古巴-美国关系：奥巴马时代及之后

作者：阿诺德·奥古斯特 (Arnold August)

https://www.amazon.ca/Cuba-U-S-Relations-Beyond-Arnold-August-ebook/dp/B073FX4CZQ

本书以古巴与美国相互依存的历史为背景，并结合奥巴马的政策倡议和特朗普的当选，探讨了两国关系，深入剖析了美国过去和现在对古巴艺术、意识形态和政治的侵略行为。本书基于作者在古巴二十年的实地考察和研究，从独特的视角展现了古巴应对美国文化战争的多元方式，并揭示了古巴社会的复杂性。

本书收录了对古巴专家赫苏斯·阿尔博莱亚·塞尔韦拉、埃斯特万·莫拉莱斯·多明格斯、埃利尔·拉米雷斯·卡涅多、伊罗埃尔·桑切斯·埃斯皮诺萨和路易斯·托莱多·桑德的访谈。

绿色左翼评论：古巴-美国关系

古巴-美国关系：奥巴马时代及之后

作者：阿诺德·奥古斯特

https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/review/green-left-review-of-cubau.s.-relations

奥巴马和特朗普时代的古巴

在特朗普时代，古巴的命运将会如何？这并非一个容易解答的问题，但加拿大作家兼记者阿诺德·奥古斯特在其新作《古巴-美国关系：奥巴马时代及之后》中给出了一些答案。作为英语世界最著名的古巴问题观察家之一，奥古斯特的作品长期以来一直是左翼人士寻求对古巴政治和时事进行细致入微分析的重要参考。

在最新著作中，奥古斯特凭借数十年的研究和在古巴的实地经验，将这个岛国在应对一个变化的世界时所取得的成就（以及失败）置于更广阔的背景下进行解读——而这种变化在奥古斯特2013年撰写《古巴及其邻国：民主运动》时或许是难以想象的。

事实上，如果不回顾《民主运动》，就很难讨论《奥巴马及其后》。在许多方面，《奥巴马及其后》都是其精神续作。《民主运动》以谨慎乐观的态度，描绘了一个充满新思想和民主政体蓬勃发展的地区。

书中着眼于当时拉丁美洲蓬勃发展的“粉红浪潮”——一场从委内瑞拉到玻利维亚、厄瓜多尔和巴西等国的进步人士赢得政权的广泛运动。奥古斯特认为，古巴正是这场“粉红浪潮”的核心。几十年来，古巴一直是西半球社会主义的唯一堡垒，它作为拉丁美洲反抗精神的象征，其意义怎么强调都不为过。

对奥古斯特而言，古巴是“粉红浪潮”不可或缺的灵感来源——并非一位领袖或榜样，而是一个顽强抵抗的象征。

这种乐观情绪在2014年末/2015年愈发高涨，当时美国总统奥巴马宣布其政府计划解除对古巴长达数十年的封锁，并与这个岛国邻国重建正常的外交关系。古巴摆脱封锁的漫长斗争终于近在眼前。然而，如今这一切都已成为历史。2013年达到顶峰的“粉红浪潮”如今陷入危机。这场危机是否具有决定性意义尚待观察，但它引发了人们对古巴未来走向的疑问：新的地区格局将把古巴带向何方？唐纳德·特朗普当选总统又将如何影响美国对古巴的政策？

奥古斯特以谨慎的态度和细致的分析来探讨这些重大问题。他没有粉饰太平，但也并非悲观主义者。

相反，奥古斯特对古巴当前的政治局势提出了现实的见解。本书冷静地审视了奥巴马时代和特朗普时代的古巴政策，指出它们之间的差异远没有表面看起来那么大。《奥巴马及其后》一书的写作风格既通俗易懂又内容丰富。尽管奥古斯特拥有深厚的学术背景，但他从不使用晦涩难懂的专业术语。相反，他以坦诚直率的语气进行分析，既信息丰富又易于阅读。

话虽如此，《奥巴马及其后》并非总是轻松易读。必要时，奥古斯特会深入研究数据和深度分析来佐证自己的论点。他对古巴的经济了如指掌，对古巴复杂的政治体系也驾轻就熟。毕竟，正是这种深厚的知识使奥古斯特能够如此精准地预测古巴的未来走向。

《奥巴马及其后》并非适合所有人阅读。本书大量引用了奥古斯特过去十年左右发表的作品，因此读起来更像是一部汇编之作。这意味着，即使是最热衷于观察古巴的读者，可能也已经对奥古斯特所引用的大部分资料及其整体论点有所了解。

对我而言，这本书是一次有益的温故知新，奥古斯特将他多年研究的成果以流畅的叙述形式，深刻而复杂地展现了他对古巴的见解，这非常难得。不过，我也能理解，一些古巴问题专家可能会倾向于跳过前面的背景介绍，直接阅读奥古斯特在书中后半部分提出的最具当代性的论点。

无论如何，这种形式非常适合那些想要快速了解现代古巴的读者。就内容而言，绝对物超所值。

总而言之，我向所有希望全面了解现代古巴及其在国际舞台上面临的政治挑战的人推荐《奥巴马之后》。

如果你从未深入研究过古巴，那么奥古斯特绝对是批判性思考者的最佳伙伴。如果您像我一样，对古巴有大致的了解，但难以跟上过去几年里古巴局势的快速发展，那么《奥巴马及其后》一书将是不可或缺的参考资料。

最后，对于声援古巴的活动人士来说，奥古斯特的著作堪称必读之作。从这个意义上讲，《奥巴马及其后》可以被视为活动人士的入门读物，帮助他们不仅了解古巴，还能从古巴漫长的争取独立斗争中汲取经验教训.

革命。

——《绿色左翼评论》，2018年1月

以下为本书内容节选，而非摘要：

https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/227/article/710546/pdf

在加拿大从事了一代人的研究工作以及政治和工会活动后，作者阿诺德·奥古斯特转行成为新闻工作者。他专注于古巴以及西方媒体（尤其是美国媒体）中持续存在的虚假信息问题。奥古斯特就此主题发表过演讲和著作，并于2013年荣获古巴记者协会颁发的费利克斯·埃尔穆扎奖。不出所料，《古巴-美国关系：奥巴马及其后》一书计划于2018年在古巴以西班牙语出版。本书由古巴革命领袖、后在古巴外交政策中扮演重要角色的里卡多·阿拉尔孔撰写序言。阿拉尔孔赞扬奥古斯特与古巴人民共同生活，这段经历使他能够理解古巴人对事件的看法。他认为，奥古斯特的观点并不像所谓的古巴问题专家所持的主流美国中心主义立场那样。

奥古斯特在其著作的第一部分回顾了从19世纪末到1959年（菲德尔·卡斯特罗领导的古巴革命开始之时）美国对古巴的干预所产生的影响。他列举的种种指控众所周知：古巴对美国贸易的依赖、美国操纵选举导致古巴精英政府的建立，以及强加的《普拉特修正案》（该修正案使美国从1906年到20世纪20年代中期的干预合法化，并维持了古巴的政治和经济体制）。奥古斯特还描述了在富尔亨西奥·巴蒂斯塔（1934-1958）统治时期，美国是如何保持沉默的。巴蒂斯塔既是总统又是独裁者，并且（断断续续地）掌握着幕后权力。其结果是哈瓦那和华盛顿的精英阶层之间形成了一种共生关系，双方都不愿破坏两国既有的秩序。奥古斯特解释说，从1959年到2008年奥巴马政府上台之前，美国采取了一系列策略，包括入侵、颠覆，以及最重要的经济封锁，旨在推翻卡斯特罗政权，并将美国式的民主强加于古巴。

与此同时，发展中国家逐渐摆脱了西方帝国主义政府的统治，转而以强调民众更广泛参与本国政治体系的方式来应对内部挑战。在奥古斯特看来，这些情况最终转化为民主——一个在不同国家有着不同含义的词汇。古巴拥有其独特的民主形式，这种民主从地方层面延伸到国家层面，并包含宪法修正程序。奥古斯特还指出，尤其是在劳尔·卡斯特罗的领导下，古巴的政治体制变得更加民主化，这体现在批评政府的博客的出现，以及一些反对派评论文章在官方报纸《格拉玛报》上发表。私营企业数量增加，过剩的农产品在城市市场出售，小型企业如私营店（paladares）也应运而生。

在此背景下，2014年12月17日，劳尔·卡斯特罗总统和巴拉克·奥巴马总统共同宣布恢复外交关系，并于2015年7月重开两国大使馆。奥古斯特认为，在重开大使馆前的会谈中，古巴人坚持了其长期以来秉持的原则。作为一个独立主权国家，除非美国同意在其国内就民主或人权问题进行讨论，否则古巴不可能讨论这些问题。而当美国在委内瑞拉进行“慢动作”反革命时，古巴又怎能谈论民主呢？

对于奥古斯特和许多忠于革命理想的古巴人来说，美国以民主之名掩盖的政权更迭目标依然如故，但在奥巴马执政时期，这场战争演变成了一场文化战争：在美国开展的暑期青少年教育项目[第443页]、在哈瓦那举办的冒犯古巴社会的时装秀，以及电视台（尤其是CNN）对古巴生活的正面报道和采访视而不见。相反，CNN着重强调古巴社会的负面方面。尽管本书完成于唐纳德·特朗普就职之前，但作者预料到特朗普会延续奥巴马的文化战争。奥古斯特还断言……

书评

阿诺德·奥古斯特这本犀利的文集有力地驳斥了以美国为中心的对古巴社会和奥巴马新“政权更迭”战略的歪曲。本书还批判性地探讨了参与“文化战争”的古巴知识分子和博主，他们自2014年“正常化”进程开始以来，一直在挑战古巴革命的凝聚力。

——史蒂夫·卢德拉姆，谢菲尔德大学高级讲师（已退休），《国际古巴研究杂志》编委会成员

任何关于古巴和美国之间明显不对等关系的开放讨论，都应该从这本通俗易懂、内容丰富的书籍开始。本书基于深入研究，包括对美国政府历史文件的运用以及在古巴境内的广泛实地考察，因此图书馆、学生、即将前往古巴的人士、记者、政府雇员以及从事国际事务的学者都应该收藏此书。

——詹姆斯·D·科克罗夫特，三届富布赖特学者，《拉丁美洲视角》荣誉编辑

奥古斯特为读者搭建了一座跨越时空和国界的桥梁，帮助读者理解促成古巴与美国关系“正常化”的种种变迁，并为特朗普时代的未来发展提供了指引。

——海伦·雅菲，伦敦政治经济学院

阿诺德·奥古斯特关于古巴的新书驳斥了美国主流媒体和奥巴马政府散布的宣传和神话，并为我们理解后菲德尔时代特朗普政府的走向提供了宝贵的见解。

——加里·利奇，独立记者，卡普顿大学国际政治学教师

这本书的出版可谓恰逢其时。随着菲德尔·卡斯特罗的去世，外界的目光聚焦于古巴的未来；而特朗普的当选又使美古关系“正常化”的前景蒙上阴影。阿诺德·奥古斯特对关于古巴政治和“正常化”的普遍假设和公众言论提出了质疑。

——安东尼·卡普西亚，诺丁汉大学

本书终于为英语读者提供了一部从古巴视角出发，全面概述美古关系的著作。对于理解特朗普总统的未来政策而言，本书是不可或缺的背景资料。

——克利夫·杜兰德，摩根州立大学

对于那些希望获得关于美古关系的全新且理性的视角——以及与西方主流媒体截然不同的视角——的读者来说，本书是必读之作。

——丹尼尔·科瓦利克，匹兹堡大学法学院国际人权教师

本书对美古关系进行了清晰而及时的分析，极具价值。本书探讨了特朗普时代初期的美古关系，对于致力于推动美古关系正常化、维护古巴自决权和对其全部领土拥有主权的活动人士及其他人士而言，是一本不可或缺的著作。

——佩佩·罗斯，纽约州立大学奥尔巴尼分校兼职教授

作为古巴问题专家，阿诺德·奥古斯特对华盛顿与哈瓦那之间的冲突以及美国对古巴的外交政策提出了独到的见解。

——萨利姆·拉姆拉尼，巴黎第四大学索邦分校博士，留尼汪大学讲师

奥古斯特的分析精辟入微，扎根于他对古巴历史和相关辩论的长期研究，并展望了未来可能的发展方向，使本书成为一部极具启发性的著作。

——克劳德·莫兰，蒙特利尔大学拉丁美洲历史学教授（已退休）

关于作者

阿诺德·奥古斯特拥有蒙特利尔麦吉尔大学政治学硕士学位，现居蒙特利尔。他的著作包括《古巴及其邻国：民主运动》（Fernwood Publishing/Zed Books，2013）和《古巴-美国关系：奥巴马及其后》（Fernwood，2017）。作为一名资深记者，他用英语和西班牙语为美国、加拿大、古巴、拉丁美洲和欧洲的网站撰写文章。自1997年以来，他曾多次长期驻扎古巴，进行深入调查研究。

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:
https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/227/article/710546/pdf
After a generation of working as a researcher and a political and trade union activist in Canada, author Arnold August turned to journalism. He focused attention on Cuba and the ongoing issue of disinformation in western media, particularly in the United States. August, who has lectured and published on this subject, won the Félix Elmuza Award in 2013 from the Association of Cuban Journalists. Not surprisingly, Cuba-US Relations: Obama and Beyond is scheduled for publication in Spanish in Cuba in 2018. Ricardo Alarcón, a leading figure in the Cuban Revolution who subsequently played a significant role in Cuban foreign policy, serving as that nation’s representative to the United Nations and its minister of foreign affairs, wrote the book’s introduction. He applauds August for living among the Cuban people, an experience that enabled him to understand the Cuban view of events. He contends that August does not mimic the mainstream US-centric position espoused by so-called Cubanologists.

August devotes the first part of his book to a review of the impact of US interventions in Cuba from the late nineteenth century through 1959, the beginning of Fidel Castro’s Cuban Revolution. The litany of charges is well known: Cuba’s dependence on US trade, US manipulation of the electoral process that resulted in an elite-based Cuban government, and the imposition of [End Page 442] the Platt Amendment, which sanctified US interventions from 1906 through the mid-1920s and sustained the political and economic systems in Cuba. August describes how the US stood silent during the era of Fulgencio Batista (1934–1958) who served as president and dictator and (intermittently) the power behind the throne. The result was a symbiotic relationship between Havana and Washington elites who did not want to upset the established order of either nation. August explains that from 1959 until the emergence of the Obama administration after 2008, the US used a variety of tactics that included invasion, subversion, and, most important, an economic embargo aimed at terminating the Castro regime and imposing the US form of democracy on the island.

During that same time period, the developing world separated itself from imperialist western governments and turned to meet internal challenges in ways that emphasized greater popular participation in each country’s political system. To August, these circumstances translated into democracy, a term with different meanings in different countries. Cuba has its own form of democracy that reaches from the local level to the national level and includes a process for amending the constitution. August also points out that particularly under Raúl Castro the Cuban system became more democratized, including the emergence of blogs critical of the administration and the publication of selected opposition opinion pieces in the state-sponsored newspaper Granma. The list of private sector businesses expanded, excess farm produce was sold in urban markets, and small businesses were established, such as paladares (independent small restaurants).

Against this backdrop, on December 17, 2014, President Raúl Castro and President Barack Obama jointly announced the restoration of diplomatic relations and the reopening of their embassies in July 2015. August contends that in the joint discussions that preceded the opening of embassies, the Cubans adhered to their long-established principles. As an independent and sovereign nation, there could be no discussion of Cuban democracy or human rights issues until the United States would submit to a discussion of the same in its country. And how could Cuba discuss democracy at the same time that the United States was conducting a “slow motion” counterrevolution in Venezuela?

For August and many Cubans loyal to the ideals of the revolution, the American goal of regime change, masked in terms of democracy, remained the same, but under Obama it became a cultural war: summer youth education programs [End Page 443] in the United States, fashion shows in Havana that were an affront to Cuban society, and television stations, particularly CNN, that ignored positive views and interviews about Cuban life. Instead, CNN emphasized the negative aspects of Cuban society. Although the book was completed prior to Donald Trump’s inauguration, the author anticipated that Trump would continue Obama’s cultural war. August also asserts that...

Cuba–U.S. Relations: Obama and Beyond

by Arnold August (Author) 
https://www.amazon.ca/Cuba-U-S-Relations-Beyond-Arnold-August-ebook/dp/B073FX4CZQ

Against the background of the history of Cuba–U.S. interconnectedness and in light of Obama’s ini­tiative and Trump’s election, Arnold August deals with the relationship between the two countries, delving into past and current U.S. aggression against Cuba’s artistic field, ideology and politics. Based on twenty years of fieldwork in and investigation of Cuba, this book provides a unique perspective on the island’s diverse approaches to the cultural war being waged by the U.S. and illustrates the heterogeneous nature of Cuban society.

Featuring interviews with Cuban-based experts Jesús Arboleya Cervera, Esteban Morales Domínguez, Elier Ramírez Cañedo, Iroel Sánchez Espinosa and Luis Toledo Sande.

Product description
Review
Arnold August?s bristling collection of interventions vigorously debunks U.S.-centric misrepresentations of Cuban society and of Obama?s new ?regime change? strategy. It also engages critically with Cuban intellectuals and bloggers fighting in the ?Cultural War,? challenging the Revolution?s cohesion since the 2014 ?normalization? process began.

-- Steve Ludlam, senior lecturer (retired), University of Sheffield, and editorial board member, International Journal of Cuban Studies

Any open-minded discussion about the obviously asymmetrical relations between Cuba and the United States should start with this highly readable informative book. Based on deep research, including use of historical U.S. government documents and extensive field work inside Cuba, it should be acquired by libraries, students, and people about to travel to Cuba, journalists, government employees, and academics working in international affairs.

-- James D. Cockcroft, three-time Fulbright scholar, Honorary Editor Latin American Perspectives

August provides the reader with a bridge across time and nations to understand the changes that have led to the ?normalization? of Cuba?U.S. relations and serves as a guide to the Trump future.

-- Helen Yaffe, London School of Economics

Arnold August?s new book on Cuba dispels the propaganda and myths perpetuated by both the U.S. corporate media and the Obama administration and provides valuable insights into what we might expect from a Trump government in the post-Fidel era.

-- Garry Leech, independent journalist and teacher of international politics, Cape Breton University

This book could not have been more timely. With Fidel Castro?s death focusing outside attention on Cuba?s future and with Trump?s election throwing U.S.?Cuban ?normalization? into question, Arnold August contests the common assumptions and public rhetoric about Cuban politics and about that ?normalization.?

-- Antoni Kapcia, University of Nottingham

Here at last for English-speaking readers is a full overview of U.S. relations with Cuba from Cuban points of view. The book is essential background for understanding whatever President Trump has in store.

-- Cliff DuRand, Morgan State University

For those who want a fresh and reasoned perspective on Cuba and U.S. relations ? and with it a perspective very different from that which we get from the mainstream Western media ? this book is a must-read.

-- Daniel Kovalik, teacher of international human rights, University of Pittsburgh, School of Law

A timely and valuable source of clear analysis of Cuba?U.S. relations at the dawn of the Trump era, and an indispensable tome for activists and others interested in furthering normalized relations between Cuba and the U.S. and asserting Cuba?s right to self-determination and sovereignty over all its territory.

-- Pepe Ross, adjunct professor, University of Albany, State University of New York

An expert on Cuba, Arnold August offers a revealing view of the conflict between Washington and Havana and the foreign policy of the United States vis-à-vis the island.

-- Salim Lamrani, PhD Sorbonne Paris IV University, lecturer at the University of La Réunion

August?s deft analysis, firmly grounded in a prolonged exposure to Cuban history and debates while mapping out the possible future developments, makes for an enlightening book.

-- Claude Morin, professor (retired) of Latin American history, Université de Montréal

About the Author
Arnold August has an M.A. in political science from McGill University, Montreal, where he resides. His books include Cuba and Its Neighbours: Democracy in Motion (Fernwood Publishing/Zed Books, 2013), Cuba-U.S. Relations: Obama and Beyond (Fernwood, 2017). An accomplished journalist, he contributes articles in English and Spanish to websites in the United States, Canada, Cuba, Latin America and Europe. Since 1997, he has spent extended periods in Cuba pursuing his intensive investigations.