European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 11, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                \ wednesday May 11 1994 commentary the stars and stripes Page 15 Anthony Lewis Nelson Mandela became president of a new South aft Fca because of what he and other South Quot africans did. It was mainly an internal struggle that led to the extraordinary denouement we have been seeing. But outside pressure did help. That is Worth remembering at a time when we Are called upon to consider the effectiveness and the desirability of economic sanctions against governments that violate human rights from Haiti to China. Until quite recently the outside world cared Little about South Africa. From the beginning of apart Neid in 1948 through the ban rings and detentions and killings of the 1950s and 1960s, South Africa did not Register on the Richter scale of american politics. The first american political Leader who showed real interest was Robert Kennedy. In a trip to South Africa in 1966, he challenged the tyranny and fear that then had the country m their grip. At a time when few diplomats visited Black townships or entertained Black leaders sen. Kennedy identified with the Black majority and with All the victims of repression. Many South africans Black and White have told me that he gave them courage to fight injustice and reason to believe that some in the outside world would care. The most significant pressure from outside came from Boycotts arid sane tons. The first was the sports Boycott started by Dennis Brutus an exiled South african poet. It led to the exclusion of South Africa from the olympics and other events a which Hurt because South africans care about sports. In the 1960s, the american committee on Africa from its Small office in new York began campaigning for economic sanctions. Its director Jennifer Davis a Friend who should not on that account be omitted persevered for 30 years against indifference and furious resistance. The sanctions Campaign supported especially by churches and students made headway at universities and in cities and states with Large pension funds Banks were pressed to Stop lending to South Africa. In the 1980s, Tran Africa headed by Randall Robinson dramatized the sane tons  in Washington. On sunday Robinson ended his fast against . Policy on Haiti. In 1986, Congress passed the anti apartheid act Over president Reagan a veto a in Good part because a group of conservative republicans led by rep. Vin Weber of Minnesota supported it. Nelson Mandela has called the act s comprehensive economic sanctions a crucial piece of outside pressure. A not All conservatives were As Clear sighted As Weber and his colleagues. Reagan spoke warmly of the South african government his administration even tried to Deport Brutus from the United states. Henry Kissinger advised president Nixon to soften americans Quot stance toward White regimes in Southern Africa and Nixon took the advice. Some americans insisted in the Teeth of reality that the african National Congress did not speak for most. South africans. As late As 1990, the Provost of Boston University Jon Westling rebuked a school superintendent for praising Nelson Mandela Mandela he said a has thrown in his lot with the  but Riveri some people who really opposed apartheid Pooh poohed sanctions As ineffective or harmful to Blacks. But of course the Black victims of apartheid mostly wanted sanctions. Prime. Minister Margaret Thatcher blocked Commonwealth support for sanctions. Instead the Commonwealth in 1986, sent a Mission to South Africa that saw Mandela in prison and found him a unmarked by any Trace of  then the Thatcher governments ambassador sir Robin Renwick played an important part in persuading president  Klerk Ana his colleagues to release the political prisoners and negotiate. Sir Robin is now the ambassador in Washington. If people of Good will in the outside world had understood earlier the importance of change in South Africa and How a i Iii Asci i be j ii i ,1 j t a i Quot 11 a is Hii i i Oil i1 i Al 1 i i i a 111 via i i. V 1ll1 a Illa Quot a of ii k. I a 1 a m to is i i our up a too Xiru amp of a cd a sanctions could help bring it about much change might have been even later and misery would have been avoided and bloodier. Late As it is what has been Many lives spared. But it is also True that achieved now is reason for Celebration with different leaders on either Side  War a resolved a said said the Resolution of the 24th North Carolina regt on aug. 26,1863, a that the blood and Thunder men should practice what they preach by getting into the ranks and fighting or forever hold their cowardly tongues whether Saint or  then and now the views of those in the ranks who would close with the enemy with Rifle and Bayonet with their own sweat and blood and possibly at the Cost of their own lives differ considerably from those who preach the Virtues of military involvement while far removed from the Battlefield to the civilian interventionists and editorialists now baying for . Soldiers to be committed to action in Bosnia in Haiti and in other trouble spots around the world military operations Are an intellectual abstraction. Addressing the graduating class at West Point in 1869, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman one of americans fiercest warriors noted that phenomenon Over a Century ago a i know there exist Many Good men who honestly believe that one May with the Aid of modern science sit in Comfort and ease in his office chair and with Little blocks of Wood to represent men or even with figures and algebraic symbols master the great game of War a he said. A i think this an insidious and most dangerous mis take. The Soldier in the ranks is not a Block of Wood or a Mere unit he is a Man like yourselves full of feeling and passion varying in size and strength and All the attributes of manhood.�?�. Those words came to mind As i trooped the line of the 1st and 3rd battalions of the 21st inf at Schofield Barracks Hawaii paraded in my Honor As the newly appointed honorary colonel of the regiment. And they were brought Home again the following evening As the Young soldiers of those Rifle companies and their corporals sergeants lieutenants and captains and their Harry g. Summers wives passed through the receiving line at the regimental dining out they brought Back memories of my own experiences with the a Gimlet so of the 21st inf with who nil served As a Corporal and sergeant in the mountains of Korea in 1950 and 1951, Long before any of those now serving in these ranks were even born. A was one Man varies from another so bodies of men vary still More a Sherman said a whilst certain characteristics pervade them  in Korea most of the soldiers were draftees or reservists. My Rifle squad included a railway locomotive Engineer a District of Columbia policeman and a Soldier with a masters degree from Harvard. Today however All soldiers Are volunteers. But then and now they were All infantrymen with All that end . Although it is Seldom mentioned the first thing being an infantryman requires is unlimited liability. A Navy Admiral a distinguished Vietnam War fighter Pilot once said he did no to know the difference Between direct and indirect combat. A Rifleman does. Its called the topographical Crest of the Hill. If you re dug in 20 meters Down the front slope with no Way in hell of getting out when the enemy attacks you re in direct combat. Indirect combat has its Dan Gers too but those a rear Echelon willies on the reverse slope can Cut and run if it gets too bad. The tanks can reverse gear and drive away. The planes can zoom out of harms Way and the artillery can be displaced to a safer location. But the riflemen Are stuck. They have a commitment to stand and fight and if need be to die a a commitment that is shared by no one else in the armed forces. They Are the military a True elite. Whereas once nuclear bombs and missiles were americans a strategic forces a a today conventional forces Are once again the True strategic i.e., War winning Force. And at the heart of conventional forces is the infantry. All the other arms and services exist to support their Mission to seize and hold ground. Everything depends on combat Karl von Clausewitz emphasized in his treatise on War 160 years ago. Even if you never fight it depends on combat because it rests on the perception that if you did fight you a win. That a Why As Canadian Brig. Gen. Ian Douglas pointed out last month at an air Force Academy sym Posi urn even when it comes to peacekeeping operations highly trained infantry units Are the Best ones for the Job. -. A. But they cannot be committed lightly. As Sherman said they Are not blocks of Wood and neither Are these volunteers a kind of foreign legion. They Are americans sons and daughters As to their credit the news Media remind us when one of these soldiers is killed or injured in the nations service. If today so blood and Thunder men Are so anxious to intervene perhaps they could As in the Spanish civil War in the 1930s, form a latter Day Lincoln brigade with companies from the new Republic the new York times the Washington Post and other such jingoism organizations. Save the infantry for when the vital interests of the nation itself Are imperilled. A c los Angeles times