This week’s department of oddities features the new book, Curious George Goes to Liberia. For those who don’t know where Liberia is, find that old atlas you used in Grade 6. Liberia is on the West coast of Africa, sort of on the corner where Africa turns north, sandwiched between Cote d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone.
Liberia was founded by former American slaves in 1847, as a place for freed slaves to return to. At least that was the deal on paper. Some went, others decided against going to a dirt speck with nothing to offer except grinding poverty, starvation and the prospect of a brutal death. Why travel across an ocean to get the same deal you’ve already got at home?
Around 1990, the President of Liberia, Samuel Doe, who was apparently typical of African leaders at the time, merely corrupt and needlessly violent, was overthrown by a rebel leader, Charles Taylor, who was totally corrupt and insanely violent. Liberia then entered a period of decline as the county imploded, infrastructure disintegrated and the surviving population tried to stay the hell out of the way of the rebel leaders, the opposition factions and the remainder of the militias who line up with whoever is promising food or ammunition.
Much killing ensued as various debts were settled and old animosities were avenged. Such slights as looking too long at another person were resolved by some 13 year old toting a rifle taller than he was, letting off a clip, full auto, while trying to keep the muzzle from bouncing around too much. Sort of a typical African nation building exercise. Journalists stayed away in droves as it was just too depressing and really not any different from Somalia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda, Sudan and so on.
Now George W. Bush feels that some sort of peacekeeping force from the US might bring this period to a close, if only Charles Taylor would step down as President for Life and get out of Dodge. The problem, and this is endemic in Africa, is that any cogent opposition leader is already dead, having been purged years ago, buried in a lime pit, or dragged into the jungle to be eaten. Those who are left in control are simply the dictator’s handpicked savages who have proven their loyalty by killing entire villages, or stealing more, higher quality goods than the others in the inner circle.
Why George feels that getting his feet in there will do anything is beyond me. Liberia has about as much to do with world-wide terrorism as Mexico does with Olympic bobsledding. The real issues facing the planet now are Terrorism and Mid-East Peace. If we can get the Middle East to at least settle down to a dull roar of bitching and moaning, perhaps we can break the generational cycle of inbred violence and revenge.
Finding the Al-Qaeda folks and pulling their limbs off on national TV will show like-thinking rock-heads that you’d best not be trying that crap any more, or we will come after you.
So, the question still remains, why does George think a Liberian Adventure would be good? The cynical answer is it can be a distraction. Saddam has not been captured. The Weapons of Mass Destruction have not shown up. Osama Bin-Laden is still around, somewhere. The US Economy is in the toilet. Jobs are being lost to third and fourth world countries in record numbers by loyal American companies who wave the flag and ship all the manufacturing jobs to Taiwan or Malaysia. Meanwhile big companies are being investigated for such outrageous financial shenanigans that even Republicans are appalled by the depth and breadth of the maw-sucking greed shown by business.
Could he be so cynical as to try it? I don’t know if he has the smarts, or nerve, to try it, as it borders on the Big Lie, rather than a bunch of Little Lies.
For those who don’t know the Big Lie Theory, it goes like this: Our economy is in the ditch. It’s not our fault. It’s the fault of Them. They did it to us. We should get rid of Them so we can take back our Rightful Place. They are responsible for the price of bread because we have to spend so much to defend ourselves that we don’t have money left over and They have taken over all the bakeries. They are responsible for al the troubles. And we’re going to make Them pay.
Now, just substitute the word Jews for They and roll back the clock to 1934. Or, put Christians in and set the wayback machine to 35AD. See how it works? Today, substitute Terrorists for They and it still does the job. Tomorrow? Liberia.
Next week? Portugal. Or left-handed people.
RoadDave 