Africapundit's Regional Briefing: 2003-08-12

by Joe Katzman at August 12, 2003 8:39 AM

Winds of Change.NET Regional Briefings run on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, and sometimes Fridays too. This monthly Regional Briefing will focus on Africa, courtesy of AfricaPundit.

TOP TOPICS

Other Topics Today Include: More on Liberia; Keeping track of the terrorists indicted in the U.S. Embassy bombings 1998; Zimbabwe news; Kidnapped Europeans in Mali now; more on the coming Christian Schism; LRA in Uganda.

  • Liberian tyrant-in-chief Charles Taylor is now ex-tyrant-in-chief, having flown to exile in Nigeria on Monday. Taylor leaves his henchman, Moses Blah, in charge as ECOWAS and UN diplomats try to piece together a transitional government which is expected to assume power in the fall.

  • Ominously, Taylor vowed, "I'll be back!" before boarding his plane. Is he excited about Schwarzenegger running for governor, or what?!

  • Taylor's mobsterism continued to the end. Late last week, Nigerian peacekeepers quarantined an arms shipment from Libya at the Liberian airport. Taylor himself came to claim it but reportedly left empty-handed.

  • And speaking of the peacekeepers, daudi recalls that ECOWAS troops didn't really exemplify military professionalism during their last Liberian deployment.

  • Taylor's timely exit from Liberia creates a window of opportunity for peace in West Africa, but that makes the debate about post-Taylor Liberia (and the US role in it) even more urgent. Mark Steyn notes that intervention in Liberia -- if it's to have any long-term impact -- will not be a minor peacekeeping operation, but rather a major (i.e. 30-year) commitment to the entire region.

  • Meanwhile, Doug Farah recounts the crimes of Taylor's regime and reminds us that the stakes in Liberia are high -- and not just because of the humanitarian situation.

  • Last week marked 5 years since the 1998 bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The East African has a rundown on the terrorists indicted in the attacks.

  • In Zimbabwe news, the Head Heeb reports that Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the oppostion Movement for Democratic Change, continues to stand trial for treason.

  • A group of European tourists kidnapped by Islamist terrorists in Algeria earlier in the year were reportedly moved to Mali where negotiations are continuing. It's feared that the condition of the hostages is poor after months of captivity in the harsh environment of the Sahara.

  • Uganda's LRA terrorists have asked the government to consider new peace talks, but some in the country doubt the seriousness of the request. LRA raids over the weekend killed 20 more civilians.

  • Instapundit just uncovered this blog: "Southern Africa in Crisis". The author's take is not a hopeful one, and the site's links explain why.

  • The Christian schism mentioned in the last briefing may be closer than ever after the recent election of the first openly gay American Episcopal bishop. A bishop's summit will address the concerns of African and Asian bishops, some of whom are already considering disassociation.

  • Donald Sensing has additional details and insights, as well as a transcript of the Sunday sermon he just preached on this issue. Note that Rev. Sensing is a Methodist, a related sect but not members of the Anglican Communion.

    • All rights reserved. This article can be found on the Internet at:

    http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/africapundits_regional_briefing_20030812.php

    Persons wishing to contact the author of this article for reprints etc. should put a request in the Comments section, or send an email to "joe", over here @windsofchange.net.