Whatever happened to promoting stablility? This is provoking instability. Frazer strikes me as someone who should know better. Of course, that's with the caveat that she is actually thinking and acting on her own....
The Europeans apparently see no problem in dealing with Eritrea, even embracing Eritrea as a "Key partner". It's almost like they do it just to cheese the USG off...
EU embraces Eritrea in search for Horn peace
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L04519421.htm
Balance of power politics being played at its most basic. Remind you of the "Great Game" played between England and Russia over Persia/Afghanistan by any chance?Originally Posted by Beelzebubalicious
Last time I checked, Afwerki and most in his government were Christian, struggling to suppress their own Islamic insurgency and backing the Sudanese Christian rebels (SPLA) against the Islamic government of Sudan, which by the way the US and Ethiopia supported. Eritrea supports the Islamic factions in Somalia in a proxy war against Ethiopia.
It's a big damn mess, but Eritrea doesn't support terrorists...but I guess it all depends on what you define a "terrorist" as...
Exactly!!! And that is why I chack my wallet these days when someone starts throwing the "T-word" around..but I guess it all depends on what you define a "terrorist" as...
Has "Terrorist" replace "Communist" in our lexicon of the big bad guys?
Only, now as then, in the words of the
politicians. The Troops then and now use 'bad guys' or other less complimentary appellations regardless of the opposition's ideology which is essentially irrelevant or his tactics which the troops can easily adapt to -- if their seniors let them....
Back when the Islamic Courts were riding high in Somalia (before the Ethiopian intervention), there were a number of reports of Russian made charter flights moving "special shipments" (read: probably weaponry) into Mogadishu (believe it was).Eritrea supports the Islamic factions in Somalia in a proxy war against Ethiopia.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if this step is one of those actions where the US government wants to make sure that those type of shipments don't reoccur, and they are trying to "persuade" the air charter companies that such dealings for Eritrea (shipping weapons) wouldn't be such a good idea in the future.
Probably one or more of those companies told them that there's no violation involved, so why should they pass on business. Well, the US government looks to want to give them a legal reason not to do this type of business.
Also, doesn't designating a specific nation as a "terrorist" nation give the US Treasury carte blanc to start designating businesses/governments as being engaged in terrorist/supporting activities, and therefore can limit their access to financial credit markets?
That's a hammer.
There has been an UN Security Council arms embargo on Somalia since 1993, I believe. Violated by many groups, of course.
I seriously doubt the either the TFG or the ICU and its associated clans are looking to issue bonds In London or Geneva. Though, given today's markets, who knows --- maybe the Fed will push Citigroup to buy up some mortgage-backed SIVs for some prime Mogadishu beachfront?
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