I'm afraid my attitude about this is rather hard. The way I see it, the various Islamic hardliners have set up and delivered an ultimatum: it's them or the rest of the world. Personally, I'm choosing to keep the rest of the world, thanks.
It seems to me that this so-called government views "their people" in a way a kidnapper views his hostages.
A decade ago, I'd have called for U.S. military intervention. But, if there's one thing this decade has taught me, it's that the fiercest of America's war hawks are unwilling to commit as many troops to any campaign as are needed to assure victory. This makes me wonder if the U.S. doing nothing might be the lesser evil.
What you have to understand about these parasites: they rely on being able to prey on the people (you know, like that lower life-form they're so worried about - women :-() who the Aid is keeping alive, and staying there. They contribute nothing to the society except intolerance, brutality and oppression, none of which help the society they prey on flourish. And if the support for their prey is withdrawn - the prey will either die or largely move away. This would cripple them too - but only at the cost of terrible suffering from those lesser life forms, women (and kids and ordinary farmers etc.) We are in a cleft stick, thus, because we are not not the disgrace to the human race they are. But we cannot accept such terms. We should not accept any terms from such people at all. It's time we stopped calling them 'leaders' and used society's mirror on them.
Actually the USD$200K "licence fee" to operate in Somalia actually shows the true intent of the rebel force commanders who issued the statement as far as I am concerned. After all, if the West is willing to ransom pirated ships and crews, they will also capitulate to such a demand, the theory goes. Also, if, as I suspect, they are organised like similar forces there is no central command making the demand, just individual warlords. As such it is as much an advertisement to attract Islamic rebels to the banner of the individual warlords who are behind it as any other reasons. As in "see what I made the imperialist pigs who destroyed our country do; I am powerful." Thus the extremely volatile rhetoric. The sad news is that this reason will work (at least the removal of women from the theatre of operations and certain other visible signs), as the Aid agencies will try to keep supplying aid to those who need it for as long as possible; they are extremely dedicated that way. And the other warlords will need to follow suit to keep up.
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Ian, my point is just this: Western liberal philosophy does not tolerate Slavery. It does not tolerate paedophila. The practice of either - by anyone, regardless of their religion, previous oppression, culture or whatever other 'reason' offered. Neither despicable practice is extinct. But the social pressure of the distain and disgust of initially a very few countries, brought others in. Now there is no country that officially offers sanction to the holders of slaves, and paedophiles who operated quite openly in some places, are no longer as able to do so. Even if it doesn't affect the type of people personally who do this sort of stuff, it makes it harder and less pleasant for them, and easier for those in authority to act on them. The social mirror is often not a good thing. But it can be used to great effect
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Oh ... I agree with your statements (all of them) without reservation. My apologies if I ever gave that impression that I didn't. My fault. I tend to get involved in analysing stuff, forgetting the facts that I don't mention the precepts I'm operating on. In other words, I assumed everybody realised that I was "creaching to the perverted" and that the demands were self-evidentially absolutely ridiculous and carried on from there. My statement was actually that Somalia has descended into warlordism and that the essential dynamic driving them are internal rather than external. Provided, of course, that they don't provoke sufficient external rage at them to trigger direct outside intervention, at which point the dynamic will change again (watch as the cockroaches scurry away from the light). The aid agencies will remove women workers from the area and curb intervention, purely in order to reduce provocation so that they can continue their efforts to feed the unfortunates (who are actually the resource that have to be preserved if the
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(raises eyebrows) And how often have proxy armies turned out worse, and turned on their previous handlers? I'm afraid I'd handle it very differently. I'd pick a scape-goat warlord's area. Send messages - by leaflet airdrop if necessary, that so-and-so militia had done the evil and unspeakable - and until the leaders of the area, and perps were dealt with, nothing went in there. (which, yes, is hardship for that little piece of near-hell. And stick with it. In the meanwhile reward those who co-operate.
Inviting the US Navy SEALs, UK SAS and SBS, the Danish Jaegers, the Norwegian FSK(and if they feel like it, bring HJK and MJK) Maybe invite the Pakistani special forces(they use H&K G3... my favorite gun), the Afghani anti-terror forces(FSK can tell them it's their graduation party... )
And make it a BYOB party...
FSK and the SEALs can compete to see who are scariest in dark alleys. MJK and SBS can race RIBs. The snowball fight between HJK and the Danish Jaegers will probably have to be cancelled, though.
And everyone joins in on the skeet shoots...
I just wish that FSK and MJK got a bit freer reins, as they're already battling pirates. Unfortunately, they haven't been allowed to sink ships, or follow the pirates back to base, yet. (MJK = Navy Jaeger corps, HJK = Army Jaeger corps. Jaegers = 'Behind the lines/commandoes', mean dudes. FSK = Armed Forces Special Kommand. What the HJK and MJK want to be when they grow up. Their goal is to be THE best at winter and naval operations.)
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A decade ago, I'd have called for U.S. military intervention. But, if there's one thing this decade has taught me, it's that the fiercest of America's war hawks are unwilling to commit as many troops to any campaign as are needed to assure victory. This makes me wonder if the U.S. doing nothing might be the lesser evil.
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Actually the USD$200K "licence fee" to operate in Somalia actually shows the true intent of the rebel force commanders who issued the statement as far as I am concerned. After all, if the West is willing to ransom pirated ships and crews, they will also capitulate to such a demand, the theory goes.
Also, if, as I suspect, they are organised like similar forces there is no central command making the demand, just individual warlords. As such it is as much an advertisement to attract Islamic rebels to the banner of the individual warlords who are behind it as any other reasons. As in "see what I made the imperialist pigs who destroyed our country do; I am powerful." Thus the extremely volatile rhetoric. The sad news is that this reason will work (at least the removal of women from the theatre of operations and certain other visible signs), as the Aid agencies will try to keep supplying aid to those who need it for as long as possible; they are extremely dedicated that way. And the other warlords will need to follow suit to keep up.
( ... )
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Oh ... I agree with your statements (all of them) without reservation. My apologies if I ever gave that impression that I didn't. My fault. I tend to get involved in analysing stuff, forgetting the facts that I don't mention the precepts I'm operating on. In other words, I assumed everybody realised that I was "creaching to the perverted" and that the demands were self-evidentially absolutely ridiculous and carried on from there.
My statement was actually that Somalia has descended into warlordism and that the essential dynamic driving them are internal rather than external. Provided, of course, that they don't provoke sufficient external rage at them to trigger direct outside intervention, at which point the dynamic will change again (watch as the cockroaches scurry away from the light).
The aid agencies will remove women workers from the area and curb intervention, purely in order to reduce provocation so that they can continue their efforts to feed the unfortunates (who are actually the resource that have to be preserved if the ( ... )
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Would it work better if aid agencies provided guns, bullets, and training instead of only food?
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Inviting the US Navy SEALs, UK SAS and SBS, the Danish Jaegers, the Norwegian FSK(and if they feel like it, bring HJK and MJK)
Maybe invite the Pakistani special forces(they use H&K G3... my favorite gun), the Afghani anti-terror forces(FSK can tell them it's their graduation party... )
And make it a BYOB party...
FSK and the SEALs can compete to see who are scariest in dark alleys.
MJK and SBS can race RIBs.
The snowball fight between HJK and the Danish Jaegers will probably have to be cancelled, though.
And everyone joins in on the skeet shoots...
I just wish that FSK and MJK got a bit freer reins, as they're already battling pirates.
Unfortunately, they haven't been allowed to sink ships, or follow the pirates back to base, yet.
(MJK = Navy Jaeger corps, HJK = Army Jaeger corps. Jaegers = 'Behind the lines/commandoes', mean dudes. FSK = Armed Forces Special Kommand. What the HJK and MJK want to be when they grow up. Their goal is to be THE best at winter and naval operations.)
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