Stn.—Mr. Conquest deals with those in Britain who Objected on
the grounds of an international morality to the American-instigated attack on Cuba. Castro's regime, he says, ought not to appeal to Western Liberals, and that is that. Yet Mr. Conquest fails to mention what is perhaps the most important argu- ment against that calamitous expedition, namely, the effect it would have had on Latin-American opinion and politics had it succeeded.
The hard, brutal fact of the matter is that a Majority of people in Latin America, as opposed to their governments, actually support Fidel Castro. I ! cannot imagine where Mr. Conquest gets the notion that there has been a 'hardening of Latin-American ! °Pinion against the Cuban rulers,' unless that intelli- gence emanates from the CIA. Let it be crystal clear that whatever its deficiencies, Castro's government Is attempting to introduce long-overdue social re- Loans, and that for the sake of these the hungry and 'toneless will happily forget ideology. Chronically starved bellies do not, as a rule, care a fig about ideology. If by dint of ruthless military action the American Government had succeeded in overthrowing Castro's Clique, it would with certainty have led to the crys- tallising of rabidly anti-American, probably pro- C13nullunist opinion and to more Fidel-like revolu- tions. To the majority it would have looked as if the US were trying to deny to Cubans what all are en- titled to.
The American behaviour has in fact been a prize example of what Mr. Conquest calls 'current tech- niques of eroding the Western world.' There is yet a goad chance that Latin America may be anchored firmly to the Western world, and Mr. Kennedy's 'Alliance for Progress' is a splendid lead in this direc- tion. Paradoxically, the CIA ensured that it will be given a chance to work. Unfortunately, because Communism is not negotiable (if this is not Mr. c 9nquest's 'moral perfectionism,' what is?), aid Will not extend to Cubans; the slow economic sctrangutilliOn which they face will only drive them farther inio the Soviet orbit until nothing can extri- cate them: This may or may not already be the case; we simply do not know. At any rate we cannot afford to have more Castros. But we can compete With his methods peacefully and without violating 1Z,inctnles which Liberals the world over hold dear.
is why those of us who have no love for k:aastro and who are alarmed by the growing and justifiable restlessness of the masses in this continent can never be grateful enough for the hymnal incompetence of the CIA.
rhe Latin-American peoples are on the threshold tilt a vast change in the pattern of our lives. I agree that the way, this is carried out is largely up to us, but c,„ there is nothing we can do towards stable demo- systems along Western lines and reasonable *tuLtrndttrds of living if those on whom we most depend fusni_their backs on us in the inevitable period of con- and disorientation which follows every up- heaval things sort themselves out. The strovi e e . sor sui mai continues, writes Mr. Conquest. t t
rue. In the struggle for our survival as demo-
tac
Previous page
