The Rebellious Cuban Dictator has finally stepped down from his post as ultimate ruler of the tiny island of Cuba. Fidel Castro cited health concerns - in 2006 he underwent emergency surgery for a colon infection - as the main reason for his resignation. He says he will not return as a leader but will still be in the fight as a "soldier of ideas."

Americans can rejoice, Carnival Cruise line just added another stop on its tour of the Bahamas. Before we know it Havana will be the new Cancun!

Wait, actually nothing has changed just yet. Fidel's brother Raul has long been thought to be a dictator-in-training since he pinch-hit for his older brother in 2006. Raul Castro will keep Cuba a socialist dictatorship for as long as he can. After his reign Hugo Chavez waits in the wings as a ready replacement.

We were so close to finally being able to enjoy Cuba's world-class cigars - without smuggling them past the unmotivated cruise line customs agents - I could almost smell the smoke of freedom.

President Bush, in his typical voice of hypocritical grandeur, has called on all political prisoners to be released from Cuban jails and for democratic institutions to be built immediately. Hey Mr. President of the United States of America, do you think it would be a good idea to release our political prisoners first - held on Cuban soil no less - before calling on other nations to do the same. No, congress lets you do whatever you want, we the people have no say. OK, fine.

But here this:

The United States is doing some of the same things - illegally spying on our citizens, holding people in jail without due process, harboring terrorists (Yes Cuban nationals have been granted political asylum in the US after plotting terrorist activities against Castro) - that were supposed to make us better than them.

Americans are very aware of all the bad things a dictator stands for because we've been seeing them appear on the front pages of our newspapers for the past seven years.

Anyone with a fighting spirit, or a humanitarian spirit for that matter, has got to give Castro some credit.

He never sent a suicide bomber to Miami even though he knew Miami was sending people to Havana to kill him.

He held off the greatest power the world has ever seen for more than half a century. He was only 90 miles away from the US border in a day and age when US missiles can travel hundreds of miles with pinpoint accuracy. He survived multiple assassination attempts. He did all this while still building a functioning society - despite what you may read in the mainstream US media - that provided doctors to ravaged regions across the world. He provided as much self sustained food as possible to his people without having access to the worlds largest grocery store.

I don't own a Che Guevara T-shirt, but I wish I had access to universal health care.