South Africa Ignoring Both Carrot and Stick

When the U.S. Congress voted to impose economic sanctions on South Africa last October, overriding President Reagan's veto in the process, legislators in effect wrote two lists. One enumerated U.S. policy goals for South Africa, including the freeing of political prisoners, repeal of key laws enforcing racial apartheid, and entering into negotiation with legitimate representatives of the country's black majority. The other spelled out areas of trade and finance that would no longer be permitted until those goals were attained, including new U.S. investments in South Africa and the importation of that country's agricultural products, coal, iron, uranium, textiles and military...