Quote Originally Posted by Dayuhan View Post
This isn't about what needs to be done or what should be done, it's about what can be done. The US can't enforce human rights, in Africa or anywhere else. We haven't the money or the manpower. Neither, realistically, has anybody else.

[snip]

With this I agree... if they do it in a single generation that would actually be a quite remarkable achievement. I would expect several.
Over time I have come to understand there are two stock answers that are developed to justify intervention or justify taking no action.

When a murderous dictator is the enemy of your enemy (or is prepared to be so temporarily) then you see them pull out the stock answer to justify taking no action.

Its all too much like a high school debating society. That would be OK if they did not insult our intelligence by seeming to think we are not on to them and their game.

"We" would in this instance would include those of an IQ of more than 100 but less than 160 who are smart enough to see through this charade yet have the common sense not try to think they would get away with such a ridiculous game if they were to try it. (The smartest guy in the room theory falls down as found in the following research - Does Super-High IQ= Super-Low Common Sense?

The world has moved a little along from the days of unbridled thuggery. It has become less of an option for the developed world and those in the undeveloped world who still thing that genocide is still an option should be put on notice that it will not be tolerated any more. I believe the ICC is starting to make headway in this regard with that den of thieves and murderers the AU putting in a last ditch stand.

Of course doesn't help when you have a western leader who is willing to cast aside his morals, ethics and the rest to make a commercial deal with the devil yet still have the gall to go to church on Sundays. ( Blair secretly courted Robert Mugabe to boost trade - this comes as no surprise to those who have come to realise that Foreign and Commonwealth Office is an absolutely amoral organisation)

So you put the thugs of the world on notice not to chance their arm because if they do the rest of the world will come after them in no uncertain terms.

Yes there will always be those like Blair and before him Margret Thatcher who will be able to turn a blind eye and that makes for a difficult process to get international consensus on anything. But that should never stop people, their leaders and their country from taking a stand on such issues - its called moral courage.

You are correct there is no African "Peter the Great" at the moment so the world will just have to apply pressure on the AU mafia to start to behave in a more democratic and less corrupt manner. The AU is the main problem followed by the states which are prepared to sell their souls in order to do business with certain African countries.

As to the options. It would be a start if the western world accepted that their so-called diplomacy towards Africa has been an abysmal failure and that if they took the time to learn about Africa they would realise that each circumstance is as different as chalk and cheese.

Yes the situation is exacerbated by the new scramble for African resources led by the Chinese who it remains to be seen how they will handle their relations with Africa (having the opportunity to learn from the failures of others).