The New Realism : A Second Chance for U. S.-Soviet Relations

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

With the Cold War dissipating, Homet calls for a U.S. policy of ``constructive detachment'' vis-a-vis the Soviet Union. This means America would pursue its geopolitical self-interest, confronting the U.S.S.R. only when absolutely necessary and scaling down its military role as global super-cop. Normalized trade relations, depoliticized cultural exchanges and a minimum nuclear deterrence would undergird this new relationship. Diplomat Homet, who clearly knows his way around the chessboard of international politics, appraises Gorbachev's incremental reforms and concludes that a reformed, efficient Soviet Union would be much less destabilizing to the U.S. than a fragmented, floundering ``evil empire.'' These graceful essays reward with their wide-angled historical perspective and political acuity. (Sept.)

Library Journal

Homet, an international economics/security relations specialist, sets out in this book to portray and understand the ``subsurface dynamics'' that can transform landscapes. In this case, the landscape is U.S.-Soviet relations, and Homet draws on the observation of academics and Soviet specialists in branches of the American media and government to put forward some sensible, low-key proposals for fresh ideas for U.S. policymakers. Such officials should do more than simply react to events, Homet says, and they should also modify long-held notions about the U.S. ability to direct events or lead the anti-Soviet camp. This last is, in any case, dissolving, whether U.S. President George Bush and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher like it or not. This is a welcome guide for the intelligent reader curious about the impact of recent events upon U.S.-Soviet relations.-- R.H. Johnston, McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario