robertsb@ttidcb.UUCP (Robin Roberts) (12/06/84)
< Wow! Reality, what a concept! >
I was listening to the latest network tv news drivel on Ethiopia and
wondering to myself how the news programs could act like it was
a) suddenly news where it wasn't before,
and b) isolated to Ethiopia when all of East Africa and a lot of
Sub-Saharan Africa is suffering from the same drought effects.
But a additional thought occurred to me. I find it inconsistent that we are
a) slapped on the wrist when we try to influence/sway/overthrow a
government of a third world country we feel is aligned against our
interests,
but b) told we are responsible for feeding the people of that country
when the government WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO UNDERMINE spends money
( several million ) celebrating its revolution instead of feeding
its people.
The way I look at it if we aren't allowed to influence their
government then we aren't responsible for feeding them. BUT I will conceed
the converse, if we are responsible for their government then we ARE
responsible to help feed them.
If we're the world's farmer then we CAN be the world's policeman.
--
Robin D. Roberts (213) 450 9111 x 2916
TTI Zone V4 aka Buskirk the Valerian
3100 Ocean Park Blvd Death to Tyrants !
Santa Monica, CA 90405
UUCP: ..!ucbvax!ihnp4!vortex!ttidca!ttidcb!robertsb
or {cadovax,flick,philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex,wtux2}!ttidca!ttidcb!robertsb
or ttidca!ttidcb!robertsb@RAND-UNIX.ARPAmedin@ucbvax.ARPA (Milo Medin) (12/08/84)
I heard on the news tonite that the Ethiopian Air Force has launched Air Strikes on refugees from the nothern rebel controlled areas fleeing south to relief centers (funny how no centers established up there, I guess they must get all the Soviet aid and must not the the food). Sigh... Milo
mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) (12/10/84)
> If we're the world's farmer then we CAN be the world's policeman.
Never realized that's why farmers carry guns on their tractors!
But seriously, folks... Other countries also have contributed food
to Ethiopia, so shouldn't they be policemen, too? Oh, but sorry. They
don't have the military muscle. Can't play.
Ever hear of the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces? They are the
proper "world's policemen". Unfortunately, the US-USSR conflict keeps
them too weak to be very effective, although they have done lots of
good work under very difficult conditions in some places.
--
Martin Taylor
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