Voice from the Wilderness

The Angolan civil war continues: no one but the ideologically infirm can deny that any longer. A protracted nationalist insurgency has now spread throughout central and southern Angola; fighting is frequent and increasingly heavy; the economy is in ruins; and half the total land area and population of the country is beyond the effective control of the central government.

The Marxist MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) rules the capital city of Luanda, but it stays in power largely because of massive Soviet aid, 28,000 Cuban combat troops, and several thousand East European advisors. And despite repeated offensives and a systematic policy of political repression, the Luanda regime remains unable to cope with its guerrilla opposition.

About the Author

Francis X. Maier

Francis X. Maier is a senior fellow in Catholic studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

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The Angolan civil war continues: no one but the ideologically infirm can deny that any longer. A protracted nationalist insurgency has now spread throughout central and southern Angola; fighting is frequent and increasingly heavy; the economy is in ruins; and half the total land area and population of the country is beyond the effective control of the central government.

The Marxist MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) rules the capital city of Luanda, but it stays in power largely because of massive Soviet aid, 28,000 Cuban combat troops, and several thousand East European advisors. And despite repeated offensives and a systematic policy of political repression, the Luanda regime remains unable to cope with its guerrilla opposition.