Originally Posted by JMA
Stan, of course you are correct in that even after a few years in Nigeria as ambassador he remains a long way from being an Africa expert. I wish there was something like the "congressional voting record" one could apply to the analyst/chattering class. Very soon we would see who knew what he was talking about.

Lets just look at what he said again:

Because what power sharing does is that it enables a big man who has lost an election to remain in power, and from that perspective this is a particularly sensitive time in Africa.

The spread of power sharing may well tempt those who lose those elections to try to either somehow hang onto power or gain power or (even) some options of power.

Power sharing is undemocratic,’’

JMA,
This is where I think we've lost sight of African leadership and mentality. Years ago opposition in both Brazzaville and Kinshasa was swiftly dealt with (fish food for those along the Congo river). Of course there's no power sharing among former presidents, and to naively think we could leave the outgoing president to live in harmony while the his replacement serves is absurd. It might work for most and supposedly Russia, but nowhere in Africa is there solid evidence of a happy ending. Exactly where (other than say Ghana) has a president simply stepped down following elections (that they seldom held before), and lived happily ever after ?
Originally Posted by JMA
That would seem obvious to me but believe it or not there are a lot of self proclaimed smart guys at State who think differently or see not problem/pattern taking shape across Africa.

In the classic tradition of Africa they take one step forward (holding elections where none were held before) then one step back by refusing to accept the outcome and trying to negotiate personal terms over the wishes of the people under the threat of mass bloodshed). And the smart guys at State are saying... "but at least they are holding elections."
And sadly not just State. I was sitting with my boss in Kinshasa during the uprisings and civil war in Brazzaville (our purported E&E if Zaire went bang again), when an officer reported a "solid shot" artillery projectile going through an adobe hut ("how about UXO" I remarked with tears coming out of my eyes and severe stomach pains from hysterical laughter).

"Stan, we're only as strong as our weakest link" my Ranger boss contended as we would soon have the same colonel on our team in Rwanda (he lasted less than 5 weeks before the French would no longer house him and my boss sent him back home packing). This colonel went on to become Clinton's adviser to Africa

Originally Posted by JMA
Well one learns from Africa that "when the elephants fight it is the grass that gets trampled" - (Kikuyu proverb).
My Lingala is a bit rusty, but this one I recall well...
Moto ya soso balabi, libata aseki, mpo nzungu ya lobi nde ya ye, mokili tour tour.

Literally translated means "The chicken's head is cooking while the duck laughs. But it forgets that tomorrow's pot will contain its head. Something like what comes around, goes around !

Our years of meddling with Africa have taught us nothing. Now, with reduced funding we witlessly conclude we can simply call someone and say stop !

Originally Posted by JMA
Good heavens Stan, you mean beyond fun on the cocktail party circuit the US State department has little to show for the last fifty years (or so) of engagement with Africa?
Hmmm, the cocktail party circuit ? Now that I'm no longer part of that and pining away in this freezing country I recall some really good times at the Ambassador's residence watching AA fire crossing the river... like the 4th of July. Some of my best times and contacts were at gun point