"Fidel Castro, one of the chief protagonists of the Cold War and Washington’s traditional foe, casts a critical eye over the significance of President Obama’s election and his performance during his first term of office. Since retiring from public life due to ill-health in 2006, the Cuban leader has continued to make characteristically forthright comments on world events in his regularly published "Reflections." Here Fidel Castro considers whether Cuba-US relations are finally heading in a new direction. He also discusses a wide range of critical political issues including the global financial crisis, climate change and the environmental crisis, Washinton’s orientation to Latin America, and the continued US occupatioin of the Guantanamo naval base. He also challenges the Obama administrion’s decision to retain Cuba on the list of Nations supporting international terrorism.