Africa on the Spit

The continent of Africa has long held the interest of us westerners. Well that was true at least in colonial and imperial times where we imagined the gentleman explorer floating up the nile in to the heart of Africa to discover wondrous place, cultures and "things". We used to thinkof Africans as savages, same as we did with nearly every non-western culture. No they did not develope the internal combustion engine, and yes living in a tribal socity seems backwards to us. Not all Africans live in tribal societies of course, but the ones that are having the most trouble in recent days identify with being as a pasrt of a tribe rather than a larger ethnic or national group.

An example of this would be Rwanda. Rwanda was colonized by the Germans first, then given to the Belgians at the end of World War I (See Wiki article for a decent summary). The racial divide created by at first overt racism, and then pseudo-scientific babbitry stemming from the eugenics movement, created a rivalry and hatred between the two parties. So one party (the Hutu's) decided that they were racially superior and the war...err slaughter was on. Meanwhile the bravely brave United Nations Peacekeeping forces retreated...err move tactically to the rear to insure all of the foreign nationals got out. And by foreign nationals I mean westerners. However, some Rwandans did escape to thanks to their own efforts in calling friends back in Europe. Many thousands of others died or sought refuge in bordering nations.

A more recent example of a massacre is going on in Sudan. Teh African Union has a presence there, but they are under funded and under manned. Now we (the USA) don't necessarily have to pay for it. However, it is time that our European friends who we generously call allies to step up and fix their former colonies. WE put out the brush fire called Kosovo in their back yard and they have had plenty of time to learn a few lessons. Does the USA have any responsibility for Sudan? No, none at all. However, Sudan has oil, not much, and it belongs to the french...which is incedentally why the violence continues. The French in their INFINITE wisdom are propping up the bad guys. Who knew Chirac was crooked? (UN oil for Food Scandal and sanction violations kinda hint at this). So I don't really have a point in writing this. There are two basic options.

1) Europeans grow a pair and sort this out, or at least fund the AU better.
2) Africa sorts itself out all on its own (not a bad option, though certainly not the best, and for once people might learn something).

Africa is burning, literally, and not for freedom, democracy, or anything but a respite from unceasing racial hatred, slave trading and general misery.