I'm a little surprised not many media outlets have really commented on this yet, but the systematic invasion of a sovereign nation and carpet-bombing of its people hardly raise an eyebrow these days, so maybe I should have expected the silence. These really are the New Crusades of our times. Many media sources reported that although extreme, the Islamic Courts (ICI) whose fighters are now being bombed out of existence in the south of Somalia had in fact brought a modicum of calm and order to the capital Mogadishu, a contender for the "Most Anarchic City" award for the last 50 years. When they (ICI) had proven themselves a force to be reckoned with and actually capable of setting up some sort of functional society, the Christians in Ethiopia got worried and something had to be done. So, looking back on precedent, they saw that the last major war to be prosecuted in the world had been done without a declaration of war, and decided that the best thing to do was simply cross the border to the East and take on the ICI; in other words, effect regime change from Islamic to something more palatable like, oh, I don't know, the same bunch of warlords who had the country in such chaos for decades beforehand, led by their public face, Abdullahi Yusuf. The US always has a cover story for getting its real objectives achieved. This is another example of the Al-Qaeda and War On Terror excuse being wheeled out. The change that the US wants to achieve is much deeper; it does not want another African country under predominantly Islamic influence. The definition of terror is also extremely changeable in American eyes; is this terror, for instance, not equal to the terror being inflicted two thousand miles to the West on the refugees of Darfur? Hundreds of thousands of people under threat of murder from the bloodthirsty warlords in that country? Oh hang on... Sudan has oil... silly me. The ICI was not a perfect solution for Somalia's future, but it was a damn sight better than the chaotic and bloody decades before it when anarchy ruled. Once this little bruhaha blows over, the world's media will focus on some cat caught in a tree in Ohio, and the warlords can divide the spoils of Somalia and resume their games; thanks, Ethiopia; thanks, Uncle Sam.* * *
Reading: Guns, Germs and Steel - Jared Diamond
Last watched: Arrested Development 1x13
Listening to: Machine Head - The Blackening
Best Wii bowling score: 268
Best Wii golf score (9 holes): -8
Current list (updated 26/7/06)
