Refugees' Extended Exile (review)

232 SAIS REVIEW Conversely, as Brenner notes, Cuba has been responsive to positive gestures by the United States. It is significant that U.S. security concerns aired during periods of thaw have generally been accorded a hearing— including such issues as Soviet influence in Cuba although this relationship remains fundamental to Cuban development. During a relaxation of tensions in the early 1970s, Cuba negotiated an antihijacking treaty with the United States, released large numbers of political prisoners, allowed exiles to visit the island, and relaxed emigration rules, among other moves. In addition, Brenner shows that domestic factors in both Cuba and the United States have influenced the development of policies that are not as monolithic as they may first seem. For example, in the United States, Cuban expatriates, U.S. business interests, anticommunist politicians, liberal groups, and researchers can find some common ground, while no particular group holds control over policy. Brenner's lucid prescriptions for a new policy toward Cuba are the highlight of the book, as he outlines steps to achieve these goals. He sees four goals to be met in applying the new policy: the enhancement of U.S. national security ; the promotion of peace and stability; the attainment of development with equity; and the realization of democracy and human rights. Given the fragility of U.S.-Cuban relations, Brenner believes small steps must be initiated before larger endeavors can be undertaken. Avoiding delays between the implementation of steps would prevent attacks on the developing policy. Brenner argues persuasively that U.S. interests will be served only by the opening of a dialogue with Cuba: After nearly thirty years of belligerent behavior toward its southern neighbor the United States has neither succeeded in "containing" Cuba nor done away with the revolution. In fact, according to Brenner, U.S. policy in Latin America has so isolated Washington that several nations even refused to support a U.S. resolution condemning Cuba at the UN Human Rights Commission in early 1987. Cuba, Brenner writes, is here to stay. It is an international actor and a leader in the Third World. The United States must learn to respect the sovereignty of Cuba before any talks can begin. Since Cuban leaders proclaim a lack of preconditions for talks, even the Cuban-Soviet relationship would appear to be up for discussion. Cuba will not respond to threats but only to dialogue . Brenner's book provides an excellent blueprint for the "move from confrontation to negotiation." Refugees' Extended Exile. By W.R. Smyser. Washington, D.C: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1987. 142 pp. $9.95/paper. Reviewed by Stan Foo, M.A. candidate, SAIS. Though refugees are not a new phenomenon, never have there been so many, and from so many countries. The refugee population in this century has been estimated at more than 60 million, and the refugee plight ranks as one of the BOOK REVIEWS 233 tragedies of this era. W.R. Smyser, who was United Nations deputy high commissioner from 1981 to 1986, has written a brief, informative book on this sorry topic. Attempting to solve the definitional problem of refugees, Smyser divides the group into "traditional refugees," who arrive by boat, rail, or on foot, and "jet people," who flee by plane. The impetus for the exploding numbers of refugees , according to Smyser, is the nature and power of the modern state, with its disturbing ability to demand absolute obedience and mete out absolute punishment . Tracing the phenomenon back to World War I1 Smyser briefly reviews the pre-UN history of how various organizations handled refugees. In 1950 the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) was created, forming the center of an emerging web of government and private institutions . At first, UNHCR's mandate was to handle only the European refugees created by World War II, but gradually it extended its responsibility to all refugees the world over. Smyser, in a wry note, says that UNHCR did not seek the additional burden; the world situation imposed it. Refugees, of course, need not only a place to live but also the means as well, and these can vary from the most basic needs to education and training and...