May 24, 1978

Riddle Of Africa Not Funny

Riddle: What's black and white and red all over?

Yesterday's answer: Newspapers.  Today's answer: Africa.

It's a pun, Buster, but it isn't funny.

Ever since World War II, natives of the dark continent have been warring to kick out the white colonialists.  The pogrom is nearly complete.  Rhodesia knuckled under a few weeks ago; and the last white-led nation, South Africa, has its back to the wall.

While European whites have been killed and terrorized into submission, Communist reds have established military control in Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique, South Yemen and Zambia.

Zaire - formerly the Congo - is under attack.  Only direct intervention by the French and Belgians, and logistic support by the United States, has saved the mineral-rich African nation.

It was exactly a year ago, you remember, that Katangese rebels from Angola and Zambia mounted a similar invasion of Zaire and were repulsed then by the same coalition.  This time the terrorists may have gone a little too far - several hundred whites, including at least one American, were brutally massacred.

Andrew Young, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is having a little more trouble excusing the primitive racketeers.

Following the defeat of Angola's black democracy, Young proclaimed himself pleased that the Cuban troops who participated in the invasion would provide a "stabilizing influence."  It was only a few days later that the first Zaire invasion was launched.

This time around, Young contents himself with a bland assertion that he "hadn't seen any evidence of Cuban or Soviet involvement" in the conflict in Zaire.  All those Russian-made weapons and Cuban soldiers observed by journalists on the scene undoubtedly were merely stabilizing the unprovoked murders.

Young's steadfast support of Communist-led guerillas and opposition to moderate, democratic blacks puzzles most Americans.  In regard to the recent Rhodesia compromise, the example, our U.N. ambassador criticized the peaceful settlement.

"What you have done is not a settlement but created a black on black civil war," Young declared.  He was echoing a defiant statement by the leftist president of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda, who proposed continued support of the Patriotic Front operating from his country against all Rhodesia.

"We have got to accept that this is a war being waged by the Patriotic Front, and what they say goes.  The war will be intensified.  It is escalating now," said Kaunda.

Thus we come in Africa to the same syndrome that paralyzed Indochina: Better Red than dead.

I say now, as I said in this column in 1965: It is not the responsibility of America to shoot communists in foreign lands.  It is in our self interest, however, to support materially those nations defending themselves against communist bullets.

We should not send troops anywhere they are not expected to win with maximum force and speed.  We should send arms to, and support diplomatically, any of our friends who resist communism.  This was the policy we followed in the recent sale of planes to Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.  We can do no less for Zaire, Rhodesia and South Africa.

As a black, Young is emotionally unqualified for his present post.  He can not - does not - take an objective view of African controversies.  He is subject to the same shortcomings of prejudice that handicap many American blacks - blacks, no matter how wrong, must be supported; whites, no matter how right, must be opposed.

It is this outlook that has enabled violent, criminal blacks in the big cities to victimize ghetto residents.  The identical attitude on the part of Ambassador Young leads him to oppose moderation in Africa and embrace violence.  His emotional hang-ups make it easier for Young to be soft on communism than soft on white - and blacks who cooperate with whites.

It is ironic, therefore, that the democratic processes of peace, of compromise, of cooperation should be opposed by the United States while we seek accommodation with Russia and China who openly court warfare, violent overthrow, totalitarian control.

In truth, the rebel forces of Africa today are criminal racketeers.  The cloak of nationalism was worn by others, who, perhaps, overthrew colonialism for patriotic reasons.

Now, we are entering a more deadly, vicious phase of African tribalism - blacks fighting other blacks for the power to exploit the country.

Cuba has no historic or present reason to meddle in the internal affairs of African nations.  Its 50,000 troops range up and down the continent for no other reason than adventurism and the opportunity to pay back part of its $4 million a day debt to Russia.

Russia believes in the end it will get Nigerian oil, Zaire copper, Rhodesia chrome and South Africa diamonds when the Red invasion is complete.  The goal is in sight.

The foundations for a new colonialism are being put in place, this time by a master with no qualms about repression by guns and an iron police state.

The tragedy is that we hold Russia's coat and watch fascinated while it rapes our friends.  The ultimate color scheme in Africa is on its way to being Red all over.

Author: Lindsey Williams