Indivisible Terrorism

Was I the only NR reader, I wonder, who felt at least mildly queasy when reading Western reactions to South Africa’s raids on the capitals of three neighboring black states? Mr. Larry Speakes, for the White House, expressed “outrage.” Sir Geoffrey Howe, for the British government, “deplored” the attacks. The European Commission felt “profound concern and indignation” and called the raids “condemnable.”

And all that was just the top end. Mr. Neil Kinnock, for the British Labour Party, and Dr. David Owen, for the Social Democrats, called on the government to impose sanctions. At what might be termed the spluttering end, Mr. Shridath (“Sonny”) Ramphal, the Commonwealth Secretary General, accused the South African government of having “declared war on peace in southern Africa.”

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Brian Crozier

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Was I the only NR reader, I wonder, who felt at least mildly queasy when reading Western reactions to South Africa’s raids on the capitals of three neighboring black states? Mr. Larry Speakes, for the White House, expressed “outrage.” Sir Geoffrey Howe, for the British government, “deplored” the attacks. The European Commission felt “profound concern and indignation” and called the raids “condemnable.”

And all that was just the top end. Mr. Neil Kinnock, for the British Labour Party, and Dr. David Owen, for the Social Democrats, called on the government to impose sanctions. At what might be termed the spluttering end, Mr. Shridath (“Sonny”) Ramphal, the Commonwealth Secretary General, accused the South African government of having “declared war on peace in southern Africa.”