The S. African government at the time saw how the US and British aggressively forced the white Rhodesians to hand power too Mugabe a mere 10 years before. They were under great global economic and social pressure to do the same. Remember how Hollywood made South Africans the villains in many movies of the late 80s?
Given the collapse of the Soviet Union, which was a miracle for peace in the entire 3rd world, the White S. Africans saw a window to perhaps have a chance to give up power, as was being forced by the USA, while hopefully not be plunged into civil war by a Soviet-sponsored movement.
Nicely stated.
Initially, I thought that a lot of what happened in SA was the doing of the Carter administration, but it was a few years after he was gone. I do remember U2 and their song about Sun City. The very same place that all the acts played, at one time, until it wasn’t cool to play there anymore.
It’s amazing how the elected “leaders” around the world can f*ck up so much and walk away rich. I’m certainly no historian, US or world, but I cannot think of one instance where any good was obtained from one country interfering with another. Sure, some guys are brutal and I would have no problem with the US putting a couple of 2000lb, JDAMS on his residence to stop some wholesale slaughter of his own people, but it seems like the “powers that be” can screw up a wet dream.(I’m thinking the Mexican president needs one, so he’ll get serious about the immigration problem he’s contributing to).
Rhodesia....the Bread Basket of Africa..desolate wasteland now. Apparently, when Mugabe drove around, he had gun trucks in front and to the rear of his motorcade, everywhere he went. If the motorcade had oncoming traffic, the other car was supposed to pull off to the side of the road. If they didn’t, the machine gunner in the lead gun truck would open fire to force the car off the road. If they driver, and anyone else is the vehicle were killed/injured, they were just left on the side of the road to bleed out and die.
And to think, these are the kind of folks that are seeking asylum in the US every day.