USAF Airlifts Rwandan Troops To Darfur

[NATO AIR]

Its great the AF lent an assist to the effort, but what a different ending this noble but tragic enterprise would have if African leaders would get off their ass, demand NATO bomb the janjaweed and expand their mandate to kick jihadist ass and put tens of thousands of African boots on the ground.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123011081&page=3

USAFE helps Rwandan troops deploy to Darfur

KIGALI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Rwanda -- Rwandan forces stand by to board a C-130 Hercules from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, here July 19. The Ramstein Airmen were here to provide transportation for 1,200 Rwandan forces to Sudan in support of NATO's response for the African Union's expanded peacekeeping mission in Darfur with logistics and training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bradley C. Church)

 

[Said1]

Its great the AF lent an assist to the effort, but what a different ending this noble but tragic enterprise would have if African leaders would get off their ass, demand NATO bomb the janjaweed and expand their mandate to kick jihadist ass and put tens of thousands of African boots on the ground.

I'm still wrapping my mind around the idea of Rwanda and the whole peacekeeping concept. Is this the same Rwanda..........like the one in Africa?

 

[NATO AIR]

I'm still wrapping my mind around the idea of Rwanda and the whole peacekeeping concept. Is this the same Rwanda..........like the one in Africa?

Amazing isn't it?
Considering the current Rwandan military is essentially an integrated RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front, the folks who fought their way through Rwanda to stop the genocide committed by Hutu Power, with entirely no outside help and what may or may not have been French special forces opposition), their doctorine is all about halting the insidious clan warfare that has destroyed Africa for decades.

While comprised of mostly Tutsis, a growing number of Hutus are joining and the Rwandans are gradually becoming the "good guy" bad asses of Africa.

But yea, Rwanda, the one that had the genocide 10 years ago, now is doing its best to stop the genocide in Darfur.

Damn incredible, and quite noble as well. They're my heroes, and from what I heard from 2 of the airmen who helped airlift them to Darfur, they made a lasting good impression on the AF folks.

 

[Said1]

Amazing isn't it?
Considering the current Rwandan military is essentially an integrated RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front, the folks who fought their way through Rwanda to stop the genocide committed by Hutu Power, with entirely no outside help and what may or may not have been French special forces opposition), their doctorine is all about halting the insidious clan warfare that has destroyed Africa for decades.

While comprised of mostly Tutsis, a growing number of Hutus are joining and the Rwandans are gradually becoming the "good guy" bad asses of Africa.

But yea, Rwanda, the one that had the genocide 10 years ago, now is doing its best to stop the genocide in Darfur.

Damn incredible, and quite noble as well. They're my heroes, and from what I heard from 2 of the airmen who helped airlift them to Darfur, they made a lasting good impression on the AF folks.

I was just thinking that it's a shame to see such positive development within Rwanda go essentially ignored. Considering the extreme nature of their civil conflict 10 years ago, who would have thought they'd be able to pull it together enough to make positive contributions within Africa? Remarkable, I wish them luck!

 

[NATO AIR]

I was just thinking that it's a shame to see such positive development within Rwanda go essentially ignored. Considering the extreme nature of their civil conflict 10 years ago, who would have thought they'd be able to pull it together enough to make positive contributions within Africa? Remarkable, I wish them luck!

Yea its a shame that positive accomplishments like Rwanda's are ignored because ever more horrible news comes from Africa every day. We haven't even seen the beginning of the spread of islamic fundamentalism in sub-saharan africa, and that will probably wash away any and all hopes for africa.

 

[Said1]

Yea its a shame that positive accomplishments like Rwanda's are ignored because ever more horrible news comes from Africa every day. We haven't even seen the beginning of the spread of islamic fundamentalism in sub-saharan africa, and that will probably wash away any and all hopes for africa.

The horn region is a festering nest of fanatics and weapons smuggling amoung other things. Considering the fact that Sudan once welcomed Bin Laden, the spread of extremism shouldn't come as a shock. What puzzles me the most is that the UN and more importantly France have acted (and still do) as though it's just a minor detail, not really related to the overall international WOT. They must have developed khat habbits of their own.

And btw, where did that hug smilie come from? :cof:

 

[Gunny]

The horn region is a festering nest of fanatics and weapons smuggling amoung other things. Considering the fact that Sudan once welcomed Bin Laden, the spread of extremism shouldn't come as a shock. What puzzles me the most is that the UN and more importantly France have acted (and still do) as though it's just a minor detail, not really related to the overall international WOT. They must have developed khat habbits of their own.

And btw, where did that hug smilie come from? :cof:

France has got their dirty little mitts in just about every N African government in existence. Their neo-colonializing of third world nations hasn't changed, just the manner in which they go about it.

The last thing France wants is us meddling in their financial dealings. What do you think pissed them off so much about Iraq? We spoiled all their under the table deals with Saddam by invading.

If the government of Sudan is ousted, they face the same thing -- all their exploitative plans up in smoke.

Not that I'm ranting or anything ......

 

[Said1]

France has got their dirty little mitts in just about every N African government in existence. Their neo-colonializing of third world nations hasn't changed, just the manner in which they go about it.

The last thing France wants is us meddling in their financial dealings. What do you think pissed them off so much about Iraq? We spoiled all their under the table deals with Saddam by invading.

If the government of Sudan is ousted, they face the same thing -- all their exploitative plans up in smoke.

Not that I'm ranting or anything ......

France and Iraq are very interesting to say the least. I think France had bigger interests in ensuring the shipping lanes and ports surrounding Djibouti stay open, since they still play a large role in managing (controlling) that sectors infrastructure. France also closed their bases in Djibouti recently, which are now filling/ed up with Americans (strange again). This is one of the most important and busiest locations in the world as it ensures access to the Suez Canal. Southbound ships would also be blocked if the waters in that area didn't remain "freindly". They now have the most updated and now secure (thanks to American grants to help fight the WOT) of all their neighbours and just about everything passes through there (free trade zone to boot) and it's a also used as an international transshipment and refuling center for all sorts of ships both military and comercial. For a dinky little country consisting of less than one million people, they sure have a lot going on!