The Ibos in Biafra (the eastern region of Nigeria) had attempted to secede, the Nigerian government had cracked down with all its force-and the Labour government in Britain was backing the Nigerian government. Mr. Waugh had visited the region as a journalist and come back to write Biafra: Britain's Shame. A rich discussion of the state of Africa, how a country decides when to intervene in others' disputes, and much else. WFB: "Well, is it then your assumption that if the consequences of backing the Nigerian government had been known, neither the Labour government nor a Conservative government would have proceeded to do so?" AW: "Well, I can't honestly believe that they're either so wicked or so stupid as to dissent from that. On the other hand, when was it? About nine months ago, I was going around, because my job takes me among all the politicians in England, and telling them, 'If you go on with this policy, [Colonel] Gowon [Nigeria's dictator] is going to kill half a million people.' And they laughed at me and said, 'Where do you get that figure from?' And of course I had invented it, but it was my assessment of what it would cost. Well, now they know it's cost a million and a half. You know, one does wonder whether in point of fact they care, because politically they've got away with it. It hasn't made a big impact politically, in England."