Grenada :: essays research papers

For a country as powerful as the United States, there comes a responsibility to harbor its allies, neighbors, and supremely itself. However, there be times when this sense of responsibility misleads the U.S. into victimisation force that is excessive or unnecessary. We are walking a fine line of political laissez-faire and obligation to intervene, but add the component part of a Lyndon Johnsons obsessive fear of the spread of Castro-style communism (Musicant 363), and consequently, we leave find ourselves resurrecting gun boat diplomacy and the Monroe Doctrine. Although under the veil of ensuring guard duty to our citizens, the impingement of Grenada is an example of where we overstepped our legal bounds, fabricated justifications and reacted without preparation, inconsiderate of the criticism which was certain(prenominal) to follow.     A main concern of the United States was its 1,000 citizens on the island. Of these citizens, 600 were medical students at St. George University. Because of the political turmoil, the U.S. stated to its public that the students and citizens on Grenada were in danger. President Reagan excessively stated to the closet that there was no way for our citizens to get moody the island. However, the State Department had issued a formal note to Grenada asking most the in force(p)ty of its citizen, to which the minister of external affairs replied, The interest of the United States citizens are in no way threatened by the present web site ... which the Ministry hastens to point out is a purely internal affair(Musicant 374). The prime minister of the school, Charles Modica, was announcing that the students were in no danger, and that the school was expected to continue to have sound relations with the Government (Weinberger 108). This display of good will coincided with the report Margaret Thatcher, Britians Prime Minister, received from the Deputy High Commissioner in Bridgetown, Barbados, who had vi sited Grenada, that the British citizens were safe and that the new regime was cooperating in making arrangement for those who wished to leave(Thatcher 330). The same cooperation was existence offer to the U.S., contradicting the Presidents statement, which was made long after notification from Grenada that Americans were free to leave on regular or charter flights. likewise clearly in contradiction was Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North report to the press stating that the airports were open for two hour even the day before the invasion (Speakes 161-162). There was no evidence that the student or citizens were in some(prenominal) danger, except during the invasion.