Role of the Inter-American Defense Board within the New World Order

摘要

The Inter-American Defense Board was founded fifty years ago in response to anexternal threat during World War 11. During that time attempts were made by the Board to achieve a more significant operational role and to institutionalize itself within the Organization of American States. These attempts were consistently resisted by the Latin American nations because of the historic opposition to a militarized Organization of American States and fear of U.S. intervention. The Cold War has ended and prospects for more regional cooperation look bright. Latin American governments are changing and for the first time, the entire Western Hemisphere with the exception of Cuba and Haiti have democratic governments. The current political, military and economic environment in Latin America is now more conducive to regional cooperation than in the past because Latin American nations are beginning to look at the U.S. as less of a threat to their sovereignty. The trend towards democracy and a more pragmatic approach towards economic and social issues in Latin America have created new opportunities for the InterAmerican Defense Board. This paper shows that the Board has a role to play in facilitating security cooperation and economic development and is reorienting its thinking and activities to tackle the new threats and problems in the hemisphere.