“Ingabe Umqedazwe Wokuthula”?

“UMQEDAZWE WOKUTHULA.” “Oh, Yeka Izwe Elinokuthula.” “Ukuthula Kuvumbuka Kuyo Yonke Indawo.” Lezi zaziphakathi kwezihloko eziyinhloko zamaphephandaba eziye zashaqisa abafundi phakathi nonyaka owodwa noma emibili edlule. Emhlabeni wonke, ukushintsha kwezindaba zisuka ekubeni ezidabukisayo nezingajabulisi ziya ekubeni ezithembisayo kwakumangaza. Kwakwenzekani?

Ngokuphawulekayo, esikhathini esingeside esidlule zonke izimpi eziyinhloko eziningana zafinyelela ekupheleni noma ubukhulu bazo bancipha ezinyangeni ezimbalwa nje. EAfrika, ukuthula ‘kwaqubuka’ eAngola. EAsia Ephakathi, iSoviet Union yahoxisa amabutho ayo eAfghanistan. EMelika Ephakathi, ukulwa phakathi kukahulumeni waseNicaragua nezihlubuki zaseContra kwaphela. ENingizimu-mpumalanga Asia, abaseVietnam bavuma ukuhoxa eKampuchea. “Umqedazwe wokuthula” wafinyelela ngisho naseMpumalanga Ephakathi lapho ekugcineni impi yokomela igazi phakathi kweIran neIraq iphela.

Mhlawumbe okuphawuleka ngisho nangokwengeziwe kwakuwumoya omusha phakathi kwemibuso emikhulu. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-40 yempi yomshosha phansi, kwakunzima ukukholelwa izenzo zokubuyisana, amazwi azwakalisa izithakazelo ezifanayo, nezinyathelo ezingokoqobo eziqonde ekuthuleni phakathi kweSoviet Union neUnited States. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokwe-Economist, iYurophu manje isiye yaqalisa inkathi eqhubekayo ende kunazo zonke engenampi kuwo wonke umlando wayo obhaliwe. Ngempela, ukuthula kungundab’ uzekwayo.

Kusho ukuthini? Ingabe izazi zezombangazwe zisonqenqemeni lokuletha “ukuthula ngesikhathi sethu”? Eminyakeni engamashumi amahlanu nanye edlule, lamazwi ashiwo ngumongameli waseBrithani uNeville Chamberlain. Abonakala ewukubhuqa okunonya, esikhathini esifushane kamuva, lapho kugqashuka impi yezwe yesibili. Ingabe manje azoba yiqiniso ekugcineni?