The United States in the Caribbean: Thirty Years after American Fury

Abstract

This article traces the origins of the military invasion launched by the United States of America in Grenada in 1983, and describes the efforts made by the author as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth to restore the country to constitutional government and the rule of law. The author believes that Caribbean governments had let themselves down through a majority of them siding with the American invasion. He underlines the need for global society to make the world a safer place for small states such as Grenada.

key words:

• Grenada
• Caribbean
• Eric Gairy
• New Jewel Movement
• coup d’état
• People’s Revolutionary Government
• CARICOM
• realpolitik
• Maurice Bishop
• Ronald Reagan
• Margaret Thatcher
• Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
• Paul Scoon
• Edward Seaga
• small states