Friday, September 25, 2009

Obama's Tough Love

Father is from there, brother lives there, right?

The demands of power are thicker than the demands of kin.


"Some Kenyan officials face US travel ban" by associated press | September 25, 2009

NAIROBI - The United States will impose travel bans on Kenyan ministers and other prominent people blocking government changes aimed at preventing political violence, the American ambassador to Kenya said yesterday.

Related: African Safari: Clinton Threatens Kenya

Michael Ranneberger said 15 Kenyans had received letters saying the United States was reviewing its relationship with them....

Can't say you were not warned.

The United States, one of Kenya’s key lenders, has persistently criticized the nation for not taking action against the perpetrators of postelection violence in 2007. More than 1,000 people were killed in December 2007 and early 2008 following a dispute over presidential election results.

Translation: We must be unhappy with the current government and what it is doing (or not doing) for us in the region, and we have them by the balls.

President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga signed a power-sharing deal in February 2008 to end the violence. The power-sharing deal also contained clauses on constitutional, judicial, and other changes, which have not been implemented.

Like the US has a right to complain about things like that?

“It’s a growing sense of frustration, at the highest levels’’ in the US government, Ranneberger said in the Kenyan capital.

Well, that means TOP DOWN, doesn't it?

Alfred Mutua, Kenyan government spokesman, said his nation does not “respond to activism diplomacy.’’

They have seen Mugabe hang on in Zimbabwe (how many mentions does that guy get these days), and I doubt the US will invade. We seem to be sizing up Somalia for another occupation.

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Also see: To Serve and Protect in Kenya