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2003-05-19 East/Subsaharan Africa

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Posted by Fred Pruitt 2003-05-19 03:51 am|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 It'd be nice if we paid a little more attention to Latin America and Africa than we do. Long term, it could really come back and bite us in the rearend.

And, besides, the French could use another lesson in how to do things right.

Posted by Chuck 2003-05-19 07:27:20|| [blog.simmins.org] 2003-05-19 07:27:20|| Front Page Top

#2 Since Charles Taylor is obviously a *bad* guy and would be a bad European, why don't they indict him before the majestic International Criminal Court! That'll have him shaking in his boots in no time.

Posted by Ray 2003-05-19 08:15:08|| [campuscgi.princeton.edu/~ray/weblog/] 2003-05-19 08:15:08|| Front Page Top

#3 I will *not* make the obvious juke on Ruud Lubbers' name...I will *not* make the obvious juke on Ruud Lubbers' name...I will *not* make the obvious juke on Ruud Lubbers' name...

Nope. Not gonna do it...

Posted by mojo 2003-05-19 09:48:49|| 2003-05-19 09:48:49|| Front Page Top

#4 "peaceful and fairly democratic"

Well unfortunately it was peaceful only cause of the limitations on democracy - it was ruled by americo-liberians (descendants of freed black american slaves) who only made up 3% of the country - when the locals took over, it all went hell.

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-05-19 12:18:18|| 2003-05-19 12:18:18|| Front Page Top

#5 Maybe they should have stayed in charge? If the limitations on democracy staved of what they've had since the limitations went bye-bye, maybe the tradeoff was worth it? Rule by Tubmans seems to have been somewhat less despotic than rule by Charles Tayler.

Posted by Fred 2003-05-19 13:19:50|| 2003-05-19 13:19:50|| Front Page Top

#6 It'd be nice if we paid a little more attention to Latin America and Africa than we do.

Chuck,
IF we pay attention, we're called "interfering", "imperialistic", and "meddlesome". If we don't pay attention, we're called "inattentive", "myopic", and "self-centered". It's a total no-win situation. All we can do is to allow Africa and Latin America to do whatever they wish, until it reaches the point where Americans and American interest are seriously affected. Then it's time to knock heads, run the really NASTY party over the cliff, and pull back again. It'll take doing this ten or twelve times before anybody catches on that their ACTION is why we RESPOND. Eventually, though, even the worst regime will either get the message, or there won't be enough bad guys left to reach critical mass.

Posted by Old Patriot 2003-05-19 16:43:43|| 2003-05-19 16:43:43|| Front Page Top

#7 Last year we heard a lot about Al Qaeda's profiting from the dirty diamond trade in Liberia and especially Sierra Leone. Is this no longer an issue? If it still is, is it not reason enough for active intervention -- intervention that would bring massive collateral benefits to the people of those two miserable countries?

Posted by closet neo-con 2003-05-19 19:20:04|| 2003-05-19 19:20:04|| Front Page Top

#8 Luud Rubbers. Take that.

Posted by Brian 2003-05-20 00:03:46|| 2003-05-20 00:03:46|| Front Page Top

#9 There has to be a confluence of national interests and national security before we militarily intervene anywhere. Funny, though, how a UN official turns into a bloodthirsty warmonger calling for the US to save someone's bacon.

As I recall there are a few other vetoing nations on the "Security Council." Now would be a great time for Russia, China, and France to show their stuff.

Posted by R. McLeod 2003-05-20 00:27:49|| 2003-05-20 00:27:49|| Front Page Top

15:48 Peter North
09:08 Anon1
07:57 True German Ally
07:56 ----------<<<<-
07:16 Chuck
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06:59 Ptah
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00:27 R. McLeod
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23:36 Bomb-a-rama
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