EASING EAST-WEST TENSIONS IN THE THIRD WORLD

A collection of papers used as background for discussions at last November's meeting of the W. Averill Harriman Institute for Advanced Study of the Soviet Union. Shulman, director of the institute, is a former Special Assistant and Advisor to the Secretary of State. In an introduction to the volume, he strikes a balance between the actions and intentions of both the US and the Soviet Union in relation to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In his essay ""U.S. and Soviet Rivalry in the Middle East,"" William Quandt demonstrates the limited control which the superpowers have over events, despite their large investment of time and energy in that area. He sees the struggle there as crucial, not so much for the issues involved as for the impact it may have eventually on post-Khomeini Iran. In Africa, David Albright sees a greater emphasis on military strategy than on ideology in governing superpower responses there. In order to win this struggle, the US must, he advises, use effective diplomacy in order to ease tensions. Latin America seems to be the most hotly contested world arena right now, and in his essay on the subject, Jorge Dominguez suggests several solutions. Cuba must be handled with realism. (He suggests our making some reciprocal security concessions with Castro to assure Cuban neutrality in case of any European conflict, thus ensuring that sea lanes are kept open for resupply from the Gulf of Mexico.) The major premise throughout is that the US must develop a greater awareness and understanding of the problems underlying local instability all over the world. A sensible point, for sure, but unfortunately the recitation here lacks dynamism and suffers from being too drily academic.