What is the Role of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) in a Post-Castro Cuba? What Role will the U.S. Military Play

Abstract

Russia has all but abandoned its Caribbean friend and ally, Fidel Castro. The island is suffering economically: it is only a matter of time till the Castro brothers see the end of their thirty three year old Socialist Revolution. The United States continues its decades long trade embargo against the Communist island, and shows little sign of beginning to normalize relations with Castro. The U.S. Congress has written several laws over the years that restrict any formal relations between the two countries until Communism is gone and democracy is attempted. The political and economic power of the one million or so Cuban-Americans - living primarily in southern Florida will have to be dealt with before any bilateral talks can be successful. The real question is, what will the 100,000 plus Cuban Military do in the event that Fidel Castro dies, retires, or goes out in a blaze of Cuban Revolutionary style glory in a suicide attack on the Gringo base at Guantanamo Bay? The Cuban Military has a strong, well-traveled officer corps whose senior officers owe their position in Cuban society and government to the continued support by the Castro brothers. U. S. relations have improved with the former Soviet Union: an attempt should be made this year to initiate informal military-to-military relations to pave the way for an immediate response to whatever follow-on government attempts to emerge once Fidel Castro is gone.