Spectator's Notebook
ONE of the minor irritants of the Rhodesia situation is that events always happen on Wednesdays. For a weekly like the Spectator this is the worst possible time. Our function is to comment and to put events into perspective. As
we have dealt with Rhodesia in the past this is what we have tried to do. 'Crisis' is an artificial, inflated word. It occurs when people panic and lose sight of their longer-term objectives. In this sense the Rhodesian situation need never have been critical, though it was always in danger of becoming so.
The Prime Minister's statement in the House on the dispatch of a British force to Zambia is still news to us. But it seems to be fraught with danger. The British policy of imposing sufficient strain on the Rhodesian economy until negotia- tions could be resumed was well known. Dr. Kaunda's fears of repercussions on Zambia were understood and his request for British protection in the event of an emergency could hardly have been refused. Nevertheless, by the terms in which he has acceded to it Mr. Wilson has taken one more step down the slippery slope of yielding to international pressure, and of getting into action against his own better judgment. It was never very likely that Rhodesia would attack Kariba. There is now, however, an open invitation for anyone who wants to trigger off further British action to indulge in sabotage. It would never be easy to establish where the sabotage came from and the clamour for a British invasion would then be stronger than ever. The Prime Minister may well consider it irresistible. Yet if he has any faith in his own earlier policy, he will have to resist. That policy was based on the belief that Rhodesia would yield in time. She has had so far only three weeks. It was further based on the belief that Britain must handle the situation herself. From both those beliefs the Prime Minister now seems to be retreating.
Another retreat seems implicit in the new sanctions announced on Wednesday. Mr. Cal- laghan's measures—which include a savage attack on all pensioners living in Rhodesia– Seem almost designed to destroy the national unity on this issue:
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