The United States in Honduras 1980-1981

<p> Honduras occupies a strategic geographic position in Central America. Having served as ambassador to Honduras during both the Carter and Reagan administrations Jack R. Binns offers a unique perspective on the pivotal period from 1980 through 1981 as the country moved from a relatively benign military dictatorship to a democratic constitutional leadership.</p><p> Using classified correspondence Binns covers the attack on the U.S. Embassy the deception laid upon the Embassy and State Department by the Central Intelligence Agency over Sandinista-Contra policy the flood of Salvadoran refugees economic and human rights conditions and the collapse of a military coup. He discusses the consequences of an inadequate U.S. policy formulation in Central America: the effort to overthrow the Sandinista regime was a costly failure U.S. support of the Salvadoran military enlarged the conflict and U.S. activity in Honduras encouraged human rights abuses.</p>