J. Peter Pham
29 September 2008
(Page 2 of 3)
The signing into law in July of the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, which dedicates another $48 billion to fight those diseases over the next five years, is truly a landmark of which all Americans can be proud. As no less a figure than Senator Joseph Biden affirmed just three weeks before getting the Democratic vice presidential nomination, the decision to launch PEPFAR by President Bush and what was then a Republican Congress was not only “bold and unexpected,” but would be regarded by history as one of their finest hours.
Republicans today rally behind the promise made by Senator John McCain last year to make eradicating malaria—the number one killer of African children under the age of five—a priority during his presidency. In addition to saving millions of lives, these efforts will also, as the Senator has noted, add luster to America’s image around the world.
Even as we celebrate the fact that freedom is gaining ground in Africa with democratic progress occurring in Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Botswana, Angola, and other places, we deplore the fact that it has been brutally repressed in other countries. The violent disregard of the Robert Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe for the will of the people, for example, underscores its lack of legitimacy. Senator McCain has been a leader on this issue. After the first round of the Zimbabwean elections on March 29—two days before Senator Clinton and three days before Senator Obama responded—Senator McCain stood firmly and unambiguously on the side of freedom, issuing a statement declaring:
“Our ideals must animate our foreign policy and that includes support for democratic forces in closed societies. The opposition in Zimbabwe has endured repression, hardship, beatings and imprisonment. At this time we cannot turn our back on the brave men and women who have struggled peacefully for their freedom.
“The situation in Zimbabwe has reached a decisive moment. After the years in which the repressive regime of President Robert Mugabe has made a mockery of law while turning what was once southern Africa's breadbasket into a literal economic basket case, the people of Zimbabwe nonetheless bravely went to the polls. The delay in publishing the results of the election raise serious doubts about what is happening. It is now time for the international community, especially Zimbabwe's immediate neighbors, to stand up and be heard in support of Zimbabwe's people, demanding that their votes be respected.
“This is not only the principled course of action; it is also the only one that will assure everyone’s best interests by not allowing the situation to deteriorate further. The United States has and will continue to support the [view that it is] democracy and rule of law that alone can secure Africa's future development, and should be prepared to provide assistance to support a transition to democracy in Zimbabwe.”
After Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew from the second round of the elections, Senator McCain was once again prepared to lead, with an unambiguous declaration:
“The Robert Mugabe regime and its armed forces have created a vicious climate of fear in order to defy the will of the people and manipulate the outcome of the June 27 presidential run-off. I fully support the decision of Morgan Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to withdraw from the elections. I agree with the assessment of UN Secretary General Moon that conditions do not exist for free and fair elections right now.
“That is an understatement. Human rights monitors have documented the killing of more than 60 opposition political activists, the beating and torture of 2,000 others, the displacement of tens of thousands, and the suspension of nongovernmental aid programs that provide nutrition to an already vulnerable population. These are the actions of a desperate regime that has lost all legitimacy.
“I believe the international community must act to impose sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies and thereby hasten the end of that regime. We should consider expelling Mugabe’s diplomats from Washington and explore options with our friends in Africa and beyond, including suspending Zimbabwe’s participation in regional organizations as long a Mugabe clings to power. The results of the March 29 election must form the basis of a post-Mugabe resolution in Zimbabwe.”
Today, we have some hope that perhaps a way forward may be found which acknowledges the will of the Zimbabwean people in according the Movement for Democratic Change a clear edge despite the obstacles which it faced.
We will work together with our European allies and African partners to provide appropriate emergency assistance to help the civil government led by Prime Minister Tsvangirai start Zimbabwe on the road to recovery, ensuring that the chance for freedom and a better future won at so great a price is indeed secure against any relapses. This will, of course, require the rejuvenation of the long-atrophied political and other institutions in that Southern African country, but, as chairman since 1993 of the International Republican Institute (IRI), an organization dedicated to advancing freedom and democracy worldwide (and which has done so in dozens of African countries) by developing political parties, civic institutions, open elections, good governance, and the rule of law, Senator McCain knows well the importance of this work and is committed to it.
As Senator McCain affirmed with what I believe to be greater clarity and specificity than his opponent in his responses to the candidates’ questionnaire on Sudan submitted by the Enough Action Fund, the Genocide Prevention Network and the Save Darfur Coalition, his administration would work with both the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement to bring an end to decades of civil war between the central government in Khartoum and the peoples of South Sudan, a conflict which has taken the lives more than two million people, mostly South Sudanese.
The United Nations Security Council-endorsed Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is the basis for a sustainable peace, but only if all of its terms are honored, including the holding of the free and fair elections in 2009 and the right of South Sudanese to determine for themselves whether or not to remain part of Sudan. Given the history of the country, we believe that the only way to avoid renewed bloody conflict is if the South Sudanese possess a credible self-defense capability as permitted under the CPA.
As not only a challenge to our moral sensibilities, but also a potential threat to our strategic interests through its destabilization of a vast swathe across the African continent, the ongoing crisis in Darfur calls out for American leadership. Senator McCain has been very clear on this issue, writing in a Foreign Affairs essay last year:
“With respect to the Darfur region of Sudan, I fear that the United States is once again repeating the mistakes it made in Bosnia and Rwanda. In Bosnia, we acted late but eventually saved countless lives. In Rwanda, we stood by and watched the slaughter and later pledged that we would not do so again. The genocide in Darfur demands U.S. leadership. My administration will consider the use of all elements of American power to stop the outrageous acts of human destruction that have unfolded there.”
While the United States has been in the forefront of denouncing the genocide for what it is and providing assistance to the victims—among other things, the invaluable mediation of the successive special envoys for Sudan, two of whom, former Senator Jack Danforth of Missouri and Ambassador Richard Williamson, are playing leadership roles in the McCain campaign—we will need act more aggressively, in close coordination with all responsible members of the international community, to end the slaughter and secure a just and sustainable resolution to the conflict.
Several years ago, before many others were on to the issue, Senator McCain, in a Washington Post op-ed co-authored with former Senator Bob Dole, proposed that the UN Security Council’s demand that the regime in Khartoum end its offensive military flights and bombing raids in Darfur be backed by a no-fly zone over the region, enforced, if necessary, by NATO. As president, Senator McCain is committed to seeking a Security Council resolution endorsing such a mission and will work to persuade our allies to join us in its implementation. The continuing bombing of civilian targets in Darfur by the Khartoum regime underscores the urgent need for such action.
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As an American Christian who has many friends in Kenya, Uganda and many other African nations I have spent many hours researching Barack Obama. Before I became a Christian over 25 years ago I had been a communist. This background has helped with giving me some insights during my research. I have, also, noticed that those African-Americans most involved in truly helping the poor are those that are most opposed to Obama. What I have found from my research is that Obama is nothing close to what people want to believe who he is. Let me give just a few of many many examples: 1. As a State Senator in Illinois, Obama took the side of the teacher's union against the interests of black children in inner city Chicago. 2. He has taken the most pro-abortion positions of any member of the US Senate including support for live birth abortion (i.e. allowing a baby that survies abortion to be left to die.) 3. Throughout his life he has been closely associated with communists and even American terrorits (Bill Ayers among others). Despite continual denials on behalf of the Obama campaign more and more evidence cames out about his shady associations. 4. He has claimed to be a Christian but in his own words one of his books, he answers his daughter when she asked where she goes when she dies by him saying "I don't know". 5. He is a major supporter for homosexual rights.
With the current financial crisis in America, if Obama is elected President and implements just some of his economic and tax policies the American economy could well go into a depression. This would mean much less US aid for Africa.
As I have said for the last ten years when I have taught in Africa is that it is a big mistake to look to America as Africa's salvation. The nation building principles of early America can provide good insights for nation building in Africa. America today has fallen far away from these self-governing principles.
Listen up John A, It's the American people that will put Barack Obama in the White House not your sorry opinion of him. 25 years is not enough time for a commie to change, still sound like one and a true Christian don't cast that kind of judgement. It is the American Christian who believe in Obama's vision and competence as a President, that means mainstream America, big America,little America, midwest America and rural America. You should research Christianity and what it means,happy hunting!
John, let's take the emotion out of it and make it about facts. The current global financial crisis was triggered by that phony make believe "real estate boom" of 2002-2005 in the US real estate market. John McCain was behind the deregulation of the real estate market. Insanity followed and only the wise ones knew what was coming. Hey, Washington take care of their "boys" first. Deregulation made so much dough $$$$$$ for them + their "boys", what do they care? They layman don't understand, who's looking? You can't Tie Barack Obama to scandal of that magnitude, (the one with rich white boys in power looking out for #1 themselves and their extravagant life styles) end of story.
Oilbaron there are no facts in your post whatsoever. The deregulation was done by Democrats....most of this country realizes this now. Key Democrats opposed the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, which would have established a single, independent regulatory body with jurisdiction over Fannie and Freddie – a move that the Government Accountability Office had recommended in a 2004 report.
Top 3 recipients of campaign contributions from Fannie and Freddie: Christopher Dodd (D)- $133,900 John Kerry(D)- $111,000 Barak Obama(D)- $105,849 McCain had regulation bill 3 years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_FZCaKDn9k You can't question the words right from The chairman if the House Financial Services Committee Barny Frank's mouth.
The total lies like this and selective news reporting by the main stream media are the only reason for Obama's SLIGHT lead over McCain right now.
I'm a Christian and Obama's stand on Abortion anytime anywhere at any age paid by taxpayers and voting to allow children born by botched abortions being left to die is the reason NO ONE with belief in the teachings and salvation of Jesus Christ should have anything to do with Obama whatsoever. Can you tell me anything Obama has done to protect the people of Chicago where he worked? More people die there then in Iraq!
Oh yeah...he had a gazebo built.
Heavens, John, do i have to read through all that right-wing Christian rhetoric complete with all the talk-radio talking points... live-birth abortions, commies and terrorists... in this dialogue? How do these lies further the topic?
Obama is enormously popular in Kenya. Yes, he is half Kenyan (half white, too) and provides a sense of pride for many Kenyans. While in Kenya, I found myself in many political conversations with Kenyans from a variety of places and stations. I found myself apologizing for the actions of President Bush, trying to assure them that not all Americans are in support of his failed Presidency. The people I talked to are quite political savvy, more so that many citizens of my town in the U.S. The know what's happening. They are aware that Republican policies over the last twenty years have not served them well. They have much more confidence in Obama than McCain, a Republican. They see no reason to think McCain's attitude toward East Africa will be any different than that of George Bush.
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