/** reg.carib: 185.0 **/
** Topic: US arrogance **
** Written 9:41 AM Jul 1, 1996 by hhenke in cdp:reg.carib **

Glaring US Arrogance

H. Henke, 1 July 1996

Former Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs in the Reagan Administration is making headlines with outrageous suggestions about Caribbean sovereignty. Reportedly Abrams wrote an article in which he claims that Caribbean countries have nothing to offer but sand and "little to export but their populations." He says that "while a reversal to full colonial status may be a non-starter ... a beneficial erosion of sovereignty should not be."

Abrams further suggests to use security threats to roll back efforts at sovereign control and calmly states: "The Pentagon should be enthusiastic about interventions that, given their scale, are bound to be quick and successful." Finally: "With this in mind the small states of the Caribbean may well be best off accepting and trying to regularize American intervention - as several have now done with regard to the US Coast Guard and Navy - in exchange for certain trade benefits."

This is about the most blatant and offensive political statement a former US government official has ever made about the Caribbean and it can only be hoped that Caribbean governments strongly repudiate such neocolonialist schemes and no Republican Administration win the next election in the US.