If you're going to drink on a Buchanan thread, skip the schnapps, click the link. Still making it, missles or not.
Posted on 07/27/2006 11:16:17 AM PDT by SJackson
There are lots of people crying and gnashing their teeth about Israel's punishment of Hezbollah in Lebanon – as if it is the bloodiest conflict of the century.
Pat Buchanan and Kofi Annan are literally beside themselves, claiming Israel is overreacting to provocations by the Iranian-backed terrorists who murdered Israeli troops in northern Israel, kidnapped two others and repeatedly shelled civilian population centers from their strongholds in southern Lebanon.
In fact, condemnations of Israel's restrained response are coming from all over the world. You've heard them. You've seen them. You've read them. You would think Israel was wantonly murdering innocent bystanders instead of conducting a well-targeted attack that is a service not only to its own civilians, but to Lebanon and the rest of the free world.
Meanwhile, however, have you heard any condemnations from Pat Buchanan or his new ally Kofi Annan about a very similar war breaking out in Africa?
As we speak, Ethiopian troops have poured over the border in neighboring Somalia, where a very similar situation presents itself. The Somalian government is being challenged by radical jihadists who have reportedly assassinated nearly 700 in the last year. There is fear in mostly Christian Ethiopia that the Islamists are on the verge of taking power from the transitional government.
The situation went critical over the weekend when Somalia's top Islamic leader, Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, a friend of Osama bin Laden, declared a holy war against Ethiopia.
Compare and contrast:
--The death toll in Somalia is very comparable to the death toll in Lebanon and Israel;
--The reason for the conflict is very similar – Islamic radicals trying to impose their will on others by force and murder;
--A neighboring non-Muslim country justifying its actions as self-defense.
Let me make clear that I support the action by the Ethiopian government as well as the action by the Israeli government.
All over the world, radical Islam is conducting a war of attrition against all "infidels." In the Middle East, they attack Christians and Jews. In Africa, they attack Christians and animists. In India, they attack Hindus. In Europe, they attack secularists. It doesn't matter what the enemy believes. If they believe something other than Islamic fundamentalism, they are attacked without mercy.
Therefore, when countries like Israel and Ethiopia fight back, the free world should support them.
Instead, there is deafening silence about what is happening in Somalia and an out-of-control chorus of hysteria about what is happening in Lebanon.
If what Israel is doing in Lebanon is so bad, where are the same voices of condemnation with regard to Ethiopia's defensive actions in Somalia?
What is so special about the Middle East? Why is human life there so much more valuable? Why are the stakes so much higher?
Some might suggest what is happening in the Middle East threatens to explode into a regional war.
That is true.
And so does the Somalia-Ethiopia crisis. In fact, Ethiopia's neighbor Eritrea is behind the Somalian jihadists. Eritrea and Ethiopia have warred before.
In fairness to Kofi Annan, he has suggested the same solution to the Somalia conflict as he has proposed for Lebanon – "dialogue." But he has not condemned the incursion into Somalia by Ethiopia, while he has clearly and repeatedly condemned Israel's incursion into Lebanon.
But where's his new buddy Buchanan? Hasn't he figured out a way to blame Israel for the problems in Somalia?
What about the rest of the "international community"? Why aren't they speaking about the bloodshed in Africa while wringing their hands over Lebanon?
I'll tell you why: Because the folks I have dubbed "neo-coms" cannot with a straight face hold America's Zionist lobby responsible for Ethiopia's self-defense. They can't blame the Jews. They can't even blame America. So the subject doesn't interest them.
It's entertaining.
This is at least the third time in the last month or so Farah has published a Buchanan column, then ripped him for what he said.
If you're going to drink on a Buchanan thread, skip the schnapps, click the link. Still making it, missles or not.
BTW, they're in Ashkelon down near Gaza, they've been getting rocketed for a year now.
Nobody gives a f*** about Africa, it's that simple.
Because nobody pays any attention to Africa unless some foreign interests or cute animals are threatened.
Not cynical, just the way it is. Somalia has no cute animals, having slaughtered them all, and there are no foreign investments at risk.
Having said that Somalia has been a PITA to it's neighbors for a very long time with their two main exports being bandits and poachers.
If Ethiopia is serious about putting the smack-down on Somalia they will likely be at the least quietly supported by Kenya and Tanzania.
There are some exceptions, but thats true, except as Harmless Teddy Bear notes, about the critters.
"[Kofi Buchanan]
Snicker"
Unfortunately 'Kofi' Buchanan doesn't work since 'Kofi' denotes an individual was born on a Friday in Ghana. Pat Buchanan was born on a Wednesday which means his first name should be 'Kwaku' or a variant thereof..
It even has the virtue of being true.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.