[TMJC] Singapore and the Cold War part III

1 SingaporeandtheColdWar(1965-91)(Part3/3)FactorsshapingSingapore’sresponses:nationalinterests,regionalandColdWardevelopments.Foreachof theseareas,thereis a needtodemonstrateyourunderstandingofhoweachfactorledto a particularresponseof Singapore.Eg.(factor)ledto (action)inresponseto(developmentoftheColdWar).1.PrinciplesbehindSingapore'sForeignPolicy:Sanctityof Sovereignty;InsistenceonRuleofLaw;RelevancetoInternationalCommunity “Wearenowarbitorsofourforeignanddefencepolicies,andourstrategicimportancemakesourforeignanddefencepoliciesa matterofinterestnotjusttoourimmediateneighboursbutto a muchlargergroupof nationswhoseideologicalandpowerconflictshavegrippedtheworldinacoldwarsincetheendoftheSecondWorldWar.Therehavebeenshiftsin thebalanceofpowerbetweenthetwoworldblocs,andtherehavebeenshiftsevenwithineachoftheblocs.Singapore,first,mustdecidewhereitslong-terminterestslie.And,withinthecontext,a foreignpolicymustbedesignedtobringusthesurestguaranteeofoursurvivalandourprosperity.” LeeKuanYew, 1965speech. ● SanctityofSovereigntyasaprincipleofSingapore’sforeignpolicywasobserved:● Singapore'sforeignpolicyduringtheColdWarperiodwasdeeplyrootedin the principleof safeguardingits sovereignty. Havinggainedindependencein 1965,thenationwaskeenonassertingitsautonomyininternationalaffairs.● Non-alignmentwas a key tenet,as Singaporeaimedto avoidentanglementin theideologicaldisputesbetweenthetwosuperpowers,theUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnion.Thiswastobegarnerrecognitionasa sovereignstateontheinternationalstage–non-alignmentalsoaidedeconomicallyaswillbeaddressedlater.● Actionsthatdemonstrateitsprincipleofsovereignty:- Uponindependence,Singaporeofferedto workwith all thecountriesthat wouldrecogniseher territorialintegrityandsovereignty- TowardstheendofAugust1965,duringa televisioninterview, thePrimeMinisterservednoticeto theBritishauthoritiesthatthe

2 Britishtroopscouldbeorderedto'quit'theislandwithintwentyfourhoursifhisgovernmentsodecided.- ThenwithevengreaterdramathePrimeMinisterlaunchedasensationalattackontheUnitedStatesCentralIntelligenceAgency(CIA).HeaccusedtheCIAof havingearlierattemptedto obtainthroughfinancialencouragementsecretinformationfrom aSingaporeGovernmentsecurityofficer hen this incidentwasdiscovered,theU.S.GovernmentallegedlyofferedM$10milliontoSingaporeforeconomicdevelopmentto 'hushup'theaffair. Thedramaticnatureof the denouncementandWashington'sinitialdenialandlaterhumiliatingadmissionexaggeratedthisepisodeintoa magnificentinternationalscandal.At theendofit Leehadmadehispoint.TheAmericanslackedtheexperienceandwisdomto understandAsianleaders.HewouldnottolerateanAmericanfootholdontheislandiftheBritishwithdrewtheirforces.TheCIAplotwasconfirmedlaterinHistory: https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP75-00149R000700100029-6.pdf- Manydiplomatswerepuzzledbytheurbanepolitician'sseeminglysenselessoutburst.The verbalattackseemsto havebeenpromptedby Lee'sconcernabouttheslowresponsefromtheAfricannationstoSingapore'sindependence.Afteralmostamonthof independenceonly