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Post by who on Jul 8, 2003 21:23:18 GMT -5
My answer to the above questions
I honestly didnt know the guys name before last week,
I knew there had been military coups in Liberia but lack of news stories meant I hadnt followed anything on the plight of liberia.
Is anyone here expert enough though to talk about the subject in passionate terms as I seem to have read above?
I doubt it.
Yes, if there is a humanitarian need, we should intervene, but lets not suddenly pretend we are experts on Liberia!
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Post by Henrik on Jul 9, 2003 1:27:06 GMT -5
Dear Who,
I would think the fact that you have not heard of Charles Taylor before is a result of the US media not finding any interest in Liberia until now.
Certainly in Europe we have been reading about Taylor's exploits ever since he began to try and take Liberia by force back in 1989.
I do beleive it is a general trend that Europe does interest itself a little bit more as to what goes on in Africa than the US. Could be that Europe has a history of meddling with Africa that goes back a long way...
Anyway, if you are not familiar with Charles, do some research on the web. He is an interesting character, and it makes for some "amusing" reading.
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Post by JWK on Jul 9, 2003 2:29:13 GMT -5
On the case of the US in Africa- I saw an interesting speech the other night.
Bush was in Senegal denouncing slavery recently, and though his speech was nothing remarkable i find it curious that he chose to make the speech about America's wrong doings in a country that was exploited principally by the French... America apologising on behalf of the french?? I had to laugh(even though the matter is grave)
In sporting terms there are several cases that point to the close relationship between France and Senegal, such as a very many commentators referring to Senegals football team as France's B team. The Paris- Dakar rally is another etc..
As to the question posed, i knew in the perhiphary of my conciousness who the leader of Liberia was prior to the last few weeks, but only as a result of the politics papers i am doing. The fact of the matter is that we the populace, are entirely succeptable to the whims of those with controll of our(genericly speaking) lifeblood(TV, Media etc)
The thing is, we see the News as education, but it is highly inadequate to give us any sort of a picture as to what the condition of the world is. Blind faith is blatant folly.
As to your points henrik, i was about to comment much to the same effect. Europe has had in the past much more vested interest in the condition of African politics(you know, the whole colonisation thingy) and distinct vestiges of interest for the regions vell being are evident.. There are sentimental issues, not to mention pangs of guilt over the round of empire they played across the continent that keep a set amount of attention pointed Africa's way(as well as with the Indies[east and west] Indonesia, Australasia, the Pacific and the Americas[doubtless i left out hosts more])
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Post by Srrh on Jul 9, 2003 8:18:44 GMT -5
1)Let me ask you, in all honesty, who of you had any idea of who the leader of Liberia was before last week? 2)If you had heard of him, what was your opinion of him? 3)Who has only hjeard of this guy in the last week or so? 4)What are your sources? TV or more than TV 5)What is your opinion of him now? 1)Yes. Taylor has been a source of problems for quiet a while...He pops on BBC news on in a while...He's regularly being eclipsed by Mugabe since last year though... 2)Of a guy who would do anything to stay in power. 3)Not me. 4)British news, mainly...and for the last few weeks, american ones too... 5)The same as before...not very good. Srrh
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Post by daSilva on Jul 9, 2003 10:40:24 GMT -5
What about Omelettes! I don't discriminate, I love all eggs!
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Post by glendo on Jul 10, 2003 3:03:43 GMT -5
breakfast... well i am on the the atkins diet, so i eat chicken fillet or steak with steamed vegetables for breakfast. lunch 3 pieces of fruit and for tea a protein shake! as for the underlying topic.. why dont we just be done with it, and toally submit to the USA and letr them run the world. oops.... they do that already!
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Post by El Sid on Jul 10, 2003 4:34:57 GMT -5
as for the underlying topic.. why dont we just be done with it, and toally submit to the USA and letr them run the world. oops.... they do that already! glendo, in a way I agree. The New Colonial Powers are really something. So, Little Boy George drops off at Waterkloof Airbase late on Tuesday evening. Immediately afterwards the surrounding airspace is off limits. The US Press People tell the SA Press People not to bump them. Airforce 1 gets a guard at each of the wheels of the undercarriage for fear of theft. The local Minister of Defence's car is denied access to the base. One fat cavalcade goes whee-whaa-whee-whaa, all the way to Pretoria to find a place for a bite and a place for 600 hats to be hung. As Clint Eastwood is a bit old now, he arrives last. All out of breath after the long run. Anyway, so next morning President meets President for breakfast. Bacon and Ostrich eggs. Sirius side up for LBG and very scrambled for Mbeki. for Mbeki & OJ for LBG. He teetotally forgets about the toast. Then they go outside. LBG is breathtaken by the view. He says to Mbeki: "Wow! Nice Country!" and 's at Laura, Condoleezza & Colin, but not in a Bill Clinton way. It was a totally devoid of any ulterior motive. Terror Lekota nudges Mbeki a stiff one in the ribs with an elbow before Mbeki replies: "Yes, I know, but you can't have it, OK?So another "Out of Africa" episode comes to an end. They all go back to Airforce 1 and, amazingly, find that all the wheels are still there. So the next question pops up: "Whereto now? Botswana maybe?" The unanimous decision then falls on Botswana. LBG says: "Yeah, maybe they're a bit easier."Once in the air, approaching cruising altitude and the Mozart music in the background, LBG burps and thinks to himself: "FFAARKK!, those chickens must be huge. Who are these people?
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Post by glendo on Jul 10, 2003 4:50:00 GMT -5
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