....flashback to West Africa, 1997....The first 'Black president' was still whoring around with fat interns, while a despotic Charles Taylor raped, pillaged and amputated rival warlords and thier minions without pause... He is now in the hands of the International War Crimes Court.
In many ways he was the perfect man to exploit the drawn-out ending of one era — the slow demise of nationalist Big Man politics — and the beginning of another, in which warlords presiding over small, nonideological insurgencies played havoc across much of the region, enriching themselves and laying waste to their homelands.
Indeed, the term Big Man, an overworked cliché of African reportage, seems almost too small in describing Mr. Taylor, and calling him a warlord fails to grasp the breadth of his ambition.
It was his blend of the two roles that proved so diabolical and deadly. By the time he was pushed from power in 2003, more than 300,000 people had died in conflicts he ignited. His forces and allies had looted Liberia and Sierra Leone, and parts of their neighbors, down to the studs. Millions of people had been scattered into half a dozen nations around West Africa. From Liberia alone he is believed to have stolen at least $100 million as president between 1997 and 2003.
Yet, we did not feel the need to intervene, did we? On the contrary, he supped with Jimmah Carter and Jesse Jackson at the same time he was committing his brutal acts. Wonder why this was buried? We all heard about Carter's embarrassing trip to 'talk' to Hamaas, and Jesse is no stranger to publicity, yet these two ( along with idiot wingnut Pat Robertson ) actually gave him credibility, which allowed him to reign terror over West Africa. Nice. Just remember whenever you see Jackson at a 'Duke' Rally,or when Jimmah goes over to 'talk nicey nice' to Al Queda.
On another note: this is the most disturbing kids book....ever.
http://www.mybeautifulmommy.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment