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2016-05-09 -Short Attention Span Theater-
"We" Aren't Responsible for World's Problems: Time to Recognize Limits of West's Influence
[Huffpoo's World Post] What do you do after you brought your party’s control of government to a dramatic end? You become an international scold and blowhard, blaming the world’s problems on everyone else--who have no ability to solve any of them.

In fact, has-beens and once-weres often are brought in as decorations for international gatherings, meant to add gravitas to the proceedings. A few years back I shared an elevator with former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who was speaking at Qatar’s Doha Forum. He said nothing of note either in private or public, but exuded the air of a man who still mattered.

It turns out he’s the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, which must be as superfluous a position as exists. People recognized the importance of schooling long before there was a UN. And there’s not much the global organization can do for a service that can only be delivered locally. Indeed, in poor countries schools tend to get worse the more the national government is involved. Inexpensive private schools often are the only hope for the most disadvantaged and marginalized people in the most impoverished and oppressed nations.

However, Brown unburdened himself in the Huffington Post, and the subject wasn’t education. Rather, he said we all are responsible for the depredations of Nigeria’s murderous Boko Haram. Really. "The World Should Be Ashamed of the Failure to #BringBackOurGirls," he titled his article.

It’s been more than two years since the group--which has attributes of both insurgency and terrorism--kidnapped 276 girls from the town of Chibok. Boko Haram is an Islamist-jihadist group; its name roughly means "Western education is forbidden." The militants kill moderate Muslims but typically target Christians, as in Chibok. They usually slaughter male students, but often capture girls for sex slaves, child wives, and suicide bombers. Despite promises from the Nigerian government, proffers of Western assistance, and a twitter campaign led by First Lady Michelle Obama, none of the girls have been rescued.
Posted by Besoeker 2016-05-09 07:42|| || Front Page|| [11135 views ]  Top

#1 Rather, he said we all are responsible for the depredations....

Behold the crux of the problem. Heathen tribal cultures of death and deprivation can never be held responsible. Someone else must be blamed.
Posted by Besoeker 2016-05-09 07:52||   2016-05-09 07:52|| Front Page Top

#2 Of course "the West" is responsible. If "the West" didn't feed and doctor them, their populations wouldn't exceed the carrying capacities of their natural habitats.
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2016-05-09 08:27||   2016-05-09 08:27|| Front Page Top

#3 I'm delighted you see it my way g(r)om. I'm shunning meds, but I would consider a guilt recovery group for seniors. I realize it's a private matter, but how are you managing to cope ?
Posted by Besoeker 2016-05-09 08:32||   2016-05-09 08:32|| Front Page Top

#4 I'm not of "the West".
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2016-05-09 08:48||   2016-05-09 08:48|| Front Page Top

#5 I, for one, am totally surprised and devastated that a hashtag war on an Islamist Militia by a bitter greedy racist grifter didn't succeed.

#Whodathunkit?
Posted by Frank G 2016-05-09 09:25||   2016-05-09 09:25|| Front Page Top

#6 The girls from the school in Chibok were far from the only girls stolen by Boko Haram to sell as wives and concubines, not to mention the boys taken to be made into fighters. The number rescued over the past few months must be heading into the multiple thousands by now.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-05-09 14:01||   2016-05-09 14:01|| Front Page Top

#7 "As God is my witness, I thought #Hastags could fight"

/Apologies to WKRP
Posted by Frank G 2016-05-09 15:16||   2016-05-09 15:16|| Front Page Top

#8 #7 Frank wins the thread! :-D
Posted by Barbara 2016-05-09 18:14||   2016-05-09 18:14|| Front Page Top

18:19 Angstrom
17:48 49 Pan
17:38 Lord Garth
17:29 alanc
17:09 BrerRabbit
16:13 Pancho Poodle8452
16:08 Beavis
16:08 Lord Garth
15:52 Lord Garth
15:28 trailing wife
15:26 Pancho Poodle8452
15:26 trailing wife
14:34 Frank G
14:28 Melancholic
14:27 NoMoreBS
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13:54 mossomo
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13:50 NoMoreBS
13:50 Abu Uluque
13:44 Abu Uluque
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13:39 Abu Uluque









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