Southern Africa: A Cataclysm Averted?

Worldview ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 11-16
Author(s):  
Ross K. Baker

In a time when idiocies such as the domino theory comprise a substantial part of American foreign policy one has to look hard for evidence that authentic national interest is anywhere being invoked as a rationale for external relations. That the Republic of South Africa seems to be a world power demonstrating innovation in diplomacy and putting shibboleths in their rightful place says something about the genera] bankruptcy of Western statecraft. While Ford and Kissinger flail about seeking justifications for American failures and misalliances, a moldy, outcast regime in Pretoria has embarked upon a path of diplomatic initiative which has effectively breached the wall of isolation that has surrounded it for two decades. The motives of the regime of John Vorster may be sinister and base, but there appears to be a far more sophisticated perception of long-term interests in Pretoria than in Washington.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (03) ◽  
pp. 82-95
Author(s):  
Lowell DITTMER

The election of Donald J Trump has greatly changed American foreign policy. Trump has introduced two policy innovations: (i) minimise American role as leader of the free world in favour of a more narrowly focused national interest; and (ii) renegotiate the terms of American relations with its main adversaries. While the first has the most significant long-term international consequences it has been inconsistently applied. Trump’s attention is on the latter, greatly impacting American Asia policy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  

South Africa is a country of global, continental and regional strategic importance. It is a global actor with the well-entrenched and long-standing international political and corporate role and presence and relative global strength. It is Africa’s qualitatively largest and strongest diversified economy. It is African continental and Southern African regional power with considerable continental and regional strength. These factors give it enormous advantages and privileges in playing a leading role in African affairs. They also, dialectically, serve as its key challenges it faces in its efforts to structurally transform its society and to contribute towards structural regional and continental restructuring. How given these factors should South Africa strategically invest on its national security in Southern Africa – the region where it has considerable power and authority – a region whose dependence upon it is a dominated process? There is a fundamental need for this process to be substantially reduced for South Africa’s long-term strategic interests. Its sustainable national security and increased progressive role in African affairs require truly regional allies in a requisite position to come to its aid in a period of its urgent need. Weak regional countries crucially depending on South Africa are of less importance to it. The achievement of their sustainable development is in the long-term strategic interests of South Africa in its internal and external relations. It is not only regional countries which need South Africa for their national security. South Africa also critically needs them particularly as a country expected to substantially increase its leading role in the structural regional and continental transformation. Its sustainable national security lies not only with the majority of its people, based on the satisfaction of their interests, investing on its defence, but also with the structurally restructured region walking together with it in the advancement of the structural continental transformation.


1961 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-19
Author(s):  
M. A. Fitzsimons

American foreign policy since 1945 has been made by the often cumbersome processes of response of a representative republic to very rapidly acquired responsibilities as a world power. It involves the story of the transformation of an isolationist citizenry, who had frequently assumed that international order was of no vital concern to it, or that the order would be maintained automatically, or that American efforts to maintain world order could end only in disaster because of the inadequacies of American leaders and the sophisticated deviousness of foreigners. The transformation of a largely isolationist citizenry into the consenting citizens of a republic facing the demands of world rivalry has the epic sweep of a decisive world historical movement. The magnitude of the effort involved, however, dwindles when the dimensions of the challenge to the republic are considered.


Author(s):  
A. FREDDIE

The article examines the place and role of democracy and human rights in South Africas foreign policy. The author analyzes the process of South Africas foreign policy change after the fall of the apartheid regime and transition to democracy. He gives characteristics of the foreign policy under different presidents of South Africa from 1994 to 2018 and analyzes the political activities of South Africa in the area of peacekeeping and human rights on the African continent.


1978 ◽  
Vol 8 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 111-111

Vice President Mondale has been participating extensively in Africa-related foreign policy matters since taking office in January, 1977. The Vice President works closely with Secretary of State Vance and Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young in the development of Africa-related policy recommendations for consideration by the President. The Vice President also participates in meetings with visiting African leaders and monitors political developments in Africa. Finally, at the President’s request, Vice President Mondale met with Prime Minister Vorster of South Africa to explain the new Administration’s policies toward southern Africa. Information on the Vice President’s staff’s involvement in Africa-related matters was requested but not received.


1975 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
Goler T. Butcher

Mr. Chairman, I wish to express appreciation for the invitation to appear before the Committee. It is Congress that must take the lead to end what is essentially a “cover-up” of U.S. policy on southern Africa. The Congress must insist on(1)a frank statement of the facts on the situation in South Africa,(2)an open analysis of U.S. interests in that area,(3)progress towards a therapeutic confrontation, discussion, debate, and analysis of what U.S. policy should be,(4)change with a view towards developing an honest, sensible and rational U.S. policy—consistent with U.S. interests—towards South Africa.


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