Transcript CNN International interview with Nigeria's President Obasanjo and USAfricaonline.com Publisher Chido Nwangwu on Democracy and Security Issues

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Bush 'monitors' while Liberia is murdered

Special to USAfrica The Newspaper, Houston
USAfricaonline.com, and The Black Business Journal

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This commentary by USAfrica's Founder appeared in the Houston Chronicle's op-ed page on July 29, 2003. It is also available at http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/editorial/outlook/2016141

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"Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Whenever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion or political views, that place must -- at that moment -- become the center of the universe."

Elie Wiesel, recipient of the 1986 Nobel Prize for Peace seems to have had President George W. Bush and the humanitarian disaster in the war-battered West African country of Liberia in mind when he spoke those remarkable words. Since the decision by Bush last Friday to station a warship "off the coast" of Liberia, thousands more have been killed and maimed by the war.

The Bush administration's approach to the daily slaughter and destruction of Liberia is increasingly disgraceful and lacking in reasonable moral purpose. Bush's pussyfooting on the catastrophe in Liberia does not meet the Wiesel test.

The Bush team is engaged in half-measures in a situation that calls for bold and decisive leadership by the United States. Conveniently, Bush now wants the United Nations to take a lead role in restoring order and halting the Liberians' self-inflicted destruction of their homeland. The United Nations does not have the means to conduct peacekeeping operations in Liberia.

In an address to the nation on Sept. 20, 2001, Bush said: "Americans are asking: What is expected of us?"

He was speaking of al-Qaida's terror on 9/11. But it seems a fitting question concerning today's Liberia -- Africa's oldest republic and America's only colonial outpost in Africa -- which has been ungovernable since December 1989.

Here's a thumbnail explanation of why there has not been any recent or significant military and humanitarian intervention by the United States in Liberia: Bush has demanded a halt in the local conflict, a cease-fire and that ousted President Charles Taylor leave his country. Only after these requirements are met will the United States send in troops. Until then, Bush says, he'll be "monitoring the situation."

On the other hand, Taylor says he will not leave until international forces step in. Meanwhile, Bush, Nigeria's president, retired Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, and other African leaders, have failed to end the carnage and stop the shredding of all civilized standards in Liberia.

For all the personal and professional fondness persons of African descent, such as myself, feel toward the United Nations' secretary-general, Ghana-born Kofi Annan, and former President Bill Clinton, their failure to intervene early and decisively in Rwanda in 1993-1994 allowed the escalation of the ethnic killings into an orgy of hateful, genocidal slaughter. Recall that within 100 days (April-June 1994), an estimated 800,000 Rwandans (mainly Tutsis) were killed by Hutus. In one day, Monday, July 21, 2003, 600 Liberians were reportedly killed. Yes, one long, dreary day.

Since December 1989, Liberia and Liberians have faced death by installment; wars without end prolonged by armed gangs in two-a-penny-uniforms.

With slaughters like the one July 21 going unanswered, even-handed historians will assess Bush harshly for failing to use the power and influence of the American presidency: the responsibility of doing good by fighting for a good cause.

It will be no less so for Nigeria's Obasanjo, who fancies himself a regional "statesman."

Obasanjo has been condemned five times in four years by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International for using Nigeria's armed forces to suppress workers, minorities and students. He should send the soldiers into necessary combat in Liberia instead.

The Liberians are the chief architects of their own problems. But for now, Africans and most of humanity will remember that Bush, Obasanjo, Annan and others were merely "monitoring" the situation on that sad July Monday.

It is never too late for our "compassionate conservative" president.

While Liberia burned.... Exclusive USAfricaonline.com commentary The way in which the United States have treated the people of Liberia is simply a low down dirty crying shame. We have sit back and watch as Monrovia has literally burned - and that almost in total silence and blindness. Even while the pleas of the UN and the rest of West Africa and more importantly the Liberian people themselves begged like dogs for the crumbs that fall from a master's table. We waited and waited.  Only now on the eve of a presidential trip to Africa do President Bush shows a reluctant "compassion" or more properly should I say guilt. How could America be so cold, callous, insolent and heartless of one of the few places it colonized? Full commentary here. By Dr. Rufus G.W. Sanders, USAfricaonline.com and The Newspaper contributing editor, is a Suffragan Bishop in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the world based in Sandusky, Ohio. Taylor and Liberia: when a Liar tells the truth. By Tarty Teh, USAfricaonline.com and USAfrica The Newspaper Washington DC-based contributing editor Abati's Revisionisms and Distortions of history. By Obi Nwakanma, USAfrica The Newspaper contributing editor and award-winning poet Reuben Abati's fallacies on Nigeria's history and secession. By Bayo Arowolaju How Abati, Adelaja and others fuel the campaign of hatred against Ndigbo. By Jonas Okwara "Obasanjo, secession and the secessionists": A response to Reuben Abati's Igbophobia. By Josh Arinze, USAfricaonline.com contributing editor. Abati and other anti-Igbo bigots in Nigeria. By Chuks Iloegbunam, USAfricaonline.com contributing editor and author of Ironsi Obasanjo's late wake to the Sharia crises, Court's decision and Nigeria's democracy. By Ken Okorie Obasanjo's own challenge is to imbibe "democratic spirit and practice," By Prof. Ibiyinka Solarin Is Obasanjo really up to Nigeria's challenge and crises? By USAfrica The Newspaper editorial board member, attorney Ken Okorie. This commentary appears courtesy of our related web site, NigeriaCentral.com Obasanjo's late wake to the Sharia crises, Court's decision and Nigeria's democracy. By Ken Okorie Sharia-related killings and carnage in Kaduna reenact deadly prologue to Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967. By Chido Nwangwu. CONTINENTAL AGENDA Bush's position on Africa is "ill-advised." The position stated by Republican presidential aspirant and Governor of Texas, George Bush where he said that "Africa will not be an area of priority" in his presidency has been questioned by USAfricaonline.com Publisher Chido Nwangwu. He added that Bush's "pre-election position was neither validated by the economic exchanges nor geo-strategic interests of our two continents." These views were stated during an interview CNN's anchor Bernard Shaw and senior analyst Jeff Greenfield had with Mr. Nwangwu on Saturday November 18, 2000 during a special edition of 'Inside Politics 2000.' Nwangwu, adviser to the Mayor of Houston (the 4th largest city in the U.S., and immigrant home to thousands of Africans) argued further that "the issues of the heritage interests of 35 million African-Americans in Africa, the volume and value of oil business between between the U.S and Nigeria and the horrendous AIDS crisis in Africa do not lend any basis for Governor Bush's ill-advised position which removes Africa from fair consideration" were he to be elected president. By Al Johnson Jonas Savimbi, UNITA are "terrorists" in Africans' eyes despite Washington's "freedom fighter" toga for him. By SHANA WILLS Nelson Mandela, Tribute to the world's political superstar and Lion of Africa   Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's burden mounts with murder charges, trials TRIBUTE A KING FOR ALL TIMES: Why Martin Luther King's legacy and vision are relevant into 21st century. DIPLOMACY Walter Carrington: African-American diplomat who put principles above self for Nigeria (USAfrica's founder Chido Nwangwu with Ambassador Carrington at the U.S. embassy, Nigeria) DEMOCRACY'S WARRIOR Out of Africa. …The cock that crows in the morning belongs to one household but his voice is the property of the neighborhood. -- Chinua Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah. An editor carries on his crusade against public corruption and press censorship in his native Nigeria and other African countries. By John Suval. ARINZE: Will he be the FIRST BLACK AFRICAN POPE? By Chido Nwangwu HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY How far, how deep will Nigeria's human rights commission go? Rtd. Gen. Babangida trip as emissary for Nigeria's Obasanjo to Sudan raises curiosity, questions about what next in power play? 110 minutes with Hakeem Olajuwon Nigerian stabbed to death in his bathroom in Houston. Cheryl Mills' first class defense of Clinton and her detractors' game  Apple, Steve Jobs extend digital magic

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