GOOD RIDDANCE TO THE CLARK AMENDMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000606530001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 27, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 10, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/27: CIA-RDP90-00552R000606530001-2
ON NEW YORK TIMES
FA
ON FA~c 10 August 1985
Letters
Good Riddance to the Clark Amendment'
To the Editor:
"Erring on Southern Africa," the
July 23 Op-Ed article by Pauline
Baker, neglected an important aspect
of Miss Baker's past - her employ-
ment with ex-Senator Dick Clark, au-
thor of the disastrous, and fortunately
now defunct, Clark Amendment of
1976, which banned military assist-
ance to Angola's freedom fighters.
Miss Baker's premise that the
Clark repeal makes it "harder than
ever" for Angolans to send the
Cubans home is preposterous. Amer-
ica's capitulation allowed the Rus-
sians a free hand and no cost to their
intervention in Angola. For the 10
years the amendment was law, when
there was no threat of U.S. assistance
to the democratic resistance, the
Soviet and Cuban presence expanded.
The survival of the regime of the
Marxist Popular Movement for the
Liberation of Angola (M.P.L.A.)
rests on the estimated total of 35,000
to 45,000 Cuban forces. Without their
military muscle, the regime would
fail quickly to the troops of Units, the
popular, democratic National Union
for the Total Independence of Angola,
which control half the country. The
last four years of negotiations with
and concessions to the M.P.L.A. have
failed, since the only diplomatic set-
tlement the Angolan Communists will
accept is one that will preserve their
unelected, totalitarian regime.
True, commercial interests in An-
gola have expanded. Today, over 90
percent of the Marxist Government's
revenue is supplied by American oil
royalties. Fidel Castro sees no incon-
sistency in his soldiers' protecting
U.S. business interests, stating thht
the contradiction is on the American
side. Refreshingly, he speaks the
truth; it was advantageous for him to
have U.S. business interests lobbying
against Clark repeal.
While Miss Baker encourages "con-
structive engagement" for Marxist
Mozambique and Angola, she criti-
cizes the policy toward America !e
strongest friend and ally on the conti-
nent: South Africa. How can she calla
reform-oriented government, which is'
making strides toward ending Apart
held, one of the world's most "perni.
cious oligarchies" when Desmond
Tutu is free to fly around the world
criticizing it and return without fear'pt.
reprisal? If only Andrei Sakharov and
Lech Walesa had such liberty! ..
Attacks over human rights on Iran;
Cuba, South Vietnam, Nicaragua and
Rhodesia fell short of their obja-
tives. Pro-Western governments col-
lapsed; Communist and other anti-
American regimes replaced theta-
Human rights in all these countries
severely deteriorated.
The challenge to America is how-to
better human rights without losing
allies to the Russians. The President
should ignore the clamor of thew.
seeking appeasement of Americas
enemies in Africa, and revolution in
South Africa, rather than peaceful,
resolution of a complex political
situation. STEVE SYMMS-
Washington, Aug. 5, 1985
The writer, U.S. Senator from Idaho,
sponsored the Senate repeal of the
Clark Amendment.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/27: CIA-RDP90-00552R000606530001-2