(ESTIMATED PUB DATE) CUBA: DOMESTIC COSTS OF INVOLVEMENT IN AFRICA

Created: 3/1/1978

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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CUBA: DOMESTIC COSTS OF INVOLVEMENT IN AFRICA

The poUtical, military, and social costs of Cuba's exoanding role in Africa thus far are well within manageable limits and areignificant constraint on Cuban pol 1these costs become serious will depend largely on the extent of fighting in Angola and Ethiopia. Heavy Cuban casualties could present the Castro regime with difficult political.

Political-Social Costs

Partv activists, mass organizations, and theovernaent's African policy, but wjch of the publiconvinced that the country's.etui largely from low world sugaraused by Cubanolve ment in Africa. No organized opposition exists, however, andapparently has been limited to grumbling arcong friends and family.

Castro has spent considerable time sincehe countryside trying to bolster

saeeches and heavy media treatment are in effect pre-emptivehead offj*

the current level of discontent is well within tolerabe limits and that by careful persuasion he can keep it far short of the point where actual repression might be reQuired.