Big Daddy's Latest War

Whenever his army begins to get a little restless, Uganda's General Idi ("Big Daddy") Amin Dada announces that an invasion of his East African country is about to take place. The "guerrillas" and "spies" may emanate from neighboring Rwanda, but more often they are said to be coming from Tanzania, which in fact did allow a band of Ugandan rebels to cross the border last September in a vain effort to overthrow Amin. After that, both Tanzania and Uganda agreed to move their troops at least six miles back from their common border.

Nonetheless, Big Daddy has been crying wolf ever since. Two months ago, he warned that 800 men were ready to march against him. Nothing happened. Last week a series of war bulletins broadcast by Radio Uganda sounded like the start of a full-scale invasion. First the radio announced that a 3,500-man army of Ugandan exiles, Tanzanian soldiers and some of the Asians whom Amin expelled last year were poised to attack. Next day it reported that the invasion force had crossed the border and reached Masaka, 80 miles from the capital, before being driven back. The radio solemnly warned that a second invasion was expected "within hours," and that all Ugandan soldiers "must be ready to die in the defense of the motherland."

From the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam, three Somali envoys ventured forth to survey the battlefront. They found nothing whatever happening. Finally, with characteristic panache, General Amin himself toured the border and announced proudly that everything was "peaceful and calm" once more. Back in Dar, a Tanzanian spokesman summed up the wole affair as "utter nonsense." To which watchers of Amin might add "Amen."

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