Donald Rumsfeld on CNN (2002)

 

Donald Rumsfeld (1932- 2021) served as Secretary of Defense for both the Gerald R. Ford and George W. Bush administrations. During the early 2000s he was making the case for the invasion of Iraq. Rumsfeld made an appearance on CNN September 12, 2002. He was one of the major architects of the Iraq War. Here in the interview Rumsfeld denies that the US provided Saddam Hussein chemical weapons in the 1980s. He was not prepared when archival footage was shown of him visiting Iraq in 1983. At the time Donald Rumsfeld was part of a special envoy to bolster support for Iraq against Iran. Syria  was also discussed in  meetings with Saddam Hussein including the situation in Lebanon. The Bush administration pushed a false claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq had to be attacked for national security. Donald Rumsfeld also along with other officials made the accusation that Saddam was supporting terrorist organizations. There was no evidence of this and weapons of mass destruction were never found. Rumsfeld left behind a legacy of aggressive warfare, which still effects  the Middle East today.  

Laurent Gbagbo Return and The Irovry Coast

 

Laurent Gbagbo has returned to Ivory Coast. There is no indication if Gbagbo intends to be active in politics following ten  years out of the country . He was acquitted of criminal charges by the ICC. The legitimacy of the International Crimes Court has been called into question. A disproportionate  number of African leaders have been targeted by the ICC. European leaders rarely are subject to the ICC despite involvement in numerous wars in both Africa and Asia. President Alassane Outarra has held the presidency ever since 2011 and Gbagbo's return could be a political threat. Ivory Coast fell into violence following the disputed election in 2010. Fears grow that peaceful transfers of power could result in a long lasting civil war. During Gbagbo's presidency, there was war between the opposition. The French backed and UN forces captured Gbagbo in 2011 placing Outarra in power. The run off election did not bring an end to disputes. The narrative was that he lost the election and was clinging to power. The ICC case found no evidence that their was a plan to keep Gbagbo in power. Nor was there evidence of a plot to murder civilians. Gbagbo could still face prison in Ivory Coast. Such an action would cause more outrage in a country divided. 

RIP Kenneth Kaunda

 Kenneth Kaunda Zambia's first president and liberation hero has passed away. He was part of  the generation of African leaders fighting for independence and an end to to colonial rule. Kenneth Kaunda was the last liberation era leaders still living. When Zambia became free from the British Empire, Kaunda also  wanted to see the end of white minority rule in Southern Africa. Support was given to the anti-apartheid movement. Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Mozambique also got support from Zambia. President Kaunda provided a base of operations for various liberation organizations. The African National Congress, ZANU, ZAPU, and SWAPO were allowed to operate within Zambia. Working closely with Tanzania, the strategy was to gradually weaken the white minority colonial regimes. There were  times Kenneth Kaunda did seek mediation. When the negotiations for peace failed, he continued to aid various guerilla groups. Although the situation became precarious, President Kaunda got resources from China and the Soviet Union to assist  in the fight against white minority rule regimes. Kenneth Kaunda was a strong supporter of the Non-Aligned Movement. Taking sides in the Cold War was never beneficial to newly independent countries. Zambia  experimented with a model of African socialism and nationalization of  economic sectors. The economic policies did not create the stability and development goals Zambia was trying to achieve . Failure to reach economic development goals resulted in the end of his presidency in 1991. Becoming president in 1964, there was improvement over the decades in education and modernizing Zambia. Although there is controversy over one-party rule and economic policy, Kenneth Kaunda is remembered fondly by most Zambians. 

Benjamin Netanyahu's Premiership Comes To An End

 

The 12 year rule of Benjamin Netanyahu is ending . Israel could be heading for political crisis as Netanyahu wants to challenge the confirmation vote. A new coalition government is being formed. This new coalition  has left-wing, Arab, and centrist political parties. What Netanyahu is attempting to do is make it fall apart before the confirmation vote. Naftali Bennett will be the new prime minister if the confirmation vote goes forward. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made claims of electoral fraud, but has not provided any evidence. Fears of possible violence have been expressed by the internal security agency Shin Bet. The Zionist state is going through a major political crisis. The Yamina Party most likely will not differ much from the Likud Party in terms of politics. The Likud Party is attempting to get some from the Yamina Party to defect before the vote of confidence. Israel is normally cited as a model democracy in the region by the West, but this is not the political reality. Netanyahu's government has been charged with corruption and he might face arrest. A state that values only the rights and worth of Jewish people is not democratic. Anti-Arab racism has become more intense and the desire for settlements grow. A political era is coming to an end, but real change may not come for awhile. 

Nigeria Bans Twitter

 

Nigeria has banned Twitter. The popular social media site can no longer be accessed by Nigerian citizens. This comes as a blow to people attempting to organize politically or get involved in activism. The ban was put in place when President Muhammadu Buhari's tweet was deleted. The president stated punishment would come to secessionists in the southeast of the country. Twitter  deleted this post causing much anger in the government. The statement he wrote referenced the Nigerian Civil War and Biafra conflict. He claimed those resisting do not understand the past hardship Those Buhari claimed continue insurrection will be treated to language they can understand. The message was interpreted as an attempt to instigate violence. The tweet can be considered a threat. Social media platforms should not be involved in censorship of world leaders. Nor should a government have the power to ban a social media platform. Other sites such as Facebook could also be targeted. Twitter must have a clear policy in terms of bans or the deletion of  tweets. Twitter has done censorship of its own, using disinformation as a justification. The irony is that the social media platform is being banned. Social media and the internet has keeps free speech alive, but there are intense efforts to increase online censorship. Even though Twitter is banned in Nigeria, there is a method to counter it. VPN (virtual  private network )  can allow access by using other servers around the world. Nigerians will not fully cut off from the internet or social media platforms. The ban has also sparked condemnation form the Nigerian Bar Association. Legal action may be taken to reverse the ban. 

Sudan and Egypt Are Strengthening Military Ties

 

The military ties between Sudan and Egypt are growing stronger. The reason for this development is longtime disputes with Ethiopia over the Nile River. Access to water is going to be a large source of conflict around the world. This is now happening in Africa. Sudan and Egypt have conducted war games and drills. This has involved both air and naval units. The talks about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam reached an impasse. So far, there have been no efforts to start a dialogue between Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia. The African Union does not seem to be taking action about what could be a move to war. What also complicates matters is the conditions with the Tigray in Ethiopia. The Blue and White Nile hold much importance to both countries. Egypt wants an agreement that portions of its waters will not be taken to fill the reservoirs for  the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Both Egypt and Sudan have seen instability with the fall of longtime leaders. Now that Omar Al-Bashir and Hosni Mubarak are no longer a political force the region is undergoing transformation. The dispute over water has made both countries more hostile to Ethiopian infrastructure projects. Other countries will take note of this division. It is possible Sudan's neighbors could get involved.