New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof lately has been describing the harrowing conditions in eastern Congo, which has been war-torn for a decade and seen 4 million die by violence and hunger, making it “the most lethal conflict since World War II.”
He writes: “This war staggers on in part because the suffering here hasn’t registered on the international conscience, and because it has been allowed to fester and continue. Barack Obama and Sam Brownback are among the few prominent American politicians who have focused on the war.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- BlueJay on Open thread 11/22
- Regular on Open thread 11/22
- Regular on Open thread 11/22
- Rage on Open thread 11/22
- cosmos_originally on Open thread 11/22
- Chas on Open thread 11/22
- BlueJay on Open thread 11/22
- Boxlock20 on Open thread 11/22
- satatom on Open thread 11/22
- JimJohnson on Open thread 11/22
12 Comments
Wow! Had no idea 4 million people had been killed there. This is tragedy beyond description. :(
Don’t think I know enough about the problem to discuss it. Will have to read up on it.
The war in the Congo has gone on since the early 1990’s. A war that invoves 6 nations, 5 major tribes, and almost 100 war-lords is not something Brownback or the rest of America is going to solve. Look we started the fight in Iraq and we can’t handle that. Sam, solve Iraq first, then worry about the Congo. Oh, those 4 million? Who did the body count, Westmoreland?
I agree with Republican and thinkfirst. If the anti war crowd thinks we have no business in Iraq, then we certainly have no business entering into an African conflict.
I have to respect Brownback for his consistent concers with human rights in both Darfur and Congo. Ironically, another person who has been active in sub-Sarahan Africa is Paul Wolfowicz.
There is a BIG difference between providing air and logistics support for AU and other troops on the ground and invading a country with essentially no allies. That is the difference between supporting peace-keeping efforts in situations like these and a unilateral invasion/occupation like Iraq.
It’s bad enough we have our own blacks to try and deal with. Surely we can’t be expected to deal with the ones in Africa too.
How can we possibly take on anymore of the world than we already have? We can only spread ourselves so thin. Unfortunately, the problems in Africa are much like that in the Middle East..waring tribes that will compete for power if their govenments get overthrown. It’s all about civil war, and nothing we can do will stop the conflict between tribes that have scores to settle with each other. That’s just the reality of the situation and human nature, wanting it to be different it fine but does nothing. We can’t force peace when the people who are fighting don’t want it for themselves.
If there were no war with Iraq, assisting Dufar, through the UN, would be something we could do. However, with the war in Iraq, billions are tied up and unavailable for any real help. That is a real shame, and one that can be put, IMHO, directly on the shoulders of this administration.
What Brownback should do is quit the Senate and work as an international ambassador for peace. I think he could do some real good as one.
Interesting idea stumper. Given the fact that he has worked with Obama on these issues might he do that in an Obama administration?
I would have agree, Brownback is not focus as a senator and he would certainly not be focus as a president but in such a weird way a ambassador of peace might be his real callings.
I don’t understand, I thought that diversity was supposed to be a strength? Shouldn’t these different tribes be celebrating their differences?
Tribalism is part of human nature and evolution, it underlies every war since man has been here. To stop war, we have to evolve beyond our human “us and them” mentality.
But at least he was man enough to apologize to the Clintons.
“He told the prayer breakfast audience that he used to have a “hatred for Bill and Hillary” because of their politics. He spotted Sen. Clinton in the crowd and, speaking directly to her, said he “realized that those thoughts of hatred were wrong. I apologized to her for them. I don’t know what she thought, but I believe it made a difference.”