Mali: Der Kampf der Tuareg and the fall of Timbuktu and Gao

This is a brief "heads up" post about the fight of the Tuareg for an independent state (Azawad) in the Sahel.  You may have already read news articles about the takeover of the historic cities of Timbuktu (Tomboctou) and Gao in northern Mali by Tuareg militias.  Just yesterday various news agencies were reporting about the wanton destruction of centuries-old historical mosques, mausoleums and sacred tombs, along with the theft of irreplaceable Medieval Islamic books, scripts, and historical documents by an alarmingly increasing number of radical Islamist militants and thieves who have swept into Timbuktu and Gao in the wake of the security vacum created by the March 22nd coup.  I would hope that some of my fellow blog authors, friends and readers around the blogosphere will stay on top of this catastrophe taking place in what was once one of West Africa's stable democracies.

The above video clip is the German language version of a documentary program ARTE Reportage "Mali: Der Kampf der Tuareg" which aired last week on the French/German cultural TV network ARTE TV. This excellent documentary examines the situation in Timbuktu and across northern Mali just weeks before the rape and pillage of the cities of Timbuktu and Gao.  It features interviews with leaders of the Tuareg militias and the MLNA.  What is also interesting are the various scenes showing how the Salafist network Ansar Dine and AQIM (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) is grabbing control of the vast desert region in northern Mali (about the size of Spain) and setting up thier base and training camps.  There is not a sign of Mali government soldiers, ECOWAS military observers, African Union troops, US Army and Marines, or CIA operatives within 500 miles of the place (albeit the CIA is definately in the neighborhood, no doubt about it).

I am posting this information today because the ARTE TV video program will only be available online for a limited time.  The cable/satellite TV program is scheduled to air again on Saturday, July 6th at 10:30 A.M. CET.  Unfortunately for my readers living outside of Europe the ARTE TV programs are available only in France and Germany__ but the program videos and text info on their website may be accessable from abroad.  Nonetheless, it is a don't miss opportunity to learn about another side of this long-running conflict between the nomadic Tuareg and black African tribes (i.e. the Songhai people) who have settled in northern Mali for centuries vs. the government and people living in the south of the country at Bamako.

It's a very different Mali that we see today on our TV and computer screens in comparison to the wonderful and proud country celebrating 50 years of independence depicted in this great interactive video program on the ARTE TV website just two years ago.

More to come after I find the time to compose, edit, and publish what I have on the subject (as usual, I have plenty of info about this subject), including how this story ties in with recent testimony by the commander of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Washington D.C. last month.

Nice to be back with my fans and readers at Jewels in the Jungle if only briefly after such a long, long break.

Inside the African Union Mission in Somalia (Part II): Déjà vu Mogadishu

Uganda 7/11: Al-Shabaab Spreads Its Special Brand of Terror to the 'Pearl of Africa'
Draft Version


The African Union Summit held in Uganda last month was understandably overshadowed by the World Cup bombings in Kampala on July 11th. Following the closed-door meetings between African heads-of-state, AU and UN officials and the many representatives from governments and international institutions in attendance there were several public statements made about the shock and alarm at the attacks against innocent football fans trying to enjoy the 2010 Africa World Cup finals. To be frank none of the people attending the summit should have been surprised by the attacks because both al-Shabbab and al-Qaeda spokesmen had been warning of such action against Africans for some time. The only surprise is that al Shabaab chose to strike in Uganda and not against innocent civilians in Nairobi, East Africa’s economic hub and a city which has been serving for several years as a reluctant host to the largest Somali refugee and expatriate community in the world.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, acting as host to the 43 African leaders in attendance, has been pressing the hardest for a change in the AMISOM mandate and a ramping-up of boots on the ground in Somalia along with an increase in support for the mission (military and financial) from AU partner countries and presumably UN member states who have pledged support for the African Union Mission in Somalia. As a matter of fact AU officials and leaders of key East African and IGAD* countries had a very heated four hour long discussion over their dissatisfaction with U.S. support with President Obama’s point man on Africa, Asst. Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson. I have found no information that such a heated meeting took place with other ‘key partners’ to the African Union, countries i.e. China, India, Brazil, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and of course representatives from the European Union countries. This should be a ‘red flag’ for anyone who is paying close attention to the crisis in Somalia and the lack of international support for the African Union mission to prop-up the Somali Transitional Federal Government. Don’t forget that it is the lives of young soldiers from Uganda and Burundi that are being lost in Mogadishu as well your tax dollars that finance the AMISOM mission.

At the end of meetings and discussions in Kampala a unified call-to-arms was made by top AU officials and Uganda’s President Museveni along with other African heads of state against the growing threat from al-Shabaab militants in Somalia. Yet this so-called call for unity and action espoused in statements by AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping cannot hide the fact that many African countries who had promised troops for the AMISOM mission as far back as 2006 are more reluctant than ever before to send soldiers to the war-ravaged nation. Below are articles which help to explain the many difficulties faced by the poorly organized AMISOM mission to Somalia today.

Long War Journal
The African Union's beleaguered Somalia mission by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Seungwan Chung – July 20, 2010

VOA News (Washington DC)
Analyst says planned African Union troop surge in Somalia would be a strategic blunder - July 29, 2010

World Defense Review (Strategic Interests column)
J. Peter Pham, Ph.D.: 'Muddled on Mogadishu: America's Confused Somalia Strategy' – March 23, 2010

The New York Times
News Analysis - More Troops for Somalia, but No Peace to Keep by Jeffrey Gettleman – July 28, 2010
In Somalia, Talk to the Enemy by Bronwyn Bruton – July 24, 2010
Tea with a Terrorist (in Somalia) by Aidan Hartley – July 24, 2010

Note*: IGAD denotes the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a group of seven countries in the Horn of Africa and East Africa which includes Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Uganda. Eritrea has been suspended from the group since 2007 for bad behavior (supporting terrorists in the region).

And to make matters worse there are almost daily reports of the rapidly deteriorating situation in the country including mass defections of Somali government soldiers and police to the extremist al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam militias. Germany’s Deutsche Welle Radio reports that as many as 1000 German-trained Somali police have gone missing along with their weapons and newly acquired anti-terrorist training enroute from Ethiopia to Mogadishu. A recently completed internal IGAD report reveals that as many as 10,000 EU-trained Somali soldiers may have done the same thing (defected), and the New York Times reports that the personal bodyguards of the Somali president defected to the al-Shabaab in July. This is occurring at the same time that the African Union along with U.S. and E.U. lawmakers and ministers are trying to convince their respective citizens that the AMISOM mission has merit and the fight to support the struggling TFG to help stabilize Somalia must go on at all costs.

The Independent (Kampala weekly news magazine)
Why We Should Pull Out of Somalia by Andrew Mwenda
The Last Word: articles and commentary by Andrew Mwenda

Note: As Andrew Mwenda would tell you, despite his bias toward any policies for Africa emanating from Washington DC, President Museveni will use these terrorist attacks in Kampala to help cement his victory in presidential elections next year. Yoweri Museveni has been in power in Uganda since 1986 with no desire to step down and turn the reigns of power over to a younger, more capable person in sight. The guy is a bigger cult figure in the country than Idi Amin Dada could have ever dreamed! Then there is the problem with Museveni’s inability (and lack of willpower) to stop the murderous, brutal insurgency against women and children in northern Uganda that has been going on for nearly 20 years (Joseph Kony and the feared Lord’s Resistance Army), but hey I’m getting ahead of myself. That’s another can of worms re: M7 (Museveni undercover) for a later post down the road.

The East African (Kenya)
Al Qaeda veterans now run Al Shabaab militia
Kampala twin attacks expose US uncertainty over Somalia

Garowe Online (Puntland – northern Somalia)
African leaders blast US official Johnnie Carson for soft stance on Somalia
Hundreds of German-financed Somali police officers go missing
German government denies Somali child soldiers recruitment allegations (EU Training Mission for Somalia)

DW World (Deutsche Welle Radio Online, Germany)
EU launches new military training mission for Somali security forces
German military cooperation with African countries yields mixed results

The New York Times
Presidential Guards in Somalia Defect to Insurgents

Note: The European Union has at least three major initiatives in place to help the people of Somalia and support the Transitional Federal Government and the AU Mission to Somalia including military training of the Somali National Army (in Uganda and Ethiopia), the EU Naval Force for Somalia (Mission Atalanta against piracy) and loads of humanitarian aid and support logistics to fight hunger amongst the refugees from the long-running conflict. Approximate cost to date for EU taxpayers is more than €100 million Euros and counting. The cost to U.S. taxpayers for various forms of humanitarian and military assistance over the past two decades (1991-2010) is astronomical and probably will never be revealed, especially the cost of support for the Ethiopian invasion and occupation of Somalia from 2007-2009. Financial support to the Somali Transitional Federal Government from the rest of the international community, especially fellow Muslim countries in the region (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, and the Gulf States) and richer African countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Tanzania, Angola, Kenya) is something that we do not hear much about in the international media, which makes one think that there is no financial support from these countries for the AMISOM mission in Somalia.

European Union websites and resources on Somalia
EU at the UN - Somalia: EU Commission allocates €35 million for victims of conflict and natural disasters
EU at the UN - EU Statement - United Nations Security Council: Debate on the Situation in Somalia
European Union Naval Force Somalia - Operation Atalanta
EU/Norway Joint Strategy Paper for Somalia 2008-2013 (pdf)
NATO - Topic: Somalia, Assisting the African Union in Somalia

The African Union Summit in Kampala was attended by 43 African heads-of-state, including Africa’s top democratic leaders (about 6-10 presidents, max), many whom I admire a great deal for the leadership they have shown on the continent and abroad. Of course there was also the usual crowd of less-than-honorable African leaders in attendance with Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe leading the pack. Libya’s flamboyant Colonel Muammar al- Gaddafi, who held the rotating Chairmanship of the African Union in 2009, was in Kampala protected by his famous troop of Amazon body guards. Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir managed to stay away from the summit due to pressing appointments (a naked fear of an ICC arrest warrant). Egypt’s President Mubarak also could not attend the summit due to urgent business back in Cairo (succession worries and poor health) but he did manage to send an ambassador.  President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo chose not to make an appearance for unknown reasons (coup fears). No troops for Somalia from any of these guys as they are desperately needed to continue the repression of citizens back home.

The Obama administration sent a high-level delegation of U.S. government officials that included the administration's lead diplomat on Africa, Asst. Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, the U.S. Ambassador to the African Union Michael Battle, U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan General (ret.) Scott Gration, and surprisingly the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder (head of the U.S. Department of Justice). Eric Holder, who is America’s top law enforcement official, delivered a speech during the opening day of the Kampala Summit that is worth reading as it spells out U.S. policy for Africa in light of the bombings in Kampala. There is an exclusive interview with Asst. Secretary Carson over at allAfrica.com that highlights his perspective on U.S.-Africa relations and policies under the administration of President Barack Obama.

President Obama did not attend the African Union Summit in Kampala (he is still cleaning Gulf oil off of his shoes) and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was busy preparing for her daughter’s wedding day.  Actually, President Obama and Secretary Clinton have been busy hosting some of Africa's finest young people and budding entrepreneurs at The President's Forum with Young African Leaders in conjunction with the 2010 AGOA Forum on US / Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation. Nonetheless President Obama did manage to send his top cop (Eric Holder) and his Africa A-Team minus some notable figures such as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Dr. Susan E. Rice, an expert on failing and failed states and their links to extremism and terrorism (ref. her earlier work at the Brookings Institution before she joined the Obama administration).

Brookings Institution (Washington DC)
Weak and Failed States: What They Are, Why They Matter and What to Do About Them
Index of State Weakness in the Developing World by Susan E. Rice and Patrick Steward

Note: Many people may not know who Johnnie Carson is or what his responsibilities are in the Obama administration. An experienced U.S. diplomat in Africa serving several U.S. administrations, Secretary Carson is rather soft-spoken and reserved in his public comments___ a Jendayi Frazer he ain’t (the feisty, take-no-prisoners lead diplomat for Africa under Condoleezza Rice and George W. Bush). Dr. Jendayi Frazer always had strong rebuttals ready for Robert Mugabe’s demeaning slurs against her in comparison to the tepid response by Asst. Secretary Carson during a gala event at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington DC in May this year. The Zimbabwe ambassador to the U.S. referred to Secretary Carson as a ‘House Slave’, indirectly placing U.S. President Obama and other African-American lawmakers and political leaders into the racist category commonly referred to as ‘House Negroes’. Mugabe and other members of the Zanu-PF party have been making these kinds of statements about African-Americans for years (see his outburst at the 2009 African Union Summit in Libya). Yet, Mugabe remains a welcome guest and favorite son at the table of African Union summits and conferences, as does Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir and other despots and dictators from the continent. This is something else for the American electorate to keep in mind when the AU comes with hat in hand looking for support and money for a 'troop surge' in Somalia and a lot of other needs it may have in the near future.

Which brings me to the main topic of my short series of posts on Somalia:

What does the world do now that two Islamist extremist groups (al-Shabaab, Hizbul Islam) lead by an international terrorist network (al-Qaeda) have finally succeeded to within a gnat’s ass of taking over an African country that sits upon one of the most geo-strategic sea lanes and land corridors in the world?

Foreign Policy Magazine
Argument: Help Wanted in Somalia by Omar Abdira Ali Sharmarke – June 21, 2010
Prime Minister of Somalia, Transitional Federal Government

End Part II___ Part III coming ASAP

Somalia: Inside the African Union's Mission to Crush the Al-Shabab. Rolling Thunder or More Blunders?

Draft Version: Part I
From Somali blogger and Ph.D. candidate to presidential advisor in Mogadishu

Back in the early days of the blogosphere (2003-2005) when the total number of blogs in the world numbered around 7 million, African blog authors were at the forefront of the blogging movement working hard to educate readers about what life in Africa is really like. Social networking platforms i.e. Facebook with its 500 million+ users today were not on the horizon and Biz Stone, the founder and CEO of Twitter, was busy together with his small team of developers at Pyra Labs perfecting the online publishing software (Blogger) that was later bought out by Google. A lot has happened in the Sphere since then.

The majority of African blog authors in those early years were from Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ghana and handful of other countries spread around the vast continent. There were also a small number of blog authors who hailed from Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia. Many of those early pioneering blog authors from Africa were members of the African Diaspora living, studying, and working abroad in Europe and North America where access to the latest computer technology, broadband Internet connections, and free software tools needed to publish online were readily available.

This short series of posts about Somalia that I am launching today is dedicated to two blog authors from those early days who did a great job in helping me and their many readers around the globe gain a better understanding of Somalia and the many issues and challenges the people face in that very troubled country.

The first author is Yvette Lopez, a Filipino humanitarian worker who spent a considerable amount of time in Hargeisa (Hargeysa), the capital of the generally peaceful, democratic, self-declared independent Republic of Somaliland, an incredible accomplishment when compared to the complete anarchy of central and southern Somalia since the breakup of the two regions in 1991. Yvette authored the very popular Inside Somaliland blog which was an outstanding work containing great stories and lots of photos about life in the region. Among her many accomplishments Yvette also helped pioneer the use and growth of blogs and social media among the youth of Somaliland.

To my knowledge there hasn’t been anything like Inside Somaliland published from within Somaliland since Yvette left to work on other projects in Africa (she was working in Sudan last I heard). Yvette Lopez was a favorite blog author for Ethan Zuckerman (Global Voices co-founder) and I am sure many other people around the globe. Her enthusiasm and strong belief in the chances for success driven by the ordinary people of northern Somalia (Somaliland) is sorely missed.

The second blog author, a man who wrote regularly about the politics and conflict(s) swirling around Somalia is Bill Ainashe, better known to his professional colleagues, friends, and family as ‘Mukhtar’ Ainashe. Bill, who fled the chaos and fighting in Somalia as a youth was educated in Europe (Norway) and the U.S.A. (he is/was a Ph.D. candidate at George Washington University in Washington DC). Bill also worked for the World Bank during his studies at GWU in Washington DC. He is married to a lovely Somali woman and they have two beautiful young daughters who are growing up in the Washington DC area.

NOTE: Now I know that this introduction is a bit long-winded and boring, but please bear with me a while longer ‘cause this is where the story gets interesting, especially in light of the recent bombings in Uganda by Somalia’s Al-Shabab militants and the recently concluded African Union Summit in Kampala.  Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni (the Great Liberator) together with other AU leaders have called for a (massive) troop surge in Somalia to counter the growing terrorist threat posed by Al-Shabab to the region and all African countries. The idea of a troop surge for AMISOM* is ‘whack!’ for many people who have earnestly been following news about Somalia and the decision defies logic and reasoning offered by numerous Somalia experts around the world. Yet, the whole deal has received approval and backing from the Obama administration,  the UK government and other members of the European Union, the United Nations, and other key governments and players inside and outside of the region. AMISOM* is the acronym for the African Union Mission to Somalia with the approval of the United Nations and various international bilateral partner countries to the AU.

Unfortunately, neither Yvette nor Mukhtar (Bill) have been writing and publishing to their personal blogs since 2006/2007 and their earlier work is no longer available online. The two have moved on to new challenges and opportunities but Mukhtar’s trajectory has been the most astonishing. You see, he went from a comfortable life in Washington DC living together with his wife and two kids to what many journalists have described as the Most Dangerous Place on Earth (Jeffrey Gettleman of the New York Times), Postcards from Hell (Elizabeth Dickinson at Foreign Policy magazine), and other demeaning labels however accurate they may be. Bill has gone from being an avid Africa blogger to being a close advisor to the (interim) President of Somalia Sheikh Sharif Sheik Ahmed , which if you ask me is a pretty big God---- big ass leap! Bill is in Mogadishu, living and working at the Villa Somalia, dodging bullets, RPG-launched grenades and mortar rounds in the Presidential Villa Mogadishu (or what’s left of it).

So that is where this story will begin, with news articles about Mukhtar ‘Bill’ Ainashe and other Somalis who were living relatively comfortable (and relatively safe) lives in America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East but have decided to return home to help save their country from the chaos and anarchy that has been branded with a red-hot iron into the world’s view of Somalia, Somalis, and failing states in Africa and elsewhere.

Spiegel Online International (Germany, English-language edition)
Inside the World's Worst Hellhole: Somalia, the Perfect Failed State by Clemens Höges – May 18, 2010

An excerpt from the Spiegel Online International feature article:

Somalia, which has been without a functioning government for almost two decades, serves as a warning for what could happen to other failed states. Rival Islamic militias battle for control of the capital, where the president, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, is in constant danger of his life. A visit to the worst place on the planet.

Dealers in the Somali capital Mogadishu are now selling cartridges for Kalashnikovs at 37 cents apiece. The price has dropped by almost half in recent weeks, probably because there is already a lot of ammunition in the city. Mukhtar Ainashe knows this. He steps on the gas and the large SUV he is driving shoots off.

Ainashe is an intellectual. He reads American philosophers like Thoreau and Emerson, he studied in Norway and, until recently, he made a good living working for the World Bank in Washington. He has a wife and two young children in the United States, and he has a passion for expensive watches. In fact, Ainashe is completely out of place in Africa's dirtiest war.

He drives the vehicle furiously across the unforgiving terrain, a former road now pockmarked with grenade craters. The SUV skids through the gravel and bounces along over rocks, its axles making cracking noises, past the ruins of bullet-riddled houses, which shimmer in the sun like the bleached bones of dead animals in the desert.

No Way to Stop

A "technical" -- a pickup truck typical of Somalia, with a machine gun mounted on the truck bed -- is visible in the rear-view mirror, also bouncing up and down on the rough road. It's manned by government fighters -- Ainashe's bodyguards. The driver of the technical can barely manage to keep up, driving as close to the rear bumper of the SUV as possible. Nevertheless, Ainashe cannot afford to slow down -- it would only make him a target for the Islamists' machine guns. Anyone who stops on this road dies.

The SUV circles "Kilometer 4," the notorious, often contested central roundabout where so many people have died. Then it passes the ruins of the parliament building, where the Islamists shoot at anything that moves. Finally, Ainashe reaches a driveway at the base of a hill.

Machine gun nests between battered walls protect the entrance. Ainashe maneuvers the SUV through a narrow alleyway, through checkpoints, around tank barricades, passing guards along the way. When he finally reaches the gate to the fortress at the top of the hill, he hears the guns of the president's forces, which kill people every day. Their task is to protect the five buildings inside the wall. Their enemies are less than a kilometer away, and they can be seen running and shooting.

"Welcome to Villa Somalia," says Ainashe.

END excerpt from ‘Der Spiegel’. Read the complete article here.

While you are at it, have a look at this Spiegel Online article about how one German company (mercenaries) has offered to help the country return to stability, peace and security, and democracy:
'Shadow Foreign Policy': Somali Warlord Hires German Mercenaries to Provide Security Services

Another article about Mukhtar Ainashe and his colleagues and associates who have decided to return to Somalia in recent years:
The National (English newspaper published in Abu Dhabi, UAE)
Appeal for Somalis to Return Home by Matt Brown – Dec. 20, 2009


More related news, editorials, and resources_____

Foreign Policy Magazine and The Fund for Peace
The Failed States Index 2010
In the Beginning, There Was Somalia by James Traub
Postcards from Hell - an FP photo essay, images from world's most failed states

And last but certainly not least, a fresh look inside Somaliland, which has recently completed free-and-fair democratic elections according to independent international elections observers but still cannot get any respect or official recognition by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and  the folks running Turtle Bay.

Aljazeera.net English (Doha, Qatar)
Inside Story: Somalia vs. Somaliland - June 24, 2010
A must-see half hour video about life in Somaliland compared to that in Somalia over the past 19 years.


END Part I: Part II to follow ASAP (Yep, the story gets even better folks.)

Obama in Cairo: Mission Impossible or Mission Accomplished?

Update June 4, 2009

I had intended to publish the following post about President Obama’s visit to Egypt yesterday but unfortunately I could not complete it in time. The President has delivered his major address to the people of Egypt at Cairo University five hours ago (starting at approximately 12:10 CET) and I was fortunate to be able to watch the speech LIVE here in Europe on both Al Jazeera and CNN International cable news networks.

In a word President Obama’s speech was ‘magnificent’ and neither I nor the news anchors, correspondents, and Middle East experts at Al Jazeera and CNNI can remember such a rousing response, repeated applause, and standing ovations for a U.S. president before an audience of Muslim students and scholars and other invited guests in our lifetimes. The impact of President Obama’s speech on the audience was just amazing albeit it is still too early to measure the reactions from ordinary citizens in the Middle East and throughout the Muslim world. Granted, in short time the world’s foreign policy experts, Middle East critics and pundits will have run the speech through their Veg-o-matics (…”you can slice it, and dice it, until it is totally unrecognizable!”). But for now, for those of us around the world who have just witnessed this important and historic speech at Cairo University, well we can savor the moment for as long as it lasts and say “job well done, Mr. President”.

The Al Jazeera English cable network coverage was outstanding and I have provided links to their news stories and videos below along with those from CNN International. In addition I have included key Egyptian news sites and bloggers and other important Middle Eastern news sources that are doing a great job of in-depth coverage of the president’s visit to Saudi Arabia and Egypt. I shall be updating this developing story with follow-on posts over the next few days as new information and opinions emerge from a world in ‘shock and awe’ over The Cairo Speech (PDF).


Original post from June 3, 2009

It is less than 24 hours before U.S. President Barack Obama delivers his long awaited speech to the ‘Arab and Muslim world’ at Cairo University. Already the White House staff is attempting to play down the importance of the speech in the wake of international media frenzy and hype surrounding the president’s visit to the Middle East. Obama’s Cairo speech, ‘A New Beginning’, has been heralded as an attempt to reset the mood and open new dialogues between the public in the United States and Arab and Muslim countries in order to make progress in the settlement of a wide range of long-outstanding problems and issues. But what should we really expect from President Obama’s visit to Egypt?

This morning I discussed that question with a good friend from the Middle East and we were in agreement on a number of points.

One, it is great that the new U.S. president is making a visit to Egypt so early in his administration and delivering a speech aimed at the citizens of the Middle East and the Muslim World. The fact that he has chosen Cairo, Egypt as the venue of his speech is an extra bonus due to its historical importance to the world-at-large, not only the Muslim world.

Two, an open dialogue between people from different nations is always a good thing, especially when that dialogue is conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and a desire for understanding. That the majority population of the Middle East is so young and outspoken should make for some dynamic and interesting debates and editorials in the international press and news media following this historic event.

Three, my friend and I agree that it is time that the new Obama administration and select key members of the U.S. government put significant pressure on the Israeli government to halt the construction of new settlements and outposts on disputed territories (this is about the only thing my friend and I can agree on when it comes to Arab-Israeli relations, but it is a good start). I personally do not see this demand as an abandonment of the long-standing alliance between the United States and Israel but as one necessary pre-requisite to a sustainable and just peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors. It is also equally important that militant groups and political organizations in the Palestinian territories once and for all abandon the path of violent confrontation with the Israelis as well as the violent clashes between one another. In the end it is the innocent civilians who suffer the most from such behavior, innocent men, women, and children on all sides.

Four, the new U.S. administration (as many U.S. administrations before it) is attempting to maneuver through a political/religious/cultural mine field of contrasting views and opinions which too often has lead to loss and tragedy for the people of the region. How can the people of the Middle East move forward on governance and democracy and human rights in the 21st Century? Whatever the outcome of these struggles and negotiations between the Arab public and their respective governments and civic and religious leaders, the final decisions must belong to the people of the Middle East. This is something that President Obama must make clear at the beginning of his speech before the audience in Cairo (and the worldwide audience who will be watching and listening very closely to every word he says).

America can no longer afford to manipulate and interfere with the legitimate, sovereign governments of the region while at the same time preaching transparency, human rights, and democracy founded on the will of the people. Promoting universal principals and values and good governance to our friends and allies is one thing, supporting autocratic, repressive regimes and dictators that serve our so-called ‘national interest’ is quite another. America needs true friends and allies in the Middle East and throughout the Muslim world, not puppet regimes who simply do our bidding for a few billion dollars of aid and trade.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was right in her address to the Arab public at the American University in Cairo on June 20, 2005:

Excerpt from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s Cairo speech:
Source: The Arabist

Throughout its history, Egypt has always led this region through its moments of greatest decision.

In the early 19th century, it was the reform-minded dynasty of Muhammad Ali that distinguished Egypt from the Ottoman Empire and began to transform it into the region’s first modern nation.

In the early 20th century, it was the forward-looking Wafd Party that rose in the aftermath of the First World War and established Cairo as the liberal heart of the “Arab Awakening.”

And just three decades ago, it was Anwar Sadat who showed the way forward for the entire Middle East — beginning difficult economic reforms and making peace with Israel.

In these periods of historic decision, Egypt’s leadership was as visionary as it was essential for progress. In our own time, we are faced with equally momentous choices — choices that will echo for generations to come.

In this time of great decision, I have come to Cairo not to talk about the past, but to look to the future — a future that Egyptians can lead and define.

Ladies and Gentlemen: In our world today, a growing number of men and women are securing their liberty.

And as these people gain the power to choose, they create democratic governments to protect their natural rights.

We should all look to a future when every government respects the will of its citizens — because the ideal of democracy is universal.

For 60 years, the United States pursued stability at the expense of democracy in the Middle East — and we achieved neither.

Now, we are taking a different course. We are supporting the democratic aspirations of all people.

As President Bush said in his Second Inaugural Address: “America will not impose our style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way.”

We know these advances will not come easily, or all at once.

We know that different societies will find forms of democracy that work for them.Our goals are idealistic. But our policies must be practical. And progress must be evident.

When we talk about democracy, we are referring to governments that protect certain basic rights for all their citizens — among these, the right to speak freely. The right to associate. The right to worship as you wish. The freedom to educate your children — boys and girls. And freedom from the midnight knock of the secret police.

Securing these rights is the hope of every citizen, and the duty of every government.

In my own country, the progress of democracy has been long and difficult. And given our history, the United States has no cause for false pride and every reason for humility.

America was founded by individuals who knew that all human beings — and the governments they create — are inherently imperfect. After all, the United States was born half free and half slave. And it was only in my lifetime that my government guaranteed the right to vote for all of its people.

Nevertheless, the principles enshrined in our Constitution enable citizens of conviction to move us ever closer to the ideal of democracy.

Here in the Middle East, the long hopeful process of democratic change is now beginning to unfold.

Millions of people are demanding freedom for themselves and democracy for their countries.

To these courageous men and women, I say today: All free nations will stand with you as you secure the blessings of your own liberty.

End excerpt from former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s 2005 Cairo speech___

For sixty years we (the U.S. taxpayers) have allowed our government to invest billions of dollars into Egypt, Israel, and other Middle Eastern countries to promote our national interests___ only to come to the realization later that “this shit ain’t working!”. In other words, after 60 years of a failed foreign policy in the Middle East we (Americans) must wakeup to the fact that it is time to try something else, something new, something radically different.

Five, whatever happens after President Obama delivers his speech in Cairo to the ‘Arab and Muslim worlds’ it will take time before any significant results can be measured and a victory over seemingly never-ending conflict, misery, and mutual mistrust can be declared. It has been more than sixty years since the founding of the State of Israel and the struggles for Arab independence from their former European colonial masters___ and a lasting peace, equality, opportunity and prosperity is nowhere in sight for a majority of the peoples in the region. But peace and prosperity in the Middle East and throughout the Muslim world may at long last be within our grasp, if we have the courage to reach out and take hold of it, working together to support one another, striving to understand and respect one another, and helping to solve the various problems and challenges that we face on our small, blue planet.

If President Obama’s highly anticipated speech in Cairo can help to put the people of the world on such a path then he will have really accomplished something great in the ancient Land of the Pharaohs. Let’s wait and see what he has to say____ and how it comes across to everyone who has a stake in Peace in the Middle East.

Here is my recommended ‘pre-speech reading list’ from some of the best minds, scholars, journalists, and popular bloggers in the Middle East and beyond. I shall add more news articles, editorials, and blog posts from the Arab and international news media and bloggers over the next days following President Obama’s speech.

Thank you for visiting Jewels in the Jungle today. Tchuss bis später.


Related articles and resources
Middle East and North Africa

Al Jazeera News Network – English edition
Obama seeks new start with Muslims 06/04/09
Note: see related news articles and videos for Al Jazeera’s full coverage of the visit
Obama in Cairo for landmark speech 06/04/09
Obama begins Middle East tour 06/03/09
Obama offers change to Muslim world 06/03/09
Bin Laden attacks Obama policies 06/03/09

The Arabist (Cairo, Egypt)
Mubarak is a force for stability and good, says Obama at 3arabawy 06/02/09
Obama’s visit is dividing Egyptians - The National Newspaper 06/01/09
Dina Guirguis (chairman of Voices for a Democratic Egypt) - Obama’s Message in Egypt at washingtonpost.com 05/24/09
(Al-Jazeera) Fault Lines on the torture debate, Obama’s relationship with Mubarak, Saudis 06/01/09
Condoleezza Rice’s Remarks from her Cairo Speech at AUC (American University in Cairo) June 20, 2005

3arabawy by journalist Hossam al-Hamalawy (Cairo, Egypt)
NYT Op-Ed: Our allies not in the White House 06/03/09
National Public Radio Interview: Is there freedom of expression in Egypt? 06/03/09
You are NOT welcome! 06/03/09

The Egyptian Chronicles by Zeinobia (Cairo, Egypt)
We Won’t Kill Him For God’s Sake !! 06/03/09
Obama Will Visit These Places in Cairo and Giza 06/03/09
Four Presidents and Four messages 06/01/09

Voices for a Democratic Egypt (VDE)
VDE Blog - Voices for a Democratic Egypt (VDE)
Two Public Opinion Polls on Perceptions of the Arab World

Global Voices Online (U.S. based international network of blog authors and editors)
Egypt: Is Obama not Welcome? 06/03/09
Egyptian blogger roundup on the Obama visit to Cairo

Al-Ahram Weekly (Cairo, Egypt) – Issue Nr. 949, May 28-June 3, 2009
One of Egypt’s oldest and most prestigious newspapers
Front Page: Cairo counts down to Obama
Opinion: Muslim expectations (of Obama's visit to Cairo)
Obama on campus (at Cairo University)

The National Newspaper (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
Obama launches Middle East trip 06/03/09
Obama faces challenge in Cairo 06/02/09
Cairo university (American University in Cairo) in US ‘spy’ furore 04/08/09

Daily News Egypt (an independent English-language newspaper)
Obama Outlines Mideast Policy Ahead of Cairo Speech 06/02/09
Interview with Reza Aslan: "Muslims are all ears but Obama must send the right message." 06/01/09


Europe

BBC News (U.K.)
Middle East: Barack Obama launches key Mid-East mission 06/03/09
Obama hopeful on Mid-East peace 06/02/09
Justin Webb’s America: An Interview with President Obama
The Obama interview exclusive before the Middle East trip 06/01/09

Spiegel Online – international edition ( ‘Der Spiegel’ Magazine, Germany)
'Aspirin for Us Muslims': Arab World Skeptical about Obama Overture 06/03/09
Middle East Peace: Obama's Mission Impossible 05/19/09
Obama and Merkel: The Trans-Atlantic Frenemies 06/03/09


U.S.A. and North America

CNN.com (international edition)
Obama address extends hand to Islam 06/04/09
Obama in Egypt - Radicals ‘worst nightmare’: Obama draws questions, praise from Muslims 06/04/09
Text of President Obama’s Cairo speech ‘A New Beginning’ (PDF)
CNNI video of the President’s Cairo University speech (Part 1)

TIME.com (international edition)
Can Obama Win Muslim Hearts and Minds? - TIME
Meeting High Expectations in the Middle East - TIME
Obama and the Arab World: Can He Meet Expectations? 06/02/09

Newsweek.com (international edition)
Newsweek Voices Series
Robert J. Samuelson: The Media’s Obama Infatuation - Is the press giving the president a free pass? 06/01/09
Christopher Dickey: Will Obama Apologize to the Arab World? 06/01/09

The Peace Maker: Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s Mideast Mission 05/23/09
American and Iranian Diplomats Resume Their Talk___ 30 Years Later (Brzezinski and Yazdi interview) 05/25/09

The Los Angeles Times (L.A. Times)
In Egypt, dissident Ayman Nour is pessimistic on eve of Obama’s visit 05/31/09

The Washington Post
Obama faces a chasm in the Mideast: Legacy of distrust complicates speech 06/03/09
King Abdullah Greets Obama in Saudi Arabia 06/03/09
Clinton says rights a `core pillar' of US policy 05/28/09
Will Mr. Obama in Egypt Engage Autocrats or a New Generation? 05/27/09
What Will Unconditional Aid Buy From Egypt's Hosni Mubarak? 05/06/09

The New York Times
Obama Realism May Not Play Well in Cairo Streets 05/30/09
Cleaning Cairo, but Taking a Livelihood 05/25/09
Memo From Cairo - Egypt to Be Center Stage in Obama’s Address to Arabs 05/12/09

Foreign Policy Magazine (May/June 2009 online issue)
Why Obama Can't Sell America by Ramez Maluf
Until the Israel-Palestine issue is solved, there is only so much rhetoric can do
What Muslim World? By Scott Carpenter and Soner Capatgay
There is one big problem with addressing the Muslim world – it doesn’t exist
Cairo University's Moment in the Sun by Liam Stack
Don't Give up on Egypt by Andrew Albertson and Stephen McInerney
Bush’s push for democracy in the Arab world’s most populous country showed glimmers of success. So why does Obama seem ready to give up on it now?
Today in the World (Global News) by Joshua Keating

Foreign Policy Magazine Blogs – a world class lineup
Mark Lynch (Professor Mark Lynch’s Abu Aardvark Middle East blog)
Obama's subtle shift on Islamism 06/03/09
I won't be pre-gaming The Speech (Obama's Cairo speech) 06/03/09
Why Arab public opinion polls matter 05/29/09
Why did Obama add Saudi Arabia to his itinerary? 05/28/09
Ayman Nour's release - symbol and substance 02/19/09

FP Passport (a great blog by the editors at Foreign Policy Magazine)
Morning Brief: Obama kicks off Middle East visit 06/03/09
Egyptians (poll): Obama much better than Bush, still not great 06/03/09
Morning Brief: U.S. and Israel face off over settlements 05/28/09

David J. Rothkopf (blog at FP)
What happens when the reset button doesn't work? Think Cairo, Gitmo, GM, and more U.S. problems 06/02/09

End FP blogs____

Professor Juan Cole’s Informed Comment blog
Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion
Obama's Speech in Cairo (4 video segments plus commentaries) 06/04/09
Obama Addresses the Muslim World (Juan Cole writes at Salon.com) 06/04/09
Obama and Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 06/02/09

The Council on Foreign Relations
Daily Analysis: The Reset Button On U.S.-Muslim Dialogue 06/04/09
Obama in Mideast: A Focus on Arab Peace Plan and Reform 06/02/09
Obama Needs a 'Big Idea' for Muslims 06/02/09

The Brookings Institution
Saban Center for Middle East Policy
Obama's Egypt Speech: What He Should Say to the Muslim World 06/02/09
President Obama in the Middle East 02/09/09
A Time for Diplomatic Renewal: Toward a New U.S. Strategy in the Middle East December 2008

Technorati tags:ObamaBarack Obama America USA Egypt Cairo Mubarak Middle East Israel Palestine democracy human rights politics foreign policy war religion Islam peace global voices

Sudan Update: Weapons convoy bombing incident clarified. "U.S.A. didn't do it. It was the Israelis!"

Updates March 28-31, 2009

Information about the ‘UFO incident’ over Sudan is becoming somewhat clearer now. Apparently CBS News was not the original source but the new Egyptian newspaper named Al Shorouk (Hat tip to The Arabist for being on top of the breaking news story from the very beginning).

According to updated reports from the New York Times, The Lede blog at the New York Times, and reports from Israel’s Haaretz Newspaper ‘the Israelis done it!’ The Pentagon and the White House have yet to (officially) comment on the incident but Israel’s outgoing president Ehud Olmert has more-or-less confirmed that it was the IAF in a speech he gave on Thursday (source: Haaretz Newspaper):

Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hinted on Thursday at Israel's suspected role in an air-strike that reportedly hit a convoy of arms smugglers as it drove through Sudan toward Egypt in January. "We operate everywhere where we can hit terror infrastructure - in close places, in places further away, everywhere where we can hit terror infrastructure, we hit them and we hit them in a way that increases deterrence," said Olmert, speaking at a conference in Herzliya.

End excerpt___

Time Magazine (TIME.com) has one of the best updated reports that I have read on the raid over Sudan. According to Time.com sources this is what really happened:

TIME.com (Time Magazine)
How Israel Foiled an Arms Convoy Bound for Hamas
March 30, 2009

Israeli fighter-bombers, backed by unmanned drones, were responsible for a mid-January attack on a 23-truck convoy in the Sudanese desert carrying arms to Hamas militants, two highly-placed Israeli security sources revealed to TIME. The attack was a warning to Iran and other adversaries, showing Israel's intelligence capability and its willingness to mount operations far beyond its borders in order to defend itself from gathering threats.

The sources revealed exclusive details about the bold air attack on what they said was an Iranian weapons convoy, which had been transporting rockets and explosives destined for Gaza during the Israeli assault on the small Palestinian territory. They denied earlier news reports that U.S. aircraft had been involved in the attack on the arms convoy as it crossed at night through the Sudanese desert heading for Egypt's poorly guarded border. "The Americans were notified that Israel was going to conduct an air operation in Sudan, but they were not involved," a source said. He denied prior claims by a U.S. television network that a ship and a second convoy were destroyed. "There was only one raid, and it was a major operation," he said, adding that "dozens of aircraft" were used.

F-16 fighter-bombers carried out two runs on the convoy, while F-15 fighter planes circled overhead as a precaution in case hostile aircraft were scrambled from Khartoum or a nearby country. After the first bombing run, drones mounted with high-resolution cameras passed over the burning trucks. The video showed that the convoy had only been partially damaged, so the Israelis ordered a second pass with the F-16s. During the 1,750-mile (2800 km) journey to Sudan and back, the Israeli aircraft refueled in midair over the Red Sea.

The bombing raid came after an intelligence tip-off. In early January, at the height of Israel's assault on Gaza, Israel's foreign intelligence agency Mossad was told by an informant that Iran was planning a major delivery of 120 tons of arms and explosives to Gaza, including anti-tank rockets and Fajir rockets with a 25 mile range and a 45 kg warhead. With little time to plan the operation, naval vessels and helicopters were rushed to the Red Sea in case Israel had to rescue a downed pilot, and the plan was rushed through. "The Israelis had less than a week to pull this all together," a source said.

The Iranian shipment was bound for Port Sudan. From there, according to the security sources, the Iranians had organized a smuggler's convoy of 23 trucks that would take the weapons across Egypt's southern border and up into the Sinai. Hamas would then take charge of the weapons and smuggle them into Gaza through the tunnels unscathed by Israeli bombardments.

It was a route used occasionally by Hamas, but never before on such a large scale, sources said. "This was the first time that the Iranians had tried to send Hamas a shipment this big via Sudan — and it is probably the last," he said. Several Iranians were killed in the raid, along with Sudanese smugglers and drivers, the source claimed. "No doubt the Iranians are checking back to see who might have leaked this to the Israelis," he said.

End excerpt___

American government officials who asked to remain anonymous spoke with The New York Times earlier this week about the air raid in Sudan. Here is how the New York Times describes the incident:

The New York Times
U.S. Officials Say Israel Struck in Sudan by Jeffrey Gettleman and Michael R. Gordon – March 26, 2009

Israeli warplanes bombed a convoy of trucks in Sudan in January that was believed to be carrying arms to be smuggled into Gaza, according to American officials.

Israeli officials refused to confirm or deny the attack, but intelligence analysts noted that the strike was consistent with other measures Israel had taken to secure its borders.

American officials said the airstrike took place as Israel sought to stop the flow of weapons to Gaza during the weeks it was fighting a war with Hamas there.

Two American officials who are privy to classified intelligence assessments said that Iran had been involved in the effort to smuggle weapons to Gaza. They also noted that there had been intelligence reports that an operative with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps had gone to Sudan to coordinate the effort.

But one former official said that the exact provenance of the arms that were being smuggled via Sudan was unclear.

Although the airstrike was carried out two months ago, it was not publicized until Sudanese officials said Thursday that a convoy of trucks in the remote eastern part of Sudan was bombed by what they called “American fighters,” killing dozens. The strikes were first reported on several Internet-based news sites, including CBSNews.com.

End excerpt____

AFRICOM, the new U.S. Africa Command (based in Germany), issued the following statement via their spokesman Vince Crawley (source: The New York Times)

Vince Crawley, a spokesman for the United States Africa Command, said American forces had not bombed Sudan. “The U.S. military has not conducted any airstrikes, fired any missiles or undertaken any combat operations in or around Sudan since October 2008, when U.S. Africa Command formally became responsible for U.S. military action in Africa,” he said.

The American officials who described the Israeli role declined to be identified because they were discussing classified information and were not authorized to speak for the Obama administration. One American military official said the January strike was one of a series of Israeli attacks against arms shipments bound for Gaza.

End excerpt____

If it is true that Iran sent operatives to Sudan to facilitate the smuggling of short-range missiles and sophisticated armor-piercing munitions to Hamas in Gaza, then Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and his regime have a helluva lot more to worry about than an ICC arrest warrant for his war crimes against the people of Darfur.

Why didn’t Sudan’s air force and navy detect and engage (intercept) the squadrons consisting of numerous Israeli fighters and bombers entering Sudan airspace. Was it cowardice (most likely) or did the Sudanese military simply not see these aircraft on their sophisticated new defense radar systems? What about the hundreds of Chinese and Russian military advisors running around the country, they must have seen something? Non? Nichts?

It is no wonder that Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak didn’t bother to share the stage with Sudan’s president and Libya’s leader Muammar el-Qaddafi at the Arab League Summit in Doha (Qatar) this week. Sudan is on the road to perdition under this regime, and so is anyone who is foolish enough to back them, including their ‘brothers-in-arms’ at the Doha Summit.


Related articles and resources

TIME.com (Time Magazine International edition)
How Israel Foiled an Arms Convoy Bound for Hamas 03/30/09

The New York Times
Often Split, Arab Leaders Unite for Sudan’s Chief 03/30/09
U.S. Officials Say Israel Struck in Sudan 03/26/09

The Lede: the New York Times’ news blog
Qaddafi Erupts, on Schedule 03/30/09
Sudan Airstrike Mystery Update 03/27/09

Haaretz.com (Israel)
Sudan says Israel 'most probably' behind attack (text and video) 03/27/09
'Egypt boosts Sudan border troops over Gaza smuggling' 03/27/09
IAF Sudan strike / Olmert: Israel will target threats near and far 03/26/09
ANALYSIS : In bombing Sudan, Israel sends message to Iran by Amos Harel 03/26/09

The Arabist (Cairo, Egypt)
Qadhafi never disappoints (Libya's leader at the Arab Summit in Doha) 03/31/09
The Prince of Hyperbole 03/29/09
ABC News: Three Israeli attacks on Sudan, not just one 03/28/09
Things to remember about the Sudan air strike 03/27/09
Mubarak will not go to Doha Arab summit 03/27/09
On al-Shorouk (interview with the author of The Arabist) 03/27/09
CBS says Israel, not US, behind Sudan strike 03/26/09

Spiegel Online International (Germany)
Al-Bashir Arrest Warrant: Qatari Emir Warns of 'Chaos' in Sudan 03/28/09
Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine interviews the Emir of Qatar re: Sudan’s President al-Bashir and the ICC arrest warrant before the Arab League Summit in Doha

The Washington Post
Sudan Alleges Foreign Airstrikes Near Border With Egypt 03/27/09

The Christian Science Monitor
Will Arab leaders discuss Israeli airstrike in Sudan? 03/29/09

Foreign Policy Magazine
FP Blogs: Mark Lynch – author of the Abu Aardvark Middle East blog
The Doha Summit: A user's guide

The Arab League Summit (Doha, Qatar) – March 30-31, 2009

Technorati tags:Africa Sudan Israel Gaza Hamas weapons US Military AFRICOM USA Egypt global voices Iran Middle East Arab League Doha Summit

Sudan: UFO's dropping bombs sighted over Port Sudan

Breaking News March 26, 2009
UFO’s bomb and strafe convoy near Port Sudan killing hundreds!


Look, everybody needs to back up for a minute and take a deep breadth.

Al Jazeera News reported yesterday that in January 2009 U.S. fighter jets attacked and destroyed a vehicle convoy outside of Port Sudan that was allegedly transporting weapons and munitions to Hamas fighters in Gaza. The facts are still unclear but the original news story broke at the CBS News World Watch blog on Wednesday. The Times of London ran a different story reporting that the attack was carried out by the IAF (Israeli Air Force). Al Jazeera reports that the Transportation Minister for the Government of Sudan confirmed that two airstrikes killed several people and inured 50, but that the Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor claims he had no prior knowledge of any such attacks on a convoy smuggling weapons and munitions to Hamas via routes through Sudan into Egypt. The Times story updated on March 27th goes into more detail based on their sources and research. I have no idea how the story is playing out in the blogosphere, but to be honest I’m afraid to look.

Updates on the story less than 24 hours later:

Al Jazeera News – English
Jets 'bombed convoy in Sudan' 03/27/09
Note: the words “U.S. Jets” was dropped from the original headline of March 26th and the story has been updated (edited)
Al Jazeera News Channel at YouTube (video)
Note: see Al Jazeera MOBILE BULLETIN (video) - 0535GMT - 27 March 09

CBS News (USA)
Sudan Says Foreign Airstrikes Hit Weapons Convoy (AP) 03/26/09

CBS News World Watch blog
U.S. Accused Of Killing 39 In Sudan Strike by Dan Raviv 03/25/09
Note: this blog post at CBS News was the original breaking news story about the alleged U.S./Israeli air raid on the arms convoy in Sudan

The New York Times (USA)
The Lede (the New York Times news blog)
The Sudan Airstrike Mystery by Robert Mackey 03/26/09

The Boston Globe (USA)
US officials say Israeli jets hit convoy of trucks in Sudan 03/27/09

The Times Online (UK)
Israel suspected of bombing Sudan arms convoy headed for Gaza 03/27/09

SKY News (UK)
Israel Accused Of Launching Long-Distance Air Strike In Sudan During War In Gaza (text and video) 03/26/09

The Arabist (Cairo, Egypt)
Reuters confirms Sudan air strike 03/26/09
al-Shorouk’s story on secret Sudan raids 03/25/09
Al Shorouk news article on the air raid bombing in Sudan (Arabic) 03/25/09

The Sudanese Thinker (Singapore)
US and Israel Accused of Conducting Bombing Air Strikes within Sudan 03/26/09
Note: see my comment under the name Bill_BRE


VOA News (Voice of America news online)
AFRICOM: No US Military Role Against Sudan's Bashir 03/25/09


United States Africa Command (AFRICOM)
AFRICOM Dialogue - official blog and news website of the U.S. Africa Command

It makes one wonder what exactly was being discussed this week in Cairo during the meeting between Egypt’s President Mubarak and Sudan’s President al-Bashir, the ICC arrest warrant or UFO’s dropping bombs over Sudan?

This is the kind of 'unconfirmed facts reporting' that can cause more violence to break out in a land that is already on the brink. I’d be interested in learning how the Sudanese state-run press and TV/radio news media is playing up the incident. Anybody out there have information about those reports?

The Pentagon via a spokesman for the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) was quick to refute the Al Jazeera report from March 26th, denying any involvement of U.S. aircraft or forces in the incident. This was followed by statements from Ambassador Mary Yates, the Deputy to the Commander of AFRICOM (General William E. Ward), in her meeting on Wednesday with African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping and the AU Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Ramamra. Ambassador Yates made clear to the AU heads that there is no U.S. military role (at the moment) involving the ICC arrest warrant for Sudan President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (VOA News).

So again, everybody should back up a bit and make sure that we have the facts right about serious matters like this before we publish to our blogs, news websites, or whatever. That goes for blog authors and budding citizen journalists, and the journalists, anchors, and editors over at Al Jazeera and other mainstream news organizations. We don’t need to throw any more fuel on the fire that is already burning red hot around the National Congress Party (NCP) in Khartoum. Because at the end of the day, dancing in the streets wearing native headresses and brandishing spears and swords won't help you Omar Hassan al-Bashir.


Technorati tags:Africa Sudan Israel Gaza Hamas weapons US Military AFRICOM USA Egypt global voices

Congo's Christmas Prayer 2008: "Lord, Please Gimme Some Shelter"

Christmas Holidays 2008 in the eastern DR Congo.
Ben Affleck, The Rolling Stones and the UNHCR present "Gimmie Shelter".



This Christmas holiday season be sure to remember that millions of people down in the Democratic Republic of Congo desperately need our help. Don't look away, don't forget about them. Please let's not forget about these people while we are enjoying this sacred holiday season in relative safety and peace together with our families and friends.

A Christmas wish from me this year?

An opportunity to head south in 2009-2010 to see if I can't lend a helping hand in removing some of this abysmal misery and danger from people in the DR Congo. That my own children understand what is happening there and why it is happening, and that they are inspired to help out in every way they can. That millions of us around the globe finally realize that 'Enough is Enough' and convince our political leaders and leaders of intergovernmental bodies (i.e. the UN, the AU) to bring an end to this decade-long humanitarian crisis in the eastern DR Congo.

Thank you for visiting Jewels in the Jungle this year, and a special thank you to all of my fellow blog authors and colleagues for your support. Merry Christmas 2008 and have a safe and happy holiday season. See you again in 2009, God willing.


Related articles and resources (updated Dec 30, 2008)

UNHCR
Official website for the DR Congo 'Gimme Shelter' Campaign -
A humanitarian campaign for the victims of the fighting, rape, and plunder taking place in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

UNHCR Videos at YouTube
Ben Afflick's Short Film for the UNHCR 'Gimme Shelter' Campagin

ABC News 'Nightline'
Ben Affleck Tours Refugee Camps in Eastern Congo Nov 20, 2008
Ben Affleck's Journey Through the Congo Jun 23, 2008

Hat Tip to my man 'The Hausmeister' over at the African Loft online community for the lead on this story: 'Ben Afflick Advocates for Congo Refugees' Dec 17, 2008

Heal Africa - providing holistic care for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Ben Affleck: The Power of Normal People Nov 2008

Goma Film Project
LUMO - a documentary film about helping to heal the victims of sexual violence and mass rape filmed at the HEAL Africa hospital in Goma

Women in War Zones Project - a documentary film and photography about the work with victims of extreme sexual violence filmed at the Panzi Hospital of Bukavu


Technorati tags:Africa sub-Saharan Africa Congo Rwanda human rights United Nations MONUC UNHCR global voices