Wet liberal Smith
From Mr Stephen Goodson Sir: David Blair in his article on Ian Smith's schadenfreude over Robert Mugabe's refer- endum defeat (`Smith's jig of joy', 19 February) perpetuates the former's status as a hero of the white Right.
Ian Smith was anything but a conserva- tive and was in all probability a plant from the liberal United Federal party when he joined the Rhodesian Front in 1962.
In 1965 Rhodesia faced two choices: either to capitulate to a puppet Marxist regime and accept the best possible terms which would ever be available, or to go it alone, for which chances of success were good. Smith pre- ferred to be a fence-sitter and had to be coerced by his colleagues into UDI (Unilat- eral Declaration of Independence).
Most of the Western world, with the exception of its dissolute leaders, were sym- pathetic to this decision, but Smith spurned all grassroots offers of international assis- tance. The tribal chiefs of Rhodesia were also willing to give their wholehearted sup- port to the continuation of white gover- nance. Such allegiance would have virtually secured the tribal trust lands from terrorist infiltration. Smith chose not to empower the chiefs and ignored their friendly overtures. Instead, a senseless and farcical policy of settlement negotiations was pursued over the next 15 years. This policy created unwar- ranted expectations and served only to undermine morale. On the military front the superior Rhodesian army was continually restrained a la Vietnam, and when concert- ed action was finally taken it was too late. Smith was a consummate deceiver; while maintaining the pretence of being a victim of Western hypocrisy, he slavishly followed the internationalist agenda and knowingly betrayed the birthright of all Rhodesia's people.
Stephen Goodson
Rondebosch, 7700, South Africa
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