It's been reported that al-Qaeda has been getting diamonds from Charles Taylor. Well, had been until he was ousted. I guess that's the thanks we get for the millions we gave Liberia over the years.
well it made sense at the time. although this is an interesting example of a country that was modeled after us and turned into a complete mess. i wonder what will happen to iraq? . . .
A couple of comments concerning humanitarian aid: James Orbinski says, "Humanitarianism occurs where the political has failed or is in crisis. We act not to assume political responsibility, but firstly to relieve the inhuman suffering of failure," in his address to the Nobel Prize committee concerning the cisis in Chechnya. He goes on to say that "the act must be free of political influence." B.H. Levy makes an observation to the contrary in his book of nouveau journalism and philosophical reflections "War, Evil, and the End of History." He examines the idea that humanitarianism is a mechanism of the wealthiest cultures to insulate themselves from the crises of the Third World. More specifically, aid masks the effects of policies that maintain the standard of living in the wealthiest nations, encouraging ethnocentricity and excusing the most progressive members of the society from their failures. Our relationship with Liberia seems, historically, to be partially built on guilt, and on economic convinence. Recently, it seems that American aid to Liberia is consistent with the administration's plan to make foreign aid an important piece of the war on terror. American foreign aid, unlike that of an NGO, is now to be used to prevent social collapse in countries vulnerable to Islamic fundamentalism. Is it possible for any humanitarian aid to be free of political considerations? Should foreign aid be specifically politicized? Is aid to a clearly exploitive government an acceptable alternative to another failing African nation?
Relevant links: James Orbinski, "Ethics of humanitarianism" http://www.india-seminar.com/2000/485/485%20orbinski.htm B.H. Levy, "War, Evil, and the End of History" http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0971865957/002-6904695-0808817?v=glance Offical US aid website concerning Liberia http://www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-saharan_africa/liberia/
Comments on "Diamonds and Guns"
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Anonymous said ... (09 August, 2004 12:40) :
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Ciatog said ... (10 August, 2004 13:48) :
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d nova said ... (11 August, 2004 16:34) :
post a commentthats what we get for creating Liberia.
well it made sense at the time. although this is an interesting example of a country that was modeled after us and turned into a complete mess. i wonder what will happen to iraq? . . .
A couple of comments concerning humanitarian aid:
James Orbinski says, "Humanitarianism occurs where the political has failed or is in crisis. We act not to assume political responsibility, but firstly to relieve the inhuman suffering of failure," in his address to the Nobel Prize committee concerning the cisis in Chechnya.
He goes on to say that "the act must be free of political influence."
B.H. Levy makes an observation to the contrary in his book of nouveau journalism and philosophical reflections "War, Evil, and the End of History." He examines the idea that humanitarianism is a mechanism of the wealthiest cultures to insulate themselves from the crises of the Third World. More specifically, aid masks the effects of policies that maintain the standard of living in the wealthiest nations, encouraging ethnocentricity and excusing the most progressive members of the society from their failures.
Our relationship with Liberia seems, historically, to be partially built on guilt, and on economic convinence. Recently, it seems that American aid to Liberia is consistent with the administration's plan to make foreign aid an important piece of the war on terror. American foreign aid, unlike that of an NGO, is now to be used to prevent social collapse in countries vulnerable to Islamic fundamentalism.
Is it possible for any humanitarian aid to be free of political considerations? Should foreign aid be specifically politicized? Is aid to a clearly exploitive government an acceptable alternative to another failing African nation?
Relevant links:
James Orbinski, "Ethics of humanitarianism"
http://www.india-seminar.com/2000/485/485%20orbinski.htm
B.H. Levy, "War, Evil, and the End of History"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0971865957/002-6904695-0808817?v=glance
Offical US aid website concerning Liberia
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-saharan_africa/liberia/