Talons of the Eagle: Latin America, the United States, and the World

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a new international regime emerged and profoundly transformed inter-American affairs. In the third edition of Talons of the Eagle: Latin America, the United States, and the World, Peter H. Smith places this devastating event into its full historical context by offering a vivid portrayal of U.S.-Latin American relations from the early nineteenth century to the present. A new section, "The War on Terror," examines the impact of 9/11 on the United States and Latin America, with a focus on George W. Bush's Latin American policy. Smith also analyzes Latin American reactions and responses to the U.S. - and to the rest of the world - in these complex and troubling times. Throughout, this provocative text casts new light on such contemporary issues as economic integration, drug trafficking, undocumented migration, and the rise of Latin America's "new left." Rather than concentrating solely on U.S. policy, Smith addresses the structural relationships between the two regions by focusing on international systems, the distribution of power, and the perception and pursuit of national interests. Designed explicitly for classroom use, this new edition integrates photographs, political cartoons, charts, and tables directly into the text. To further enliven the subject, anecdotal sidebars highlight such incendiary and discussion-worthy topics as the origins of anti-imperialist sentiment in Latin America, Che Guevara's hopes for continental revolution, Ronald Reagan's denunciation of communist threats in Central America, George W. Bush's justifications for the war in Iraq, and Hugo Ch'avez's anti-Bush remarks at the United Nations. Deftly researched and thoughtfully composed, this text is ideal for general courses in Latin American history and politics as well as courses in U.S. foreign policy and inter-American relations. Timely and topical, Talons of the Eagle, Third Edition, presents an eminent scholar's perspective on the interaction between global trends and inter-American affairs--a subject that has become crucially important in our recent history.

Table of Contents:
Preface; Acknowledgments; Introduction: Global Politics and U.S.-Latin American Relations; I. THE IMPERIAL ERA; 1. The European Game; 2. The Gospel of Democracy; 3. Latin America: Responses to Imperialism; II. THE COLD WAR; 4. Closing Ranks and Making Friends; 5. Crushing Enemies; 6. Latin America: Fighting the Cold War; III. DECADE OF UNCERTAINTY; 7. Superpower Economics; 8. Illicit Flows and Military Force; 9. Latin America: In Quest of Alternatives; IV. THE WAR ON TERROR; 10. George Bush and Latin America; 11. Latin America: Exploring Unexpected Opportunities; 12. Can There Be Policy Alternatives?; Conclusion: Structure and Change in U.S.-Latin American Relations ; A Guide to Further Reading; Notes; Index

About the Author :
Peter H. Smith is Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Sim´ón Bol´ívar Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of California, San Diego. He is author of Democracy in Latin America: Political Change in Comparative Perspective (2005) and other classic works on the political histories of Mexico and Argentina. Professor Smith is also coauthor of Modern Latin America (Sixth Edition, 2005) and editor or coeditor of more than a dozen anthologies.

Review :
"Peter Smith's Talons of the Eagle is really first rate. I consider it required reading for anyone who wishes to understand the history and background of U.S.-Latin American relations, and, thus, the context in which the new relationship is developing today."--Wayne S. Smith, Center for International Policy, Washington D.C. "Books about the relations between the United States and Latin America have been, if not exactly a dime a dozen, certainly very frequent for as long as I can remember. Peter H. Smith's contribution to the genre is altogether superior, and Talons of the Eagle is easily the best study of the subject I have read."--Simon Collier, Vanderbilt University "Peter Smith has given us, once again, a must-read volume that merits a prominent place in our libraries and our syllabi."--David Scott Palmer, Boston University "Excellent book! Talons of the Eagle helps to shape the nature of the U.S./Latin American relations for new students of Latin American politics and refocuses many old students of Latin America on the core issues."--Anthony C. Coveny, Belmont University