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August 06, 2003Potentially Good News for LiberiaLiberian President Charles Taylor is promising to step down on Monday, according to news reports. This would make peacekeepers jobs much easier and open the way to political reform that will placate rebel leaders. It's a nice story. Taylor, though, has promised on and off to quit his position and has found excuses to put off his exile. There were also stories earlier in the day with Taylor refusing the offer of exile in Nigeria--an offer that this story claims he will be accepting. As I said, it's a good story, but I'll believe it when he actually steps down.
If the story is correct, though, it leads to an important development. Whereas critics have been up in arms about the fact that American troops have thus far not been deployed in Liberia, it is much better that this task fall to Western African countries than to America and Europe. For Africa to be self-sufficient, it must also at some point be self-policing. If Arab countries had stepped up and rid the world of Saddam Hussein, had worked independently or under the guidance of the UN, to achieve regime change, the taint of a new colonialism wouldn't be facing the new regime. Unfortunately, the Iraqi people were incapable of gaining their own freedom and surrounding countries incapable and unwilling of applying the kind of pressure it would have taken to remove Hussein. I still contend that American-led intervention was the right response, but that an Arab solution would have been preferable. In Liberia, there is the chance to see an African solution to an African problem. With help and aid from the UN and Western countries, change can occur without the strong claim of colonialism. An African solution also keeps the US from further extending already thin troops. All in all, there is the potential for a template for further African peacekeeping efforts and the potential for solutions not imposed by the West. Posted by zombyboy at August 6, 2003 03:36 AMComments
The main reason why everyone is looking to the US to intervene, and maybe even go so far as to clean up this mess, is the international impression that Liberia is our ward. I'll not disagree with you--at least not precisely. If the situation couldn't be resolved without our assist, I'd think we have an obligation. If it can be handled, though, then all the better. I would have felt better if both the situations you refer to could have been handled without our intervention, as well. We definitely have interests--I'll not disagree with you. And the perception of obligation isn't really far off the mark if you ask me. I just happen to believe that help can take many different forms. Posted by: zombyboy at August 6, 2003 04:15 AMI still feel that Liberia is a distraction for us. We have to take care of Iran and North Korea first. Probably Saudi Arabia too. I just don't think we can afford Liberia right now, as noble a cause as it may be. Posted by: sama at August 6, 2003 05:24 PMHey, I'm giving some perspective of why everyone (as in, international opinion) is expecting us to at least be involved with boots on the ground. And you're right, that definitely does seem to be the international perspective. Posted by: zombyboy at August 6, 2003 09:53 PM |
