In the two World Wars, thousands if not millions of soldiers from colonies were enroller and shipped to Europe along side their masters; there were Indian, African soldiers fighting for Britain, Asians, maghrebans and African soldiers fighting for France. Tens of thousands of foreigners died for Europe.
Fifty years later, we do not have the bravery they had to defend us. In Somalia, we chickened out after nineteen deaths. Ten belgian soldiers died in Rwanda (a former belgian colony) and in some places, those ten deaths is seen as a bigger tragedy than the 800 000 rwandans that died after the world chickened out and left hutus murder tutsis without lifting a finger
Good movie about that; Shake hands with the Devil. Check the story of general Romeo Dallaire on wikipedia for more info.
Not up to the Westerners to sort out all the troubles of Africa.
Unfortunately, large swathes of Africa were Warm Battlegrounds for the Cold War so we aren’t too keen when Westerners “help”. Usually the Africans aren’t really the priority for interventions in Africa. Aid to Africa has also had the perverse effect of often crippling it in the longer run.
Therefore, Africans should sort out their troubles, especially accountability.
I think the only thing that should be asked of the international community is that fair access to the global playing field is given. So much has been (is being) taken from Africa, it’s the least the rest of the world could do.
It’s going to take a while. :p
In the ‘toon, Gado is simply showing up the hypocrisy of Al-Qa’ida, who are themselves foreign to Somalia (they are aiding the local Al-Shabaab with fighters from other African countries and even as far afield as Pakistan), by complaining of AU, UN, Ethiopian, US & French interference in Somalia.
The trouble for Somalia is that it seen as the “new Afghanistan”, providing safe haven to Al-Qa’ida. Except it doesn’t really have a functioning central government.
Oh bugger.
CorosiveFrog Premium Member over 14 years ago
Have we, westerners, got chicken over time???
In the two World Wars, thousands if not millions of soldiers from colonies were enroller and shipped to Europe along side their masters; there were Indian, African soldiers fighting for Britain, Asians, maghrebans and African soldiers fighting for France. Tens of thousands of foreigners died for Europe.
Fifty years later, we do not have the bravery they had to defend us. In Somalia, we chickened out after nineteen deaths. Ten belgian soldiers died in Rwanda (a former belgian colony) and in some places, those ten deaths is seen as a bigger tragedy than the 800 000 rwandans that died after the world chickened out and left hutus murder tutsis without lifting a finger
Good movie about that; Shake hands with the Devil. Check the story of general Romeo Dallaire on wikipedia for more info.
OmqR-IV.0 over 14 years ago
Not up to the Westerners to sort out all the troubles of Africa. Unfortunately, large swathes of Africa were Warm Battlegrounds for the Cold War so we aren’t too keen when Westerners “help”. Usually the Africans aren’t really the priority for interventions in Africa. Aid to Africa has also had the perverse effect of often crippling it in the longer run. Therefore, Africans should sort out their troubles, especially accountability. I think the only thing that should be asked of the international community is that fair access to the global playing field is given. So much has been (is being) taken from Africa, it’s the least the rest of the world could do. It’s going to take a while. :p
In the ‘toon, Gado is simply showing up the hypocrisy of Al-Qa’ida, who are themselves foreign to Somalia (they are aiding the local Al-Shabaab with fighters from other African countries and even as far afield as Pakistan), by complaining of AU, UN, Ethiopian, US & French interference in Somalia.
The trouble for Somalia is that it seen as the “new Afghanistan”, providing safe haven to Al-Qa’ida. Except it doesn’t really have a functioning central government. Oh bugger.