The United States launched a deadly air attack against Somalia last February, using the war on terror as a pretext. The bombings, which killed scores of civilians, were in support of an Ethiopian invasion to oust a Somalieregime composed of “Islamic militants” considered hostile to Ethiopia and reportedly sought by the United States. A convergence of Ethiopian and American interests… return to article
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Reader Comments (29)Page 1 of 1 pagesThe “WAR ON TERROR” is cold war for the 21st Century. This new cold war will be (and HAS been) used to justify an erosion of our civil rights at home and justify a lot of other bad things (bombings, imprisonments, propping up authoritarian regimes etc.) abroad. It certainly seems history does repeat itself. Thank you Mr. Muwakkil for the insightfulness.
Posted by lams712 on Apr 19, 2007 at 9:24 AM I agree that the US should get out of propping up various criminal sides in Africa and elsewhere. But that includes so-called humanitarian aid too and idiot ideas of sending troops to Darfur as suggested by both brainless leftlibs and brainless neocons. Africa is a total mess and the Africans themselves are 99% to blame. The Marxist cannibal Mugabe is
symptomatic of the whole continent.
Posted by blondemike on Apr 19, 2007 at 12:34 PM Having read other articles by Mr. Muwakkil, there was nothing here which I found particularly new or surprising. I fully expect most ITT writers and reader responses to be highly critical of the U.S. on any issue. Why should Africa be treated differently?
He wrote, “America’s new Africa initiatives are driven by the same concerns as the imperialism of the past: unrestricted access to the continent’s resources and geopolitical advantage over perceived enemies.”
This one passage pretty well sums up his position. Rather than list the points in the article with which I either disagree or detect no attempt at objectivity, I’ll move on to something else.
There are some aspects of this issue which are not quite as straight forward or obvious as the author’s assertions and opinions. The writer has no hesitation in presenting his views of what happened or who is at fault. But, he is puzzled by the non-event status of all this.
He says, “Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the Bush Administration’s bombing of Africa is the lack of any real public discussion in this country. The silence of African-American leadership is especially troubling.”
I read Mr. Muwakkil’s article shortly after watching more on the Virginia mass murders. An hour before that on NPR I heard part of a discussion about Africa’s widespread violence and the lack of anything being done in the Congo (where more than a million people have died since 1998) except U.N. “peace-keeping” attempts and humanitarian aid.
In recent years there have been 3000 suicide bombings which have killed thousands of people in Iraq, Afghanistan and other targets. There’ve been the senseless killings at Columbine, the WTC and now Virginia — massive natural calamities such as Katrina, tsunamis, tornadoes and earthquakes and, as if the 24/7 coverage of all these were not enough, a whole string of individual murders, rapes and accusations are dumped on us daily.
I think we are becoming so accustomed to tragedy and mayhem that nothing more can get through to us. There is an unreal quality to it all after a while. We feel sad, helpless and move on to other do-able things.Perhaps that is why Mr. Muwakkil is left to wonder why so little notice has been taken.
Posted by whattheheck on Apr 19, 2007 at 3:23 PM WTH, actually over five million people in the Congo just since 2000.
And I have to say the attention given to it has been rather sparse. But
bottom line it IS Africans killing each other and we can’t be the all-purpose scapegoat there. Mostly I agree with you, where we diverge is that I support the Founders’ ideas of no permanent friends, only US
interests and nonentanglement in other folks affairs. The Iraqis haven’t
had “democracy” for 5,000 years and the Founders wouldn’t have given a rat’s ass and I don’t either. We are overexposed to instant news breaking tragedies and becoming inured to it. That’s only normal. Too much of anything produces a negative reaction. It’s Salim’s job to keep the race kettle boiling at all times. It’s my job to try to minimize it or tune it out if I can’t.
Posted by blondemike on Apr 19, 2007 at 5:08 PM blondemike:
“it’s my job to try to minimize it or tune it out if I can’t”
What the fuck, you actually have a JOB???? Could have fooled me.
I guess if you coubt being a lying, racist, neofascist scumbug a job then you are a first-rate CEO. You and your KKK buddy whattheheck should at least ACTUALLY read the freaking article before you cast judgement on it.The main point was why in the hell the US IS STICKING IT’S nose in this African conflict (hint---it has something to do with American imperialism, this time justified by a “war on terror” rather than “anti-communism” as in years past), and why is there no reaction to this either in the media or in the black community. I honestly think you guys just like getting your jollies from posting outrageous comments to see what kind of reaction you’ll get.
Posted by lams712 on Apr 19, 2007 at 9:30 PM Iams,
Keep writing.
You’ve begun to sway my anti-abortion stance. Maybe there are times it would have been the better “choice.”
Posted by whattheheck on Apr 20, 2007 at 7:25 AM Iams,
“I do desire we may become better strangers.”
Posted by whattheheck on Apr 20, 2007 at 7:27 AM Somalia, home of modern day pirates. Congo, *only* home of the most advanced and only peaceful primates on the planet (Bonobos). Hey at least Congo made laws against slavery almost a decade ago (even though they are not enforced - hey Salim, here is a place for reparations). Rwanda, we all know (ain’t movies grand?). Sudan/Darfur. . .
Let’s face it, Africa is a mess. Hopeless as far as i can tell. Perhaps we should evacuate the entire continent and allow it to revert to a natural state? Hopeless. . .
Posted by wolf on Apr 20, 2007 at 7:54 AM Wolf, Africa should just ban guns!
Wait a minute — last night I watched a program about Liberia where they hacked a guy to death with machetes.
They should ban machetes,
and clubs,
and stones…
Hmmm, even in the natural state there may be problems we can’t fix.
Could that be?
Posted by whattheheck on Apr 20, 2007 at 9:16 AM WTH and Wolf, now you guys be nice to yittle yams, our yighting yittle yiberal. Last night, his mommy spanked him for abusing his internet privileges so he’s in a bad mood.
Posted by blondemike on Apr 20, 2007 at 9:37 AM On the contrary BM, I am in a great mood. I love pointing out the racist elements and calling them out for their racism and ignorance.
Posted by lams712 on Apr 20, 2007 at 12:50 PM Yittle Yams Our Yighting Yittle Yiberal’s “Argumentation”
“Lyaah ! Raayshist ! Faayshist ! Narrzi ! Auntey-Seamite !”
Posted by blondemike on Apr 20, 2007 at 1:59 PM BM
Whatever dude. You know I love your illogical arguments coupled with your inane blather befitting of a neo-fascist dilletante. Your legendary meltdowns and your name-calling definitely make things here at ITT interesting and even a little fun. Keep it up Li’l Buckaroo!!Hey bart:
WHO the FUCK are you??? “...kind of a stupid post above...” Who are you to judge anything and what does this have to do with a discussion about Mr. Muwakkil’s article???? Maybe you should stay out of other people’s battles.
Posted by lams712 on Apr 20, 2007 at 10:21 PM This post is starting to sound like a bunch of presidential hopefuls.
Looking forward to the “debates”?
Posted by whattheheck on Apr 21, 2007 at 6:19 AM yittle yams our yighting yittle yiberal, how goes the pwogwessive struggle today ? sorry about the supremes decision because i want yo’ ugly mama ho to have plenty of CHOICE.
Bart, ignore yittle yams. You have every right to comment here. yittle yams thinks he’s the pc cop on the beat but he only proves the axiom that “anti-racism” is the first refuge of the scoundrel and yittle yams hisself is the first of a dying breed.
WTH, we have MUCH higher cognitive levels than the Prez hopefuls.
Please, watch those insults.
Posted by blondemike on Apr 21, 2007 at 1:22 PM BM,
Yes, you’re right. My appologies to each of you.
In a sense I was actually upgrading those who are running, contemplating a run or thinking of announcing the formation of a committee to determine whether a run for it would be of an advantage to them in some obscure way.
We really need to draft someone who does not want the job, but has a strong sense of duty and honor.
Posted by whattheheck on Apr 21, 2007 at 1:55 PM Goldwater was the last candidate who fit that description.
Posted by blondemike on Apr 22, 2007 at 3:40 PM BM,
Goldwater got my vote without reservation. He would not have sent troops to Viet Nam.
Remember the joke of the day?
“If you vote for Goldwater we’ll have 500,000 troops in Veit Nam!”
“I voted for Goldwater and sure enough we got a half million troops in Veit Nam.
Goldwater spoke straight out and got creamed. Johnson was accomplished at “D.C. double-speak” — and, of course, got elected.
-----------------I know you are opposed to the military in general, but stupid undermanned and over publicized excursions like the current one are enough to discourage almost everyone.
You don’t need to be a top West Point grad to know:
• It is not good planning to tell the opposition when, where and how many troops are coming.
• Sending in the reserves with the first wave kind of lessens the meaning of “reserves.” (All we have left is the Boy Scouts.)
• Basing strategy on what the other side “will do” is a trifle risky.
• Plan A should never a whole war plan.
• To re-unite a people which has NEVER been united is a tall order.
I could go on, but why bother?
I feel sorry for W. He has his mother’s quick tongue and his father’s slow brain. He should not handle a loaded waepon much less an entire military.
If anyone else were president only the media would considers an expansion of U.S. action into Iran worth talking about.
Posted by whattheheck on Apr 23, 2007 at 6:43 AM Thanks for your comments, WTH. I was in DC then, met Goldwater several times and worked on his campaign. I was then too young to vote for him (19) but there was a picture of me standing next to him at Dulles Airport in January 1964 when he announced, it was in the Washington Evening Star. I agree with you about the no-win wars, MacArthur was right and Truman wrong in Korea but after the total victory of WW2 for world communism and world zionism I decided to revert to the Robert A. Taft foreign policy. Goldwater was much more principled than Taft in domestic affairs but I think Taft was closer to the Founders and limited government in foreign affairs. There’s something about the whole extreme collectivist-statist nature of the military that doesn’t rest well with my libertarian sensibilities. I believe some of the Founders had reservations about a standing army which be one of the reasons for the Second Amendment.
Posted by blondemike on Apr 23, 2007 at 9:48 AM BM,
You might find this interesting — Goldwater’s comments on campaign length.
-----------------------------
http://www.newsday.com/news/columnists/ny-libres0407,0,3211274.column
Jimmy Breslin
Let’s crack this case together
Posted by whattheheck on Apr 23, 2007 at 1:11 PM Thanks very much, WTH. I copied down the link. Enjoy collaborating with you.
Posted by blondemike on Apr 23, 2007 at 1:51 PM Enjoy collaborating with you.
BM & WTH: Collaborating on the time and place for the next KKK meeting??? Or do you guys consider yourselves more of the neo-nazi type of racist??? I think it might be the latter because the KKK is more for really dumb rednecks, and despite the stupidity and ignorance in your posts, you guys seem to be somewhat educated and literate.
just wondering? Oh, and congrats on pushing ANOTHER discussion forum OFF TOPIC.Go back to the extreme right-wing forums you belong to already.
Posted by lams712 on Apr 24, 2007 at 8:14 AM Lams, are you really as totally stupid
as you appear from your postings ?
More excrement comes out of your mouth
than your crappy butt. How’s puberty ?
Posted by bostonblackie on Apr 24, 2007 at 9:46 AM nice one blondemike/bostonblackie, let the ad hominems begin.
Posted by lams712 on Apr 24, 2007 at 10:00 AM Iams says, “BM & WTH: Collaborating on the time and place for the next KKK meeting??? Or do you guys consider yourselves more of the neo-nazi type of racist???”
What the hell set you off? Neo-Nazi? It’s impossible to follow your train of thought or where it comes from.
On the other hand — Iams? — Aren’t you one of those cans of dog food which is contaminated? I guess that accounts for the limited vocabulary and civility.
I think you belong at the current article, “Poisoning Pets with Industrial Food”, By Terry J. Allen.
Posted by whattheheck on Apr 24, 2007 at 11:14 AM Iams is one of the contaminated dogfoods
listed on the recall. It accounts for its poison
pen.
Posted by bostonblackie on Apr 24, 2007 at 11:24 AM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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