LET'S TALK SENSE ABOUT CUBA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000200920111-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 5, 1999
• Sequence Number: 111
• Publication Date: May 16, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

Oout Cuba
By Sen. J. William FaIbright
One of the most distinguished members of the Upper House, Senator Fulbright shook Washington recently..
with a speech attacking the "myths" that underlie U.S. foreign polar. Here he' defends himself against his
critics and tells in fuller detail what he"thinks should be done about Castro's Cuba.
F or a long time it has seemed to me that no one really likes the new. We are "grave threat" directly to the United
that American attitudes toward the afraid of it.... Even in slight things the States. I did say that it is a "grave threat"
world tend to be rigid and slow to adjust experience of the new is rarely without` to the Latin-American countries, but one
to new situations. Thus, for' example, we some stirring or foreboding." which should and can be dealt avith
tend ' to resist change in policies which If there was something "new" about through the procedures of the Orgagi-
were developed to deal with a monolithic . my speech of March 25, it was not what tion of American States.
Sino-Soviet bloc despite the facts that the was said but the fact that it was said, and One criticism which has been directed
Chinese and Soviets are now deeply, per- said publicly. In any case, reactions of at the speech is that I neglected .state
haps irrevocably, split, and that there is a fear and foreboding were largely confined more explicitly what I believe our alicy
Europe. There are people who cry for a and of over 10,000 private citizens who think this criticism may be well taken,
blockade or other stern measures against wrote letters to me in the first three weeks because' Cuba now appears to have
Cuba, making no distinction between after the speech was very substantially greater importance in the public mind
the problems posed by a'Cuba with Soviet favorable to the views which I expressed. than I had thought.
medium-range missiles and by a Cuba. What is more important, the reaction I believe that the United States under
with Communist workers riding to the showed a very substantial interest in a present conditions should maintain its
cane fields in new British buses. public exploration of the issues which I own political and economic boycott of
It was in an effort to point out some of raised. The voluminous public response the Castro regime. It would be desirable the areas in which change has outrun indicates to me that the American people if all the other countries of the free world
policy that I spoke in the Senate on are eager for a public discussion and may. 'would join in such a boycott, but experi-
March 25. "We are confronted with a be receptive to changes in policies. ence has amply proved that major in-
complex and fluid world situation," I I welcome the opportunity to examine dustrialized countries of Europe, and'::
said, "and we are not adaptingourselves some of the questions raised in the vari ' Japan as well, are unwilling to do so and
to it. We are clinging to old myths in the ous comments and criticisms of my that we are incapable of either forcing or.
face of new realities." I stated, for in- speech. I have no objection to being held persuading them to do so. We look silly
overthrown by any policies which we are ject, however, to being held responsible to Great Britain and }ranee because they
now pursuing or can'reasonably under- for things I did not say. I did not say, for "trade with Cuba, when at the same time
take." I suggested that our efforts to per- ? example, that American policy is guided ?' we find an excuse to continue substantial
suade free-world countries to maintain a. solely by myths, or that our policies were aid to Spain despite its trade with Cuba.
boycott on trade with .Cuba have been inappropriate at the time they were What makes the case even sillier is that
.largely unsuccessful and that for this rea- framed. I did not say that we should our- the "aid" we were giving to Britain and
son the boycott policy.has been a failure. selves enter into friendly relations with France was not aid at all. It was called aid
My purpose was, and remains, to the Castro regime in Cuba or terminate '? because it came from military-assistance
stimulate a general discussion, a rethink- our own economic boycott. I said only _ appropriations, but in fact it paid for a
ing, and a? reevaluation of our foreign that our effort to organize a concerted in- sales-promotion campaign to persuade
policies in the light.of changing circum- ternational boycott which eventually high-ranking British and French officers
stances. Such criticisms as were con- . will bring down the Communist regime 'to buy American military equipment.
tained in my speech were directed at in-' is a failure, which it demonstrably is. There is an important distinction to be
flexibility in public and congressional, I did say that we should face the prob- made between Cuba and Western Europe
thinking about foreign policy, and not at ? ability that the Castro regime will con- . on the one hand and Cuba and Latin
specific policies of the present and pre- tinue to exist. We are, of course, already America on the other. Cuba is not a
5,11 Ur.7AY LCed -Approved 'For RM04-V
ceding Administrations, . except as these ' doing so, and this particular suggestion, grave threat to Western Europe, any more
policies have been thwarted or unduly. therefore, is not the adoption of a new than it is a serious threat directly to the
influenced by popular prejudices., policy so much as the acknowledgment, United States. But Cuba is a grave threat
There is nothing more difficult, and . to ourselves, of -an existing fact. to Latin America. It is logical, therefore,
nothing more important, than the ad- There has been considerable inaccuracy to expect the Latin-American reaction to
justment of our thoughts and of our on another point. I did not say that the Cuba to be different from the European
policies to changing realities. As Eric Castro regime is not a "grave threat" to reaction, and this has indeed been the
Hoffer has written: "It is my impression the hemisphere. I said that it is not a case. The Organization of American
"One measure of a democracy's strength is the freedom of its citizens to speak out-to dissent from the popular view.
Although the editors often disagree with the, opinions expressed in Speaking Out, they dedicate the series to that freedom..Cont,
Let's tak
sense.