If there ever was a speech that seemed calculated to start a war, it was Henry Kissinger’s speech in Zambia calling for the overthrow of the government of Rhodesia, Delivered the day after Tanzania threatened that “the war has started” for Rhodesia, Kissinger stated that the United States will confront Rhodesia with “our unrelenting opposition,” that we will impose “mandatory economic sanctions against Rhodesia,” and that the American taxpayers will give 12.5 million to Communist Mozambique in order to promote an economic squeeze play against Rhodesia.
Kissinger also urged Congress to forbid the importation of chrome from Rhodesia. The big beneficiary of this act would be Russia which is the only other major source of chrome.
Both the Soviet Union and Cuba have white minority governments infinitely worse than Rhodesia. Russia and Cuba have Communist dictatorships, headed by white dictators Brezhnev and Castro, who deny more civil liberties than does Rhodesia. There is also less democracy and civil liberty in the countries attacking Rhodesia than in Rhodesia itself.
If Dr. Kissinger is sincere about aiding the overthrow of a white minority government, he should start with Cuba, only 90 miles away. Rhodesia has never invaded another country, whereas Cuba recently invaded and conquered the peaceful black country of Angola. There are plenty of Cuban Freedom Fighters available who would be glad for U.S. aid to liberate their native country from Castro’s Communist dictatorship.
Likewise, if Dr. Kissinger is yearning to free people from white minority rule, he can start in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, or any of the other Captive Nations that have so often proved their passionate desire for freedom and their willingness to fight, if necessary with their bare hands, to get rid of their white Communist dictators.
Dr. Kissinger’s support of liberation movements in Africa is in stunning contrast to his policy toward Eastern Europe, as articulated by his deputy, Helmut Sonnenteldt, in a recent speech in London. Sonnenfeldt told a meeting of U.S. Ambassadors that it is our policy to wake Eastern Europe an “organic” part of the Soviet Union.
The State Department has been trying to explain Sonnenfeldt’s statement ever since it was made, but all subsequent statements only prove that the Kissinger policy is to oppose any and all efforts to win freedom or independence for Eastern Europe. This is craven appeasement of the Kremlin at the expense of the millions of Americans of Eastern European descent who cherish the hope that their homeland may someday be free again.
The overthrow of Rhodesia and South Africa is now openly threatened by Mozambique and Angola, which are fortified with arms shipments from the Soviet Union and by thousands of Cuban soldiers. Before Dr. Kissinger announces his support of pro-Communist invaders of anti-Communist nations friendly to the United States, he should first obtain Congressional approval for his radical change in American policy.
