Embattled Island: Palau's Struggle for Independence

(Hardback)

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Palau was the last trusteeship, not only of the United States but the last trusteeship in the world. For 25 years the United States tried to negotiate an agreement - a "compact" - with Palau. Under this compact, Palau would gain its independence as a Freely Associated State and a large amount of money, $500 million, while the US obtained certain military base rights and passage of nuclear power ships and submarines. The compact took on enormous symbolic importance throughout the world because of a provision in the Palau Constitution that Palau could not grant the US nuclear rights without the approval of 75% of the people of Palau.

Reviews

"Wonderful, and quite readable....this book is a poignant and exciting account of part of the formation of one of the world's newest and smallest nations. All Pacific-philes will want to read it."-Professor Dirk Anthony Ballendorf Micronesian Area Research Center, University of Guam
A participant-observer, Liebowitz blends personal knowledge of persons and events with an objective analysis of the political dynamics of the decolonization process. Heavily documented, the work will stand for a long time as the definitive work on Palau. Liebowitz's book represents a valuable case study in the negotiations of the Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US. It belongs in academic libraries with significant holdings in the Pacific region or international relations.-Choice
Arnold Leibowitz has insightfully touched upon the country's more intimate matters with the unique deftness of a sympathetic federal status negotiator. Involved with U.S. territorial matters since 1964, the author has written extensively on the subject, including the critically acclaimed Defining Status: A Comprehensive Analysis of U.S. Territorial Relations, which has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and a number of lower courts. The two books have much in common--politically oriented, articulate and scholarly, very comprehensive and unusually balanced--which, undoubtedly, should serve as a standard bearer for Pacific scholars.-Pacific Magazine
Embattled Island is a must read for those interested in Pacific affairs.-Pacific Sunday News
"A participant-observer, Liebowitz blends personal knowledge of persons and events with an objective analysis of the political dynamics of the decolonization process. Heavily documented, the work will stand for a long time as the definitive work on Palau. Liebowitz's book represents a valuable case study in the negotiations of the Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US. It belongs in academic libraries with significant holdings in the Pacific region or international relations."-Choice
"Embattled Island is a must read for those interested in Pacific affairs."-Pacific Sunday News
"Arnold Leibowitz has insightfully touched upon the country's more intimate matters with the unique deftness of a sympathetic federal status negotiator. Involved with U.S. territorial matters since 1964, the author has written extensively on the subject, including the critically acclaimed Defining Status: A Comprehensive Analysis of U.S. Territorial Relations, which has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and a number of lower courts. The two books have much in common--politically oriented, articulate and scholarly, very comprehensive and unusually balanced--which, undoubtedly, should serve as a standard bearer for Pacific scholars."-Pacific Magazine

Author Bio

ARNOLD H. LEIBOWITZ has written extensively about the territories, Commonwealths, and Freely Associated States of the United States, and has represented almost all of them before the Federal government since 1964 when he was General Counsel of the U.S. Commission of the Status of Puerto Rico. His book, Defining Status: A Comprehensive Analysis of U.S. Territorial Relations, is the leading reference work in the field, having been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and a number of lower courts. He represented the Trusteeship of Palau from 1986-1988.