justice...and left. In Cuba, we've exerted economic pressure but haven't done anything else for the most part. In Iran we are removing the Iranian ability to carryout their statement of "Death To America" (and Israel) but haven't, as yet, put boots on the ground in country. In Iran we are waiting, I presume, for the Iranian people to handle things, which is the right way to go about it. I think we are going to have Cuba fall and join actual free democracy in the Western Hemisphere without an American shot being fired, and it will be fantastic. When Venezuela sees what happens in Cuba (or the other way around) they'll fall in line too.
The Iranian people have neither weapons nor organization. The regime does, and I doubt that recent events have made it any less determined to acquire its own nuclear deterrence.
This is not to say that I oppose what we are doing in Iran - once we bombed them last year, the course we are now on probably became our only option. I am simply being realistic. What we are doing now we will have to do again.
I don't know if that amounts to a "forever war," but if that is what it takes to deny a dangerous theocracy nuclear capability, then that's what it takes.
I hope you are right…
How do we poll the Cuban opulation as to what THEY want as their future form of government?
One cannot rely solely on the opinions of ex-Cubans living in the US.
Ask anyone in any country what type of government they prefer. The answer you'll most likely get is something along these lines: A government that lets me live my life in peace, enjoy the fruits of my labor, doesn't tax me too hard, and doesn't ask me to spy on my family and friends.
Agreed ... so I would reject out-of-hand an effort that leaves the basic communist structure in place in Cuba. Halfway measures are not worth the blood and treasure we will expend.
Absolutely. Half-measures are no good. It's like cancer. You have to remove it all, or else it will just start to spread again. The communists/socialists/Marxists need to be completely wiped out, so a new government structure can be created.
After WWII, we completely wiped out the Nazis and Tojo's fascism.... We completely rebuilt those governments from the ground-up.
Same must be done with Cuba, Venezuela and Iran.
Sounds like nation building to me too.
Perhaps if the Allies had done a little bit of "nation building" with Germany after the Great War, instead of just knocking them to the curb and then repeatedly kicking them, maybe the Germans wouldn't have taken the world to war again 20 years later...
I could not agree more. You apparently misunderstand my point. I am not opposed to investing in the stabilization of world order. I simply point out that this is not what Trump said he would do.
Please, no more nation building.
Having lived in Florida as Batista was replaced by Castro and having had the opportunity to grow up alondside Cuban refugees, I am surprised we don't have another semi-clandestine Bay of Pigs orchestrated by the thousands of disaffected Cubans here. Wouldn't be the best option, but there will be those who have adapted to wielding power that need to be 'removed', perhaps forcibly, on the down-low. Perhaps heart attacks from too much cane sugar?
Forcing regime change in Venezuela and now Cuba will go down as some of Trump's biggest accomplishments. Whether he can pull off a similar miracle in Iran or not remains to be seen. However, the Iran conflict does expose a risk for the US that I worry about. Militarily, the US is winning hands down but there are a lot of people (China/Russia, Democrats, isolationist Republicans) with a vested interest in pushing the narrative that we are losing. I worry that, while Trump is doing the right thing by defanging Iran, Iran's messing with the global oil price via the Strait of Hormuz will cause a shock to the global economy. We are better insulated from oil prices in the US, but I worry that this will exacerbate affordability issues heading into the 2026 and 2028 elections and sweep into office Democratic Socialist candidates who want to ally with Islamists instead of confronting them. The election advice Republicans needed to focus on was affordability because the average American doesn't see the long-term geopolitical aims Trump is advancing but they do feel the pain in their wallet.
Hey everyone — it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and I wanted to give a quick update. Not news or Cuba related. Just me telling you what’s up with me.
As some of you know, I was diagnosed with stage 3 stomach cancer back in April 2024. After several rounds of treatment and a lot of ups and downs, things were looking clear for a time. But late last year, follow-up tests found small remaining cancer cells hidden in scar tissue.
Because of that, I made the decision to move forward with a total gastrectomy. On February 26th, my stomach was surgically removed.
The hospital stay was rough — about 8 days of pretty intense recovery — and the first couple days at home weren’t much easier. I’m now about three weeks out, and I’ll be honest: it’s been a slow and humbling process.
Right now I’m on a feeding tube for most of my nutrition, with a gradual transition back to eating by mouth. That part has been an adjustment. Eating isn’t what it used to be — small portions, slow pacing, and learning how my body reacts to everything all over again. Some days go smoothly, others are a bit more challenging.
Energy has been the biggest hurdle. Everything takes longer — getting up, moving around, even just sitting at the computer. It’s a lot of trial and error figuring out what works, how much is too much, and when to rest.
That said, there are small wins. I’m starting to tolerate simple foods like yogurt, soup, and applesauce. I’m getting stronger little by little. And I’m beginning to find a routine that works for this stage of recovery.
The plan is about a 6-week recovery window before hopefully removing the feeding tube, assuming everything continues progressing well.
I wanted to share this both as an update and to see if anyone here has gone through something similar — especially life after a gastrectomy. As I know Erick’s wife similar cancer fight. We got this.
Appreciate all the support. Still in the fight — just taking it one step at a time.
Glad to have you back, brother.
Keep fighting Chaz. I endured my own cancer battle with papillary thyroid cancer. Though not nearly as invasive as your treatment was, my treatment still took a toll. What made the diagnosis worse is that I'm a cancer researcher and knew exactly what to expect. That crystallized a lot of things for me. I'm grateful for my care team, family, friends, and work colleagues. I leaned on them all and they were the best support I could ever ask for.
Stay strong and hang in there, Chaz! God bless.
I'm glad to hear that things are improving. I'm currently helping my daughter while she recovers from ostomy surgery. She's going through something similar and being with her, I can imagine the difficulties that you're experiencing. I am glad that you're on the downhill side of this, but prayers will continue for a speedy and complete recovery.
Keep looking forward! Sounds like you are making real progress in a very difficult situation. My mom called it the big C (a cold was the little c) but believed God, family, and friends were her secret weapon. She also believed finding a joy everyday no matter how small, adjustments are just a part of living, and a good rant once a week about something stupid was cathartic and it worked for 37 years 3 diagnoses (Trinity Project fallout). Hang in there.
Wow Weasel, did she live/ work out there then?
She worked as telephone operator for town to base. Almost everyone local died of cancer of one kind or another including several of her brothers. She lived longer than most probably as left to Fl shortly and had a great spirit! She used say that some of the Scientists would call up just to talk about normal everyday things.
Incredible story, part of history. Thanks for sharing.
Oh dear, so sorry to hear of this medical journey, but what remarkable strength to take this on as you have. Sending you prayers for strength and healing. You got this!
Had no idea Chaz. I will think and pray for you. God give you strength.
Think marathon. The best advice is included in a few of the comments below - small wins are still wins and they will eventually decide the battle. Being strong sometimes means just putting one foot in front of the other.
Prayers for you and your family, for a speedy recovery Chaz.
God Bless!
Sending prayers your way for healing!
Chaz, it sounds like you’ve been fighting an incredibly serious challenge, and I’m glad to hear things are starting to move in the right direction, even if it’s slow. Those small wins you mentioned aren’t small at all; they’re real progress, and they'll keep adding up!
Prayers for an enduring recovery Chaz.
Sending prayers for you! Getting better and better everyday are key words and maintaining that poistive attitude!
Praying for your speedy recovery!
Welcome back, brother. Stay the recovery course, knowing He is holding you strong!
Wow I will be Praying for ya Brother and know your going to be OK
No half-measures like Venezuela for Cuba! All of the old guard must go!
The "experts" who say he is doing it wrong have not lifted a finger to try to do any of it at all. From my perspective, they may take a seat. I would imagine that it is pretty much impossible to get every detail right when you are trying to remake the whole area, secure the country from the millions of illegals allowed in, and effectively destroy the Iranian regime. And if he didn't meet resistance from all directions on every little thing, it would be a lot easier. And since people tend to be extremely myopic, he has a very short window.
The "neocons" that Trump has so criticized over the years would quite likely have done the same thing.
Well said. Resisting the actions in Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela equates to Democrat support for these regimes. The left’s biggest problem with Trump is that his actions are solution-based while the Democrats (and many Republicans) remain invested in talking about and raising money on the problems. If Trump solves their talking point problem, what do they have left?
Questioning the wisdom of these policies does not equate to support for these regimes, any more than it was for those who questioned the wisdom of the Iraq War. Of course, we now know that they happened to have been right.
Part of the "blood and treasure" being committed to the Iran war belongs to those who disagree with this policy. This gives them the right to disagree, not out of support for America's enemies, but out of concern for the long-term welfare of this country, which just so happens to belong to them too.
What do they have left? Screaming at the sky and hoping that silver dollars fall from the clouds.
Lincoln and Truman dealt with the same critics. Trump has done more in 15 months than most Presidents accomplish in two full terms. It would be nice if the RINOs and Dems would at least be supportive of protecting our homeland.
He has certainly piled up more debt.
Trump upends the status quo. That has a negative effect on the Epstein Class getting ever more richer. That's the biggest reason why they hate him.
They are too busy consulting their weathervane to support him.