International Paralysis Continues
and indecision kills people
By haystack Posted in Featured Stories | Foreign Affairs — Comments (4) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
As it was when Palestine and Lebanon crept into Israel, violated International law causing the deaths of "hundreds and thousands" and successfully redirected blame toward the actual victims, we find ourselves again faced with similar circumstances in Somalia today.
It should no longer be surprising to anyone that when non-Arabs are attacked it's because of their own misdeeds, and when Arabs get attacked it's the end of the world and yet another example of how insensitive we all are to their plight and victimhood.
More below the fold...
Skimming the morning news should reap an abundance of stories about the status of events in Somalia. After all, there was an "incursion" by Ethiopian troops 2 days ago, and a mini-war had been declared against the poor, innocent, well-wishing "we're just trying to bring good to our country" Islamic Courts Union.
ABC? Nada. NBC? Zip. CBS? Zilch. Not even Drudge...zero. Google, on the other hand seems to find the story worth a little bandwidth, and let there be no mistake - Al Jazeera is all over it (if you consider their anti-Ethiopia/Pro ICU position to be "fair and balanced").
Let's consider this piece from AllAfrica this morning to get things going.
When the United Nations failed to take immediate action during the month-long Israeli attacks on Lebanon last July, the Security Council was accused of deliberately dragging its feet to provide more time for a decisive military victory by the Jewish state.
The 15-member Security Council took more than a month to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire, by which time hundreds and thousands of Lebanese civilians had been killed by Israeli air strikes which left parts of Beirut in shambles.
"We will probably watch a similar scenario in the Horn of Africa if the Security Council does not act immediately," predicts an Arab diplomat [emphasis mine], speaking on condition of anonymity.
Since Sunday, the militarily-strong Ethiopian government has been unleashing its firepower against the ragtag forces of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) based in the capital of Mogadishu.
The Ethiopian government, which has received tacit support from the United States, is backing the forces of the Baidoa-based Transitional Federal Government (TFG) engaged in a turf battle with the UIC inside Somalia.
Now, before we move on, consider several manglings of the truth here. First, the ICU is no ragtag operation. They steadily and stealthily took over control of a National Capitol.
If anyone has ragtag forces it is the officially approved Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, given they have done nothing successfully to defend themselves from this illegal takeover by the ICU of an official government. How many months has it been that the UNSC has dragged its feet about stopping THAT behavior by an illegal organization? Since June of this year, to be exact, when the ICU chased the TFG out of the Capitol at Mogadishu in the first place.
Further, suggesting the UNSC is dragging its feet like it did while all these poor innocent Lebanese and Palestinian terrorists were being "butchered" by an Israel defending herself against an illegal incursion is just a very large Arab strawman.
No one dragged their feet, they just couldn't agree. In the case of the official government using official allies to help them defend and maintain their Internationally approved sovereignty, the UNSC continues to find itself unable to agree. Why you ask? Because in nearly every major issue of this sort, until the Arab League approves, it just does not happen.
Meanwhile, our emperors with no clothes, Ko-Fee and the Sunshine Band™ can only suggest that all foreign countries leave, and "stay out of this" conflict that he, in his imperial wisdom, considers a local dispute. For the love of Pete, when did government take-overs by Coup become local issues NOT allowed to be addressed by the larger world community?
Oh, never mind, it's that African Union (Muslim-strong), IGAD (Muslim-strong), and League of Arab States (Muslim-strong), Cartel again. They apparently know best when it should be an international issue, and when it is best left to the locals to decide; meaning THEY decide who gets to win which wars.
In a Redstate article yesterday, I list several links to UNSC Resolutions regarding Somalia over the past several years. Click through, read only one if you care, and notice the comments (re-iterated in every one of them) regarding the supply of arms to Somalia:
Reiterating its insistence that all Member States, in particular those in the region, should refrain from any action in contravention of the arms embargo and related measures, and should take all actions necessary to prevent such contraventions,
This, among the many OTHER empty and hollow passages throughout these documents, is by far one of the most laughable. Consider that Eritrea has long been supplying arms to the ICU, right in front of everyone's collective "international nose" and the UNSC has done what, exactly? Bupkus.
According to the AllAfrica article referenced above:
Meanwhile, Ethiopia has also been involved in a longstanding border war with its neighbour Eritrea.
Annan has described the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea as "a classic example of tragedy" in the African continent.[emphasis mine]
"Two poor countries desperately in need of development, desperately in need of food security to be able to protect their people (and who) went to war," Annan said last October.
He said the two countries have been at war "over a territory, over a misunderstanding of a region called Badme, which is a barren place." "They spent hundreds of millions of dollars to buy equipment, to arm their military and they fought," he said.
Since Ethiopia's incursion into Somalia last Sunday, there have been reports that Eritrea has been sending troops to boost the Islamic forces, thereby threatening to turn the war into a regional conflict.
Baranauskas said both countries have been supplied with weapons from the same sources: Russia and former Soviet republics.
He also pointed out that there have been rumours for over a year that Eritrea is looking to use Somalia for a proxy war against Ethiopia.
"It certainly would help Eritrea's strategic position if Ethiopia gets dragged into an extended conflict, which will both sap its resources and divert its attention," he said.
I really don't need to spell this out, do I? TFG is poorly armed and equipped because they have by and large adhered to the embargo (no one fully adheres to these things, but you get the idea), and the ICU gets arms and soldiers from Eritrea. Hmmm. Can someone send me some links that cry foul at Eritrea doing for the ICU exactly what Ethiopia is doing for the TFG?
It is clear from Annan's own words and inactions here, and in Darfur, and in any other number of hot spots, where the loyalty lies. Sovereign Governments at risk of takeover by Arabs (read Muslim extremists in the case of Darfur and now Somalia among several others) is apparently fine and dandy.
Heaven forbid anyone overthrow a radical Islamic State such as Afghanistan or Iraq...or respond with rockets and Soldiers if attacked by Radical Islamic state-sponsored terrorists.
The hypocrisy knows no bounds at the United Nations, and across the Arab and African world. And while everyone wrings their hands?
People are dying in Somalia and Darfur and many other places around the world that the UNSC cannot apparently seem to muster the strength and fortitude sufficiently to put a stop to.
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International Paralysis Continues 4 Comments (0 topical, 4 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
There are many failures of the UN one can point to. However, the complete failure that is Africa lies directly at their doorstep.
For years, we have watched regional conflicts, coupe de’tat, starvation and indescribable killing have become a continental hallmark. In almost every instance the UN has failed the people and humanity by its lack of action and intervention.
Yet we, Americans who provide the most aid in money, food, medicine and goodness of heart are criticized for a lack of caring? What complete bunk.
As an African, Annan should be ashamed at the lack of progress for his continent. Instead of making new friends amongst the most detestable of states and overseeing the biggest financial scandal in UN history, he should have found some room to focus on the neediest. Shame on him a thousand times.
They can point fingers at Ethiopia till days end. But the fact is they have assisted something the UN would NOT do (and as of today are near to success). Let’s see where it goes from here.
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"
"He said the two countries have been at war "over a territory, over a misunderstanding of a region called Badme, which is a barren place."
I wish someone could explain why so many of the world's bitterest conflicts are fought over worthless wastelands.
I saw a comedian a while back who ahd a great line something like 'The Muslims claim the dry barren lands of Palestine because we are the chosen people; the Jews claim it because they are the chosen people. We're both wrong, the chosen people are living in Tahiti' or soemthing like that.
John
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Why would God create something like whiskey? To keep the Irish from ruling the world of course.
Not without US military support.
But is asking them to cry foul once in a while too much?
"The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal comfort... has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
--John Stuart Mill