"pampered" is an odd term for what has been done to Cuba.

"The dumb aggressivity" of its big neighbour may have deflected some of the criticism which Fidel's Cuba deserved - but it has had devastating effects on the country, economically and politically.

It may well have been true that Fidel chose to come down heavy against dissidents while the attention was focused on what was happening in Iraq, in the same way that Sharon has done in Gaza. That's the kind of thing politicians do.