Is Obama Failing Congo?

The Daily Beast ^ | Dana Goldstein

[OldDeckHand]

The administration launched a $17 million program to fight rape in Congo—but is it effective? Dana Goldstein follows the money—and asks if Hillary Clinton’s rhetoric matches reality. Plus: See our entire Congo package on Giving Beast.

Less than a year ago, Hillary Clinton became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit war-torn regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo—site of the deadliest conflict on the planet since World War II.

The trip sparked hope that maybe, finally, the world would take action to stop the fighting, which has been characterized by a brutal and indiscriminate campaign of rape against women and girls. As many as 500,000 Congolese have been raped since war broke out in 1996. Some women have been victimized more than once, returning home after being rehabilitated in Western-funded medical clinics only to be kidnapped anew by armed groups and violated all over again.

[OldDeckHand]

"The administration launched a $17 million program to fight rape in Congo—but is it effective?"

If Obama can't "fight rape" in his home-city of Chicago, what can anyone possibly think he can do in Congo?

And, as frequent as the crime of rape is in Congo, I think that it's even worse in South Africa, at least statistically.

[TexasCajun]

Why the hell are we sending billions of borrowed money to foreign countries?

Let those countries borrow their own money from China!

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Well, I don’t know and I really don’t care...other than the money he throws down the rat hole...but he has failed America.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Please show me in the constitution where it says that the chief magistrate of our country is responsible for anything that occurs in any other country or territory...

[EagleUSA]

This person does not even know what country he works for. Or what people. Is it 2012 yet?

[NCC-1701]

“...Is Obama Failing Congo?...”

Hell no he isn’t. However, he IS failing us every day he usurps the White House.

[red tie]

"As many as 500,000 Congolese have been raped since war broke out in 1996."

I hate to ask the obvious, but how does this compare to before the war?

[dforest]

Money doesn’t stop rape. Morality does. Obama is immoral.

[dforest]

Money doesn’t stop rape. Morality does. Obama is immoral.

[matt1234]

the deadliest conflict on the planet since World War II

Doubtful.

[OldDeckHand]

"Doubtful."

Liberals, for whatever reason, never remember the Killing Fields. For them, it never happened.

[anymouse]

Amy is not amused. ;)

[MissTed]

I hate to ask the obvious, but how does this compare to before the war?

Good point.

[matt1234]

Liberals, for whatever reason, never remember the Killing Fields.

They choose to forget it because it was perpetrated by their fellow Marxists.

[freespirited]

And many allege that despite new Congo legislation passed last week as part of the financial regulation bill, Congress and the Obama administration have avoided taking some of the difficult steps necessary to bring an end to the root cause of the rape crisis: Congo’s 14-year war over control of mineral deposits, which pits the Congolese army against internal rebels and armed militias from neighboring Rwanda and Uganda.

Of all the stupid things that have been said in the debate over the "root causes of crime," this just might take the cake.