Great essay on Tech Central Station by Uriah Kriegal...
This has been a bad summer for al Qaeda, with disappointing results in the 7/7 London bombings, which failed to generate any tangible jolt in the British conversation about the war on terror, and the recent Bali bombings, which killed "only" three Australians and instead victimized mainly Indonesian Muslims. Meanwhile, the world is both getting desensitized to the routinish mayhem wrought in Iraq and increasingly more clear about who has the well-being of Iraqis in mind (America) and who doesn't (al Qaeda).
It has been a rather successful summer for the USA and its policies around the globe...particularly in comparison to the media and others which deride what we have done. The French, for instance...do thier policies work or do our policies work against militant islam? Right.
A little further into the article, this little known piece of work...
Further to the west, the other main American intervention in recent years was the effective removal of Charles Taylor from power in Liberia three summers ago. Last week, democratic elections in Liberia yielded the first African female head of state. From her early public pronouncements, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a Harvard-educated economist, appears to be a wise and judicious leader with a deep and genuine commitment to the well-being of her nation.
Here is some more on Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf...
Her acceptance as her party's candidate for President...
Many of us in this room and many within the country or outside in the diaspora, have come a long way in the twenty years plus struggle for democracy and the freedom of choice. While others accepted and benefited from the status quo, we demonstrated courage. We stood tall in challenging successive regimes characterized by patronage, repression and exploitation. We were beaten, jailed, tortured, disadvantaged and ostracized for exercising the courage of our conviction. And so today, because of our determination and consistency; because of our courage and character; our country stands on the verge of becoming one of those embarking upon an irreversible path toward freedom and democracy. And so today, we welcome to this environment of peace and tranquility, of commitment and competition, the many who stood on the sidelines waiting to claim the right of participation and contest earned by the blood, sweat and tears of their more courageous compatriots.
The convention today represents the beginning of the end of the long road we have traveled together, the start of the last mile toward the achievement of our goals. We must remain steadfast in what is likely to become an environment of propaganda, lies, false accusations and reckless utterances by those, lacking a vision and a record of achievement of which they can be proud, will, like crabs in a bucket try to pull others down to their level. We must remain focused and determined to challenge and counter those, even within our midst, who are unable or unwilling to capture the soul and spirit of our visions, to give their all the achievement of our goals.
Unity Partisans, let us be different and let us make a difference. Let us rise above the negatives by speaking of and promoting our vision, our guiding principles and our pledge to the nation. Let us emphasize our capacity, our competence and our commitment to respond to the needs of our people. Let us be robust in thought and bold in action.
This is a woman I can believe in...
One of the reasons that Liberia is currently in turmoil is that we have permitted our differences, both ethnic and political, to divide us.
We believe that democracy and diversity are compatible. We believe that we do not have to be the same to co-exist. I believe that we can have differences of opinion without resorting to violence.
We will strive to respect and accept our history and I will promote a social and a political environment that unites all Liberians under the principle of “One People One Destiny.”
We will preach and practice national reconciliation and I will ensure that my government is one of inclusion, which reflects the diversity of the nation and grants equal rights and equal security to all.
This goes to the heart of what many elitists say cannot be done. That the poor, destitute and uneducated cannot practice a full and vibrant democratic government. It is what has been said about the Middle East for years...Africa...Asia.
As for the results of the election...
With all ballots counted, Johnson-Sirleaf received 59.4 percent of the vote and Weah 40.6 percent in the Nov. 8 run-off, National Elections Commission Chairwoman Frances Johnson-Morris said at a news conference.
The National Election Commission was to open its investigation Wednesday into seven complaints filed by Weah's party.
Legislators from Weah's party threatened in a statement Monday to boycott parliament if the fraud complaint "is not addressed adequately." Parliament was to convene in January, when the president was to take office.
If she can succeed, she may go down as the father(?) of a free and democratic Africa.
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