Nelson Mandela’s Controversial Ties to Arafat, Kadafi and Castro

Surely, Comrade Mandela must have misspoken when he said: “We have no time to look into the internal affairs of other countries.” Alas, he is already looking into the internal affairs of Israel when he proudly supports its most persistent enemies, Comrades Kadafi and Arafat. As the future leader of South Africa, he must and will find time to learn that foreign policy and diplomacy should take into account the internal affairs of all countries, not just those that do not suit his political purposes.

If the people of the United States did not want to take the time to look into the internal affairs of other countries, Mandela would still be in prison, Russian refuseniks and dissidents would still populate the frozen Siberian hard-labor camps and Israel would have disappeared years ago.

The United States will continue to look into the internal affairs of both present and future South Africa to make sure it will not stifle the work of future Helen Suzmans in building racial democracy and religious tolerance.

KENNETH Z. LAUTMAN

Los Angeles