Fidel Castro, the iconic Cuban revolutionary leader, former president, and long-time thorn of U.S. foreign policy, made a rare T.V. appearance on Tuesday night. Though he is in poor health and 84 years of age, Castro appeared like his old self, lecturing the United States and suggesting that America has a big responsibility for the threat of nuclear war in the world.

The denunciation deflected attention from Cuban domestic issues, such as its economic stagnation and its release of seven political prisoners, and instead focused on the relations between the United States and Iran and the Korean Peninsula. He predicted a nuclear war between Iran and the United States in the coming years, and a latent nuclear conflict between Israel, Pakistan, and India. He opened his remarks with comments about the increasing tension in the Korean Peninsula calling it a potential "sea of flames."

Since undergoing gastronomical surgery in 2006, Fidel Castro has been almost completely absent from the spotlight of the Cuban politburo, even ceding the Presidency to his brother, Raul Castro, in 2008 after 49 years at the helm of the government. His T.V. appearance, though, reminded U.S. policymakers, that he continues to play a significant role in Cuba. He regularly publishes his "reflections" on foreign policy and Cuba in the Communist Party's daily newspaper, the Granma, and occasionally meets with foreign dignitaries including Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

America and Cuba have been in direct and indirect confrontation since the Fidel-lead communist revolution of 1959. The United States lost the ideological battle for democracy in Cuba and it instead aligned with the Soviet Union under the banner of communist brotherhood. The collapse of the Soviet Union led Cuba to search for new partners, which it found in a new ideological alliance with Venezuela and Iran.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez provides oil subsidies to fuel Cuba's poor economy and frequently joins Castro in vilifying the United States. In exchange, Cuba has supplied Venezuela with thousands of doctors and recently expanded its military presence there; a sign to many critics of Chavez's tightening monopoly on Venezuelan society. Despite the claims of Oliver Stone's South of the Border documentary, the policies of Chavez are often detrimental to the people of Venezuela resulting in high inflation, declining oil production, and mismanagement of food distribution.Cuba also supports Iran's nuclear program and has defended it against U.N. sanctions. The two countries have consistently expanded their bilateral cooperation on economic, diplomatic, and military ventures. Despite these developing alliances, Cuba has not completely parted ways with its comrade Russia, the soul of the former USSR. Russia was recently granted oil exploration rights in Cuban's economic zone of the Gulf of Mexico, a sign that it has exchanged its influence in the hemisphere from the nuclear missile platforms of old for oil-drilling platforms of the future.

The questions surrounding Castro's public appearance must be answered in the context of this growing international alliance. Certainly, his presence had domestic consequences such a sending a message to the political bourgeoisie of Cuba and assuring the proletariat of his existence, most of whom cannot image life without Fidel Castro. But his emphasis on foreign affairs reminded the international community, that despite nearly 50 years as leader of Cuba, and as staunch opponent of the United States, Castro still has a vision for world politics. One that brother Raul Castro undoubtedly shares.