interesting webpage that looks to me as if he is a warmed over
ultra-lefty. So many of these unsubstantiated assertions do sound
groundless and should be treated with care. However, having skyped a
friend of mind in Abidjan ( I think all of us can do this to the extent
that people still have access to the internet under these appalling
circumstances), at the very least, she confirmed that yesterday she
heard lots of helicopters flying overhead and lots of shooting. At
who, she cannot for sure say.
On another matter, why is it we question the outcome of reports
against those whom we support, or the procedures they are claiming to
uphold? To be sure, it is always so hard to confirm causalities, and
typically the number of 800 looks too round and neat. Yes, once it comes
out of a source, it goes wire-viral, recycled, and everyone picks it
up, whether someone is, or some people are, there to have known or
witnessed as close up as is possible. I doubt, though, whether the
figure, exaggerated or underestimated, is wrong in its substance, and
it is likely to have been perpetrated by people supporting Outrra, who
may or may not have been soldiers, though this matters not one way or
the other whether they soldiers. Once certain things are set in motion,
in circumstances like these, terrible consequences follow.
I do not believe it is morally unpalatable to withhold support for
those in whose name procedural democracy is invoked, but who are
willing to see others, innocents, die for it/them. Unwittingly, some of
us become cheer leaders for belligerents who are not worthy of support,
even if the procedures they claim to be supporting are.
Pablo
On 03/04/11 7:25 AM, Yona Maro wrote:
> By Dr. Gary L. Busch 2/4/11
> Apr 3, 2011 - 10:59:25 AM
>
> Much of the news reports represent a wilful misrepresentation of the
> facts. The United Nations Mil-24 helicopters overflew Gbagbo-army
> positions in the West of the Ivory Coast and bombed and strafed a
> corridor into the cities for the rebel army. The point troops of this
> 'rebel army' were not Ivorians of the Force Nouvelles but Nigerian
> troops (mainly from the Mobile Police - the "Kill and Go") and
> Burkinabe Special Forces lent by President Campaore for the attack.
> These UN helicopters and a strong force of mercenaries entered cities
> like Daloa and Bondou and began killing large numbers of civilians as
> the pro-Gbagbo forces withdrew. Later, bands of Liberian adventurers
> (fighting for neither Ouattara nor Gbagbo) entered the cities to loot
> and plunder.
>
> Hundreds were killedat Daloa and Bondou by the invading forces. There
> were more than 800 civilians killed in Duekoue the next day by
> Ouattara's soldiers, even though there were over a thousand UN
> peacekeepers looking on.
>
> This was repeated in the drive for Abidjan where the UN has continued
> to use its helicopters with deadly effect and the UN Representative,
> Choi, has given the UN forces the right to 'shoot at will'. Seven
> pro-Gbagbo forces have been killed by the UN (mainly by Pakistani and
> Senegalese troops in the UNOCI) and scores of others have been shot at
> but no one yet knows the total. The French have moved out of their
> base in Port Bouet and are patrolling Abidjan streets, blocking off
> main roads and shooting at military and civilian targets. They say
> they are protecting foreigners who might be targets but it appears
> they are protecting them before they were endangered.
>
> The reason for this military initiative was twofold. April 1 is the
> day that the cocoa buyers (Noble and others) promised to pay Gbagbo
> for their cocoa stocks which were locked up in the Ivory Coast. They
> said they didn't care who was President, they wanted their cocoa. That
> made it imperative for Ouattara and the rebels to take the Port of San
> Pedro which is an important cocoa export port. The second reason is
> that April 1 was the day on which the Ivory Coast would have passed
> the deadline for paying its regular interest payment on its
> international debt which had been delayed by Gbagbo since his funds
> were cut off. To succeed in this the French and the UN decided on a
> covert (barely concealed) attack on the government of the Ivory Coast.
>
> Many of the soldiers loyal to Gbagbo were overwhelmed by the force and
> mechanisation of the attack and surrendered or took off their uniforms
> and fled. The battle now rages in Abidjan where the UN and the French
> continue their assault. However, the civilian population is
> reorganising itself and taking up arms. It remains to be seen if this
> UN and French attack will succeed in the face of a large and aroused
> population. The fat lady has not sung her final aria. Expect many
> civilian deaths. That is the UN way.
>
>
> Source:Ocnus.net 2011
>
>
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