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INBRIEF
POLITICAL PROMISES–
AND REALITY
by
Stanley R. Rader
The author accompanies
Plain
Truth
Editor-in-Chief Herbert
W.
Armstrong on his frequent
visits
with heads ot state and
other leading international
dignitaries.
"Hardline by Blacks Perils Rhode–
sian Plant!" "Twenty Killed in Up–
surge of Rhodesia Fighting!"
" Rhodesia ' s War Continues!"
These are only a few of the head–
lines that have screamed at us re–
cently from the pages of our daily
newspapers. Yet, it was only a few
short weeks ago that Mr. Kissinger
announced yet another "peace"
that he had miraculously engi–
neered during his latest mission to
Africa. What a paradox!
In reality, has not another Kiss–
inger "peace plan," so carefully
timed to maximize its U.S. election
impact, been revealed as just one
more piece of stagecraft rather
than true statesmanship?
Let's examine, for a moment,
what Secretary of State Kiss1nger
has apparently effected thus far
for Rhodesia and for its white mi–
nority. He shuttled between vari–
ous black African states, meeting
with their leaders , who were
threatening to use force against
Rhodesia in violation of inter–
national law if the government of
Rhodesia did not turn over power
to the black majority. Mr. Kiss–
inger apparently received the
promises of these various black
leaders not to go to war against
Rhodesia, and then, proceeding
on to Salisbury, Mr. Kissinger con–
fronted Prime Minister Smith with
his proposal that an interim gov–
ernment be formed immediately to
bring about black majority rule
The
PLAIN TRUTH December 1976
withln a two-year pe_riod during
which there would be adequate
provisions to prevent a bloodbath.
What Mr. Kissinger did not do
was to shuttle between the two
competing Rhodesian guerrilla
factions headed by Joshua
Nkomo and Robert Mugabe, who
are now demanding immediate
and absolute rule for the black
majority. They have refused to ra–
tify the agreement made between
Mr. Kissinger and Mr. Smith, and
the evidence received from Rho–
desia is that the black guerrilla war
has escalated since Prime Minister
Smith publicly agreed to black
majority rule within two years.
There will be a continued effort
for peace during the conference
scheduled to begin in late October
in Geneva during which an interim
government is to be formed, but it
is doubtful that there will be a
peaceful transition from the
present white minority to the black
majority.
While guerrilla war continues
unabated in Rhodesia, Americans
are caught up in the coming Presi–
dential election. Last week
1
watched the second Ford-Carter
debate along with 80 million other
Americans.
1
remembered, as both
men were doing their best to
promise everything to the Ameri –
can people, the evening that
1
spent with Franz Joseph Strauss
of West Germany shortly after
Presiden! Nixon's inauguration in
January
1969.
On that occasion
the former minister of defense and
tinance was asked by one of those
present what he thought President
Nixon was thinking about above
all other things at that moment.
Without any hesitation , Mr .
Strauss stated: "Why , how to get
elected again in
1972."
lt is unfortunately true that too
often political leaders have been
more concerned about their own
personal success than the social
responsibilities that devolve upon
them on ascending to the office
that they have so dutifully sought.
lt is also too painfully true that
leaders have often promised the
impossible and the unreal -
promises that have not only left
social and economic problems un–
solved, but have also resulted in
an incredible loss of human lite.
Let us never forget that only a
short time ago the leaders of Ger–
many and Japan led their people
in a war to conquer the world - a
war that cost at least 30 million
human lives. Let us also not forget
that only a few years ago the U.S.
was engaged in a bloody war in
Vietnam - a war that was to per–
mit South Vietnam to remain free
of domination from North Vietnam,
a war that was to keep Southeast
Asia free of communist domina–
tion, a war that was to convince
our allies we would honor our
defense commitment to any gov–
ernment, and a war that, in the
end, did not prevent the South
Vietnamese government from col–
lapsing.
lt should be abundantly clear
that only when world leaders put
aside their own petty ambitions
and greedy national aspirations
and begin to genuinely think in
terms of the needs and welfare of
their own people and of the world
as a whole will the peace and
prosperity that they so gl1bly
promise become a reality. The
daily news, however, holds out
little hope that such a change of
heart will be soon forthcoming. As
The Plain Truth
has for so long
proclaimed, it will reqUire the inter–
vention of almighty God and the
imposing of his government of
love and outgoing concern to fi–
nally put an end to the strife, tur–
moil, and confusion we find in the
world today.
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