United States Security Policy Implications of a Post-Fidel Cuba

Abstract

U.S. policy towards Cuba has long lost its creative initiative and effectiveness. As much a tribute to the political cunning of Fidel Castro as to other domestic forces, American efforts at regime removal and support to the Cuban people have all ended counterproductively. With each action, the Revolutionary government has emerged even more politically powerful and entrenched. However, recent changes on the island have for the first time opened up unique opportunities and windows to advance U.S. national security objectives towards Cuba. While some of these opportunities are fleeting, others are as inevitable as the "biological solution" of the island's geriatric leadership. As a result of the latter, the Cuban government will almost certainly have at least one more succession or transition in the coming decade. This paper provides background on the U.S.-Cuba relationship, proposed succession and transition scenarios, and the implications of those scenarios for U.S. security policy towards Cuba.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 10, 2012
Accession Number
ADA560408

Entities

People

  • Carlos A. Iglesias

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cold War
  • Commerce
  • Congress
  • Domestic
  • Economic Systems
  • Foreign Relations
  • Governments
  • Homeland Security
  • Law
  • Money
  • National Security
  • Political Systems
  • Security
  • Terrorism
  • United States
  • Ussr
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.