The Cuban Interventionary Forces: The Growing Strategic and Regional Threat to the United States and NATO.
Abstract
Over the past twenty-seven years, Cuba has transformed its military forces from an ill-equipped, untrained band of guerrillas into the second most powerful military in the Caribbean Basin. Today, the Cuban armed forces are equipped with numerous modern fighter-bomber aircraft, warships (including attack submarines), tanks, and other lethal weaponry. Unlike other recipients of Soviet arms, Cuba has proven its capability and willingness to maintain and operate this sophisticated military equipment around the world, even in combat environments. This has been demonstrated in Angola, Ethiopia and Nicaragua. Havana has also developed an extensive intelligence and propaganda apparatus capable of performing tasks ranging from espionage and disinformation to assassination and arms smuggling. Cuba's growing military, paramilitary, and intelligence presence in the Caribbean Basin, combined with the expanding military power of the Soviet Union and Soviet-backed Nicaragua in the same region, pose a serious and growing threat to U.S. security interests in the Caribbean and elsewhere in the Third World. This thesis will examine specifically Cuba's capability and intent to jeopardize United States' security interests by analyzing the motives, resources, and tactics of the Cuban interventionary forces. (Author) (Theses)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA180123
Entities
People
- Timothy J. Doorey
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School