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2011-04-06 Africa Subsaharan

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Posted by Besoeker 2011-04-06 05:22|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 "Sovereignty = having nukes" Jerry Pournelle.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2011-04-06 14:28|| 2011-04-06 14:28|| Front Page Top

#2 Clarification of the item in periwinkle:

Tribal boundaries in Africa are fluid, even more than, say, boundaries between Serbs, Croats, and other groups in the Balkans. You can have several villages of different cultures, speaking different languages, within a few miles of each other. Also, if you marked off an area in West Africa and an area of comparable size in the Balkans, the African area would have more different languages and groups in it. Liberia is geographically the size of Tennessee, and has 31 tribes and 17 languages (counting the Americo-Liberians as a tribe).

Any excuse for tribal warfare will do, but militant Islam and high tech weaponry both are pouring gasoline on the fire. Local Islamic practices are often shot through with traditional magic, which is all about power and control over others. Locals regard imams with the same kind of awe that they regard witch doctors; and often the imams practice both. Add Militant Islam to this, and you get explosions.

While Christian groups tend to be more peaceful, there are cultists who mix traditional practices with Christianity as well, and so you hear of violent groups with Christian-sounding labels.

Posted by mom 2011-04-06 22:06|| 2011-04-06 22:06|| Front Page Top

#3 Thank you for clarifying, mom. I do the best I can with the memory I have.

Posted by trailing wife 2011-04-06 23:19|| 2011-04-06 23:19|| Front Page Top

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