I don’t need to remind the writer the loss of life and treasury in Iraq in the name of bringing “Democracy” to Iraqis’. The least we can do is to not support dictators such as Mr. Zenawi of Ethiopia with our aid to oppress Ethiopians and commit crimes that could amount to genocide (currently going on in the Ogaden region).

Your writing is full of misleading statements in order to get undue support from readers. You mentioned that this bill “would prohibit the US from providing counter-terror and military support to Ethiopia.” That is completely wrong. The bill actually makes exception for exactly what you claimed would be prohibited. Here is the paragraph.

“Nonessential United States assistance shall not be made available to the Government of Ethiopia … ‘nonessential United States assistance’ means assistance authorized under any provision of law, other than humanitarian assistance, food aid programs, assistance to combat HIV/AIDS and other health care assistance, peacekeeping assistance, and counter-terrorism assistance.

It is easy to write an essay from one’s cozy office or living room about a region and country you may only know from reading books and gathering news articles. You at least need to be on the ground in order to speak of the state of democracy in the country.

You’re right the Ethiopian government is in Somalia. Did you ask why? Well, I wonder if you knew these facts about Ethiopia:

- there are an estimated 4.8 million orphans

- Only 22% of the population gets improved drinking water

- 31% primary school enrollment

- 3 doctors per 100,000 people

- More than 6 million people are at risk of starvation every year

- etc.

So, did you ask why such a government would choose to wage a war to its neighbors instead of address these terrible problems? It is to get people like you in the current administration to look away from its crimes. In your case and some officials in the current administration, it seems to be working.

Instead of using ‘national interest’ as cover, let’s just say it the way it is. Who cares about democracy in Africa, right? But look at the impact of lack of democracy on millions of people. This is not some abstract idea. I challenge you to just go to any of the countries you claim to be knowledgeable, live a day in the lives of the people, and then let us know your opinion.

Great Day for Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia.

The Bush administration have failed to intervene Ethiopian troops burning villages, masscaring civilians, raping women and blocking humantrain food and media in the Ogaden region.

I’m sure that (in the pit of his stomach) Mr. Assefa himself is happy with the decision and regards it as a positive step towards stable and democratic Ethiopia. He should know much better than anyone else in Washington about the (non-existent) democratic situation of the country he is representing. No one doubts that more Ethiopians are languishing in the jails today than anytime before; thousands have already lost their lives in the hands of the regime; others disappeared; and the remaining are living in fear with no end in sight. It is therefore, true that this legislation may hinder the bold efforts of this regime in which it has been massacring, jailing, intimidating, and terrorising its own citizens.

Great Day for Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia.

The Bush administration have failed to intervene Ethiopian troops burning villages, masscaring civilians, raping women and blocking humantrain food and media in the Ogaden region.

I’m sure that (in the pit of his stomach) Mr. Assefa himself is happy with the decision and regards it as a positive step towards stable and democratic Ethiopia. He should know much better than anyone else in Washington about the (non-existent) democratic situation of the country he is representing. No one doubts that more Ethiopians are languishing in the jails today than anytime before; thousands have already lost their lives in the hands of the regime; others disappeared; and the remaining are living in fear with no end in sight. It is therefore, true that this legislation may hinder the bold efforts of this regime in which it has been massacring, jailing, intimidating, and terrorising its own citizens.

The only supporters of this bill seems to be Democrats who want to harm the US-led War on Terror, US-based enthusiasts of the terror-backed Ethiopian political opposition (who have no reservations about using terror and violence to achieve their politicals goals, like in 2005), and supporters of the al-Qaeda-allied Somali Islamic Courts Union. They are the only ones benefitted by HR 2003, not Ethiopians themselves.

This poor fellow does not know that HR 2003 was a unianimously approved in the House and that the bill was first introduced as HR 2243 by a Republican. That information was not in Fox.

HR 2003, is a bill intended to help the US from the mess it is immersed in because of the work of bloggers or self named journalist/analyst like Patrick.

Would Patrick understand if a republican Congressman tells him that Ethiopia is another Dafur in the making?

I doubt, he needs a dinnar to understand that.

Poor Patrick

For more than a decade, my country has been in a state of lawlessness with no central government. With Ethiopia ‘s support, the Transitional Federal Government, which is backed by the United States and the United Nations, has a chance, to take its place as the legitimate leaders of Somalia and restore Somalia ‘s standing in Africa and in the world. Such leadership would quell the rising militant Islamic insurgency that threatens the entire region. It is not an exaggeration to say that should H.R. 2003 become law, the stability of the Horn of Africa is in great jeopardy.

H.R. 2003 sends the misleading message to Eritrea , a country that the U.S. is currently considering designating as a state sponsor of terrorism, and the Islamic Courts Union, a group whose leaders have ties to al-Qaeda, that the U.S. finds the acts of an emerging democracy as the most deplorable in the region.

Please show your support for democracy in Ethiopia and peace in the Horn of Africa by not allowing H.R. 2003 become law.

somalia is key battleground in the global war on terror Somalia there is, for the first time since 1991, the prospect of the establishment of a national government with some semblance of authority. This will not be an easy task and could be jeopardized by the general reluctance to send peacekeepers.

Washington remains traumatised by the Black Hawk down disaster of 1993 when 18 American soldiers deployed to the country on a humanitarian mission were killed in urban warfare, their bodies dragged through the streets.

Other countries have been deterred by the fact that bin Laden, who welcomed the rise to power of the Islamic Courts, has repeatedly called on Muslims to resist any peacekeeping force dispatched to Somalia.

The hundreds (possibly thousands) of foreign fighters who joined with the Islamic Courts have announced their intention to continue the struggle through guerrilla warfare, meaning that Somalia needs an international peacekeeping force as a matter of urgency.

But, so far, only Uganda and Ethiopia are the only one helping the war on terrorism in somalia , a sad commentary on the short-sightedness of the world’s strategic vision.

For the war on terrorism is not a Middle Eastern issue but a global one. If Somalia lapses back into chaos it will once more become a haven for terrorists and prove that we have still not learnt one of the key lessons of 9/11: a terrorist sanctuary

You need to learn that your “American interset garbage” has no place in the minds of starved and suppressed Ethiopians.

You are from OH; do you write anything about the jobs that are being offshored to china and india from your own state?

Did you know that Sekih Muhammed Al-amoudi is the largest contributer to the current Ethiopian Government?

Before 1991, only 38% of the population was Islam now over 48% is islam getting more radical daily.

I advise you to do more research before writing about a country or “DEMOCRATS” such as Chris Smith of NJ.Oh, he is a repbulican.

Rep Donald Payne should know better that terrorist are not going to cease to be enemies of America just because the Democrats are in power. Strong and realiable allies like Ethiopia should not be compromised for the sake of scoring political points agaist Bush and Republicans.

As for the Bills claim to promote democracy in Ethiopia, we should learn from our failed history. America cannot legislate democratization. The best America can do is consult and advise friendly nations to democratize, not threaten and intimidate them into submission. Proud nation like Ethiopia will reject this type od paternalistic relationship.

Ethiopia is making progress. Under difficult circumstances in a troubled region, Ethioipa is the only country with a functioning multi-party government. H.R. 2003 fails to recognize this and other momentous achievements by the Ethiopian governemnt.