The Beginning, The Beginning of the End

The long-awaited beginning of a new country in Kosovo. The opportunity to live in a mostly free country is never taken for granted by those who have lived under oppression and in strife for so long. The price? Eternal vigilance. Lest we forget, the Albanians, among many others there, are here to remind us. Why should the West back full independence for Kosovo? One opinion.

The end always comes, but it can seem like a very long time. Will this be a new beginning for Cubans living under this communist despot for almost 50 years? There's still Raul, 76, Fidel's baby brother.

Fidel's resignation letter, in his own words a mere 49 years later:

"To my dearest compatriots, who have recently honored me so much by electing me a member of the Parliament where so many agreements should be adopted of utmost importance to the destiny of our Revolution, I am saying that I will neither aspire to nor accept, I repeat, I will neither aspire to nor accept the positions of President of the State Council and Commander in Chief."

The reaction of the presidential candidates is here. However, I post John McCain's response below:

"Today’s resignation of Fidel Castro is nearly half a century overdue. For decades, Castro oversaw an apparatus of repression that denied liberty to the people who suffered under his dictatorship.

"Yet freedom for the Cuban people is not yet at hand, and the Castro brothers clearly intend to maintain their grip on power. That is why we must press the Cuban regime to release all political prisoners unconditionally, to legalize all political parties, labor unions and free media, and to schedule internationally monitored elections.

"Cuba's transition to democracy is inevitable; it is a matter of when – not if. With the resignation of Fidel Castro, the Cuban people have an opportunity to move forward and continue pushing for the moment that they will truly be free. America can and should help hasten the sparking of freedom in Cuba. The Cuban people have waited long enough."