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2005-03-31 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

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Posted by God Save The World 2005-03-31 00:00:00 AM|| || Front Page|| [11131 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Already the UN is giving orders to people doing the work who haven't accepted their authority. What has the UN brought to the table on Nias, besides a roll of blue duct tape?

Posted by Grunter 2005-03-31 1:15:38 AM|| 2005-03-31 1:15:38 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 as I recall the ingrates raised stinky over.. Christian aid workers, our Armed Service personal carrying/arms, limited contact with suffering people and locations, travel w/'Indonesia minders'...etc.

Posted by thanksforthememories 2005-03-31 1:24:53 AM|| 2005-03-31 1:24:53 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 The recent earthquake hit Nias, an island off the coast of Banda Aceh, and to the South. These people are almost all Christians (about 95%). See, e.g., comments at this link.

To be accurate, Indonesia has always emphasized that the concern about prolonged, and especially armed, aid workers had to do with the fact that Banda Aceh (where the aid happens to be needed) is a restricted war zone. See, e.g., update and recap at this link. The government has always expressed that any deadline was only a guideline, and could be modified as needed.

Indonesia has been waging war against separatist Acehnese rebels for decades. Many of the rebels, but not all, are sympathetic to the islamofascists. Thankfully, the current President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (âSBYâ), has made headway and the chances for a resolution of the separatist issues are the best ever since the conflict broke out. Peace in Banda Aceh will greatly weaken its potential usefulness to the islamofascists in the area.

After multiple centuries of brutal colonial rule, Indonesia finally won independence from Western Whites in late 1949. That was just about 55 years ago. Many Indonesians, especially before the West assisted Banda Aceh after it was hit by the tsunami (12/26/04), were very leery of foreign involvement in Indonesia. That is because of the history of colonial rule, exploitation and brutality. Our help has softened those views tremendously.

Imagine, if you would, a huge and devastating hurricane wiping out most of the villages and towns of Virginia and killing about half of the coastal dwelling population -- say in 1838, which was about 55 years after we won our independence. Now, imagine the British and the French (with genuine sincerity) coming in with a bunch of troops and aid workers for a prolonged period of time. We would have been a bit leery, too, even though grateful. Indonesians arenât that different.

Posted by cingold 2005-03-31 3:46:52 AM|| 2005-03-31 3:46:52 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Let me oblige cingold's newly independent Indonesians by not feigning concern. Flip me off once shame on you, flip me off twice, shame on me. Let Kofi do it.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-03-31 7:43:12 AM|| 2005-03-31 7:43:12 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 I think this is a rare opportunity to pass along our new humane methods. It sounds like these folk have lives not worth living. We should blockade it and actively deny all aid including water and food. Imagine how good we will fill when they start to die.

Why they'll look posiviely angelic.

Posted by badanov 2005-03-31 8:22:57 AM|| [http://www.rkka.org] 2005-03-31 8:22:57 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 Badanov: it may be that they don't care about the population in the affected area, if they're christian or revolting against the central government.

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-03-31 8:52:33 AM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-03-31 8:52:33 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 Bad was doing a little "schiavo transferral"

Posted by Frank G 2005-03-31 9:27:25 AM|| 2005-03-31 9:27:25 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 Cingold's right.

One item I noticed in this morning's paper: the island has unusual levels of religious tolerance for Indonesia. Only segregation seems to be among the corpses: morgue for Buddhists in the Buddhist temple, Christians in Santa Maria church, etc. A muslim risked his neck to recover the body of a Christian neighbor.

Posted by mom 2005-03-31 10:08:31 AM|| 2005-03-31 10:08:31 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 Huh?, a Muslim risked his neck. Now, Nick Berg risked his neck.

Posted by Poison Reverse 2005-03-31 11:30:15 AM|| 2005-03-31 11:30:15 AM|| Front Page Top

#10 All black-and-white thinkers who prefer simplistic viewpoints and couch potato reasoning: refer to response #4.

Everyone else with a brain, see cingold's post #3.

Posted by ex-lib 2005-03-31 11:48:25 AM|| 2005-03-31 11:48:25 AM|| Front Page Top

#11 Bush and Cheney are black and white thinkers, I guess they have no brain.

Posted by Poison Reverse 2005-03-31 12:08:54 PM|| 2005-03-31 12:08:54 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 ex-lib, Thanks for the Two choices. ;)

Posted by Simple T 2005-03-31 4:07:18 PM|| 2005-03-31 4:07:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 #11 PR, go take a nap and sleep off your hangover.

Posted by mom 2005-03-31 6:30:57 PM|| 2005-03-31 6:30:57 PM|| Front Page Top

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