Terrorism Archive
Weather Grounds Drones
Predictions about African security linked to global warming have proved frighteningly correct. Does weather trump drones? As the stubborn, not-too bright bully on the block, America has shifted to accepting global warming as human caused, but it took a few Katrinas and Sandys to tip the balance. And experts still spend inordinate amounts of time [...]
Outside Threats
Yesterday’s deadly grenade attack in Arusha isn’t simply an indication of escalating religious tensions in Tanzania, but of the same escalating individual malevolence evident in the Boston massacre. In neither incident do I believe there is any kind of organized group involvement, despite FOX News, Representative Stephen King or the other crazies on Meet the [...]
Unusual Risks in Africa
Posted by jimheck in "Modern" Africa, Economy, Terrorism on May 2, 2013
Investors in new shopping malls for Kenya and Nigeria are expecting a first-year return of 12% and a long-term return of 25%, led by savy South African banks. Business plans for Africa have always astounded Americans. I’m mostly familiar with the tourism sector, and ROIs (return-on-investments) of less than a third are not considered worth [...]
DisMobius Engagement
Posted by jimheck in Economy, Global Relations, Terrorism on April 25, 2013
Last night a prominent African businessman chastised Obama for “disengaging” from Africa, even as American military involvement grows ominously large. Obama as reflecting the “United States” is a curious shadow box of a troubled society. Are we (is Obama?) pulling inwards, constrained (perhaps by Congress?) to few good acts except our own security? Yes to [...]
Which Death is Worse?
Margaret Thatcher’s belief that there is no society, only individuals means that yesterday’s bombings in Boston is relatively insignificant news. After all, there were more than four thousand times more (4000x) individuals killed last year by terrorism in the rest of the world compared to the United States. But, of course, Margaret Thatcher’s statement isn’t [...]
Should the Past Burn Away?
The Mali war has reignited an old debate: should precious artifacts always be returned to the motherland, or should they be kept in safety by the greater, more stable powers of the world? Yesterday France returned to Nigeria in an elaborate ceremonial handover several confiscations of ancient Nok Arts, prized terra cotta sculptures of Nigerian [...]
Give Peace A Chance
Posted by jimheck in "Modern" Africa, Global Relations, Terrorism, War on February 1, 2013
Conflict in Africa is declining, not only relative to the rest of the world, but historically within the continent itself, and a brilliant University of Wisconsin professor has discovered why. The truth is counterintuitive to many Americans whose understanding of Africa comes mostly from the nightly news and America’s very distorted and political travel advisories. [...]
Frighteningly Wonderful in Mali
France’s liberation of Timbuktu and defeat of Malian Islamic revolutionaries is right on schedule and demonstrates perfectly the American/French axis routing world terrorism. Sunday’s Meet the Press roundtable was in contrast the perfect example of how fooled and even bamboozled old guard American media personalities still are. Andrea Mitchell excepted, the remaining two old men [...]
Surge Then Peace?
When’s the last time the U.S. fought a war in a foreign land that ended with a better society and government for those people and greater peace for all the world? Yesterday. But before that, you have to go back to World War II. But yesterday the U.S. officially recognized the existing Somalia government after [...]
Death Knell for al-Qaeda
The death knell of the al-Qaeda of Osama bid Laden is gonging in Mali. France is bombing al-Qaeda into oblivion. This is likely the last time you’ll ever hear of the al-Qaeda that blew up the Twin Towers. The battle today is fierce. There is absolutely no question that this is Afghanistan 2003 in Mali. [...]
Us versus U.S.
Easily 20 children are violently murdered in Africa every day. Ten Afghan kids were just violently murdered a few hours ago. Why are Americans so uniquely horrified at the events in Newtown? My daughter is a teacher in the Brooklyn, and as I heard the news Friday I was viscerally distressed in a way I’m [...]
Time to Go Home Now
Posted by jimheck in Global Relations, Somalia, Terrorism on December 11, 2012
Hey chums, time to end the war on terror! We successfully pushed it into Africa! And they’ll do much better once we get the boots out. The modern war on terror is like suburbanites trying to eradicate deer and geese. Few homeowners are ever hurt by deer and certainly not by geese, but their gardens [...]
Just Child’s Play
The Grimm brothers, DOOM II, and the Lord’s Resistance Army all agree: terror is child’s play. Uganda is a good geopolitical source for understanding terrorists. I don’t mean this is where most of the fighting goes on or is even planned; those places like Somalia and Afghanistan are well known. But Uganda gives us an [...]