Last week the UN Security Council passed a resolution which imposed targeted sanctions on Eritrea for its destabilizing role in Somalia and for refusing to withdraw its troops from Djibouti. The sanctions include an arms embargo and travel restrictions on and a freeze on the assets of the political and military leaders of the regime. These sanctions are tied to two other previous UN resolutions (resolutions 751 and 1267) and seem to have some teeth, which explains the regime's freakish reaction to the resolution. You can read the full text of the resolution here.
This is a welcome development for the Horn of Africa region; the sanctions are balanced and appropriate for the offence commited. However, punishing the Eritrean regime alone will not bring peace to Somalia or stability to the Horn region. That would require a comprehensive carrot and stick approach towards all the regimes in the region and a real support to human rights and democracy advocates in the region. On this score, the Obama Administration has so far proven itself to be as worthless as the administration it replaced.
2 comments:
At first when the republicans and conservatives where critising Obama, I though they were being unreasonable and angry his election to the Presidency. While this is still tru to some corners of the opposition, I have am now more inclined to agree with them this President become less effective and more rehetorical in his approach to international issues such as human rights. I am frankly disappointed in him. Unless, he shows a concrete change by the end of his first term, I may end up supporting whoever the alternative would be in 2012.
AyaNayzgi,
You are not alone in your observation of Obama. He has clearly failed to deliver on his change promise. I think one year is a sufficient enough time to know his administration's objectives and priorities.
His inate desire to please his leftist admirers will most likely make him a one-term president. With all the entitlements that he is trying to impose on the country, I do not think the country can afford to have him for another term.
My support for him was tepid to begin with, but his performance in the past year has convinced me that he does not deserve my vote if he runs for a second term.
Fikru
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