The Daily Background
| Whoops: the deaths of 5.4 million Africans just slipped John McCain’s mind
by Arlen Parsa
John McCain, on July 24th, 2008, referring to Iraq as “the first major conflict since 9/11″:
“… We were losing the war in Iraq. The consequences of failure and defeat of the United States of America in the first major conflict since 9/11 would have had devastating impacts throughout the region and the world.”
Ummmm, okay, if you don’t count Afghanistan.
John McCain, on August 14th, 2008, referring to the situation in Georgia as “the first probably serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War”:
“My friends, we have reached a crisis, the first probably serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War. This is an act of aggression.”
Ummmm, okay, if you don’t count Iraq. Or Afghanistan. Or the war in 2006 in Lebanon. Or Kosovo. Or the Gulf War. Or any of the international crises that have happened in Africa, such as the Second Congo War in 1998 which killed as many as 5.4 million people and involved 9 countries and has been referred to as “Africa’s World War.”
But maybe those aren’t crises for John McCain. Or maybe they are crises, but they’re just not serious enough for John McCain. And these are just a handful of the military conflicts that have happened since the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, not even counting all the other international humanitarian crises that have occurred and are still occurring.
McCain’s complete failure to remember any of these international crises is stunning, especially when you consider that just weeks ago, McCain’s chief campaign aide stated that “Words matter, except when they pose an inconvenient truth.”
But maybe he isn’t just forgetting these crises have taken place. Maybe he remembers them but they’re just inconvenient to bring up at a time like this.
Let’s be clear: the situation in Georgia is grave and troubling. There may be hundreds of thousands of refugees after the dust clears. But is it more grave and troubling than the deaths of 5.4 million people?
The inconvenient truth in this case is that John McCain is trying to make the situation in Georgia look like the first serious crisis that has happened since the Cold War in order to make his supposed national security credentials look more important. He’s using the current crisis to try and make American voters scared to death of Russia and his comments may have even made the situation in Georgia worse.
Naturally, the media will only help but further McCain’s claims. Josh Marshall explains:
John McCain says: “My friends, we have reached a crisis, the first probably serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War. This is an act of aggression.”
[…]
One of the great threats we face is the personal sense of grandiosity of the lead foreign hands who shape the course of our role in the world. Not national grandiosity, but personal grandiosity. Because if you’re a foreign policy hand or political leader your own quest for greatness is constrained by whether or not you live in times of grand historical events.There’s a lot of this nonsense floating around today by pampered commentators who want to find a new world historical conflict to write bracing commentary about before we’re done with the one from last week. But John McCain might be president in six months. And whether it’s his own shaky judgment, temperament or just the desire to find a campaign issue, this loose cannon is a real threat to this country.
This is why McCain is increasingly not allowed to speak without his handlers.
This just points out McCain’s ignorance and racism for everyone to see.
It is not mccains or any americans responsibility to monitor the actions of a nation ruled by inhumane dictators and warlords.
The reason that those 5 million dead didnt register is because those conflicts didnt have the potential of drawing in any of the major powers. Therefore, its not an international crisis.
Same with Lebanon, and Afghanistan.
The US, while at war with the Taleban, risked few troops and committed mostly airpower and special forces. This was unlikely to bring a Russian response or intervention, and didnt have much risk of wider war.
Therefore, McCain is right.
People die and people kill each other all the time. What merits intervention is the likelihood of losing economic or military advantage, and that requires action. Lebanon doesn’t, Congo didn’t, and Afghanistan didn’t for many years. Once Congo demostrates that they are willing to harbor and aid international terrorists capable of striking the USA, like Afghanistan became, then you will see US intervention.
Really?
Nine (international) countries fighting each other and resulting in millions of refugees and millions of people dying doesn’t result in an “international crisis” to you?
I am sorry for my stupid comment above. I was trying to spin and twist it, but man, do I look stupid. Give me credit, it wasn’t easy to spin, but I had to do it because I love the old McBush so much.
Umm. He’s a US Senator, not a World Senator.
Why does the world continue to take every comment, made in the context of the US Citizen, and apply it to the world?
Personally, I’d like to be the Canadians and bitch about everything and not contribute.
This might possibly be the dumbest blog i’ve ever read. Seriously.
@americafirst
Are you being sarcastic, a troll perhaps?
Think for a second about who Saddam was…
An inhumane dictator and war lord? - yea
(With WMDs) - nope
so i guess we do feel that we need to do things about such situations
(at least george, cheaney & rumsfeld did)
The fact is Africa is worth nothing to anybody. From an international politics point of view it has no chance of hurting anybody outside of Africa. And personally they can all kill each other, its not America problem.
What the hell are you talking about Anon? Canadians not contributing? Who do you think is shoring up your sad American asses in Afghanistan bitch? Canadians, that’s who…they are taking on the Taliban in their main area of operation while countries like Germany and France and Italy hide their troops in the northern part of Afghanistan where it is “safer.” Canadians don’t like to contribute to unnecessary wars like the ones the neo-cons manufactured in Iraq because they are more intelligent than red-neck dim-whits like you and your kin. Canadians fought in both World Wars well before Uncle Sam decided to get some nerve and join the rest of the free world so unless you know what you are talking about do eveyone a favour and STFU!
I think you all are being blinded by the fact that this is just another attempt by some corporate media giant to attract our attention to something that has very little meaning, while the real situation takes place. While we all argue back and forth about did he say something dumb, was it right or wrong, in the background, the powers that be, are pulling strings and making puppets entertain us, while they change policies, take freedoms, and anything else they need to do, to make a one world government that much closer. So while you all spend so much time to articulate responses to something that have very little meaning, by the time you’re done writing, you’ve lost another liberty. Another policy is changed. Hell more people are dying all in the name of protecting us, or ousting a bad guy. Funny how there is always another bad guy, country, group. Well, chances are, the powers to be is funding both Georgia, and Russia. Any and every conflict, war, terrorist act, hell, fight at a baseball game is planned, paid for and carried out by the very same group of people. But of course, the repercussions that I will get for posting this will be off the wall. Sheep. Did anyone else catch the new photos of Paris’s pussy? Idiots. Do some homework and study what is really going on. LL P2DP 1L VLR
ben you must be a fool.you must be one of those ignorant american illiterates who dont even know their own president or majority leader in the senate.if you did,you would not say what you said.it is because of africa that your sorry white ass breathes today bitch.it is cuz of the sweat and blood of Africa that you all have what you have today.THE STOLEN RESOURCES, BOTH NATURAL AND HUMAN,where did they come from?.so just a reminder for your ignorant idiotic self “AFRICA MADE YOU WHAT YOU ARE”. YOU KNOW IT IS PEOPLE LIKE U THAT STIR UP TENTION WHERE IT IS NOT NEEDED WITH UNINTELLIGENT STATEMENTS LIKE THAT AND CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR INNOCENT AMERICANS.AND YOU WONDER WHY MANY HATE AMERICA…..PARTLY BCUZ OF IGNORANT FFACES LIKE YOU.(BEN)