State’s Superfine-Tuning

On January 26 Glenn Frankel wrote an article for the Washington Post, datelined Maputo, remarking how “incongruous” it was that the Reagan Administration was now supporting “a self-declared Marxist-Leninist ruler of a one-party state,” namely Samora Machel of Mozambique. A few days earlier Frank Wisner, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, had visited Maputo (formerly Lourenço Marques) where he had “discussed with Mozambican officials how the United States can aid Mozambique further.” The plan, concocted by Machel and Chester Crocker, the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, was for the Reagan Administration to request $1 million worth of “non-lethal” military aid for the Marxist government, and to request an additional $150,000 to send Mozambican soldiers to the United States where they would receive military training. More than 200,000 tons of food aid have already been sent to Mozambique.

Two weeks later, on February 11, President Reagan’s autopen-inscribed signature appeared in the Federal Register beneath the following “Memorandum for the Secretary of State”: “Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 3 (a) (1) of the Arms Export Control Act, I hereby find that the furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the government of Mozambique will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace. You are directed on my behalf to report this finding to the Congress.”

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Tom Bethell

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On January 26 Glenn Frankel wrote an article for the Washington Post, datelined Maputo, remarking how “incongruous” it was that the Reagan Administration was now supporting “a self-declared Marxist-Leninist ruler of a one-party state,” namely Samora Machel of Mozambique. A few days earlier Frank Wisner, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, had visited Maputo (formerly Lourenço Marques) where he had “discussed with Mozambican officials how the United States can aid Mozambique further.” The plan, concocted by Machel and Chester Crocker, the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, was for the Reagan Administration to request $1 million worth of “non-lethal” military aid for the Marxist government, and to request an additional $150,000 to send Mozambican soldiers to the United States where they would receive military training. More than 200,000 tons of food aid have already been sent to Mozambique.

Two weeks later, on February 11, President Reagan’s autopen-inscribed signature appeared in the Federal Register beneath the following “Memorandum for the Secretary of State”: “Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 3 (a) (1) of the Arms Export Control Act, I hereby find that the furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the government of Mozambique will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace. You are directed on my behalf to report this finding to the Congress.”