Tora Bora army strikes back at the Janjaweed

[gottaB]

By Kim Sengupta in Hijer, Darfur

The Tora Bora soldiers were exultant. They had fought off a Janjaweed and government force, and the next operation, they insisted, would be even more spectacular.

Commander Ibrahim was apologetic for the lack of suku suku, the local beer made out of sorghum, but there was no shortage of rice or goat meat to celebrate the victory.

"The battle was over there, and it was a big battle," said the commander, waving his arm across the fields and wadis.

"We fought the military and the Janjaweed. They were many times our size, but they did not have our bravery and skills with weapons. They are good at killing women and children, but they cannot fight men like us."

Tora Bora army strikes back at the Janjaweed....

[aquart]

1. I thought tora bora was in Afghanistan.

But any army that beats up the Janjaweed gets an A+ in my book.

Have a lovely meal, fellas, then go out and kill some more of them.

(My position is, and has always been, that men have muscles to protect the weak, put up shelves, and carry packages. Men who harm women and children have made themselves pointless and there is no reason for them to exist. Stuff 'em in bags and toss 'em out like the garbage they are. I am not a pacifist. I am basic.)

[gottaB]

2. Tora Bora: new folk heros

A sorry comment on America's image abroad.

One problem with bands like these is that they complicate peace negotiations between the government of Sudan and the SLA (and JEM), and that also complicates the delivery of relief aid to civilians who are dying by the hundreds. Of course self-defense is a legitimate reason to take up arms and I'm not about to shed any tears for the Janjaweed, but there needs to be a comprehensive peace to prevent any possible further human rights abuses by rebel groups, and to alleviate the suffering of the dispossessed.

The ultimate responsibility for providing security lies with the government of Sudan. They need to frankly admit that they cannot provide security in Darfur, and allow the African Union to expand its peacekeeping operation and its mandate, with forces from Rwanda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Algeria, Libya, Egypt and perhaps South Africa, with ample financial and logistical support from Western nations.

[aquart]

5. Yeah, and they oughta stop providing air support with gov't helicopters.

Definitely the gov't of Sudan oughta stop doing that.

[gottaB]

6. Definitely

I wouldn't expect the Tora Bora army to be able to accomplish that, but if the gos doesn't stop the bombardments an outside force needs to make it stop.

[MikeG]

3. Don't you smoke Janjaweed?

[DrZhivago]

4. I used to smoke Janjaweed in college

oh wait, I'm still in college