I welcome any comments from anyone so thank you (SF BAY NEWS) for publishing the comments from Steve Fake and Kevin Funk. It comes, however, 75 weeks after the last comment was posted on my story (above) and more than 90 weeks after the story was published.

For one reason or another, Kevin and Steve have just found my article, and feel the need to republish their standard reply to my comments about their book, which they have sent out before again and again.

As I wrote the last time that Steve and Kevin criticized me for criticizing their book, paraphrasing what I seem to recall that I wrote, hopefully these guys will bring more light to the nature of exploitation in Africa. It seems they have good hearts. I hope they will look more deeply behind what has happened in Sudan, and expose the deeper truths, and not the shallow superficialities.

As far as their book on Sudan, I said most all I have to say, in my original story. It has become increasingly clear that Alex de Waal and Roger Winter have spread the narratives these two journalists regurgitate, in their own way. The US and UK and its allies — including Israel — overthrew Rwanda 1990-1994, and they have perpetrated similar atrocities through Uganda and the SPLA in Sudan, and they tried to apply their Rwanda model to Darfur, and it didnt work.

In National Geographic — November 2010 — there is an article on Sudan where they mention Roger Winter — always the deeply caring christian from America — who is one of the Pentagon and intelligence sector's chief architects of chaos and murder in Sudan as he was in Rwanda. Check it out. And then read my articles about Sudan.

blessings
keith

We make our assertion in the context of discussing the Justice and Equality Movement-led coup attempt against Khartoum in May of this year. There is simply nothing about non-Sudanese trying "to organize" a coup, and in actuality we argue vehemently in the book against any sort of foreign-led regime change in Khartoum, and spend an entire chapter on the imperialist uses of the doctrine of "humanitarian intervention." Rather, as is obvious to any individual with any notion of the concept of "solidarity," our comments mean that we stand with the oppressed segments of the Sudanese population in their struggle for justice, whether their oppression comes from internal or foreign sources.

What we present above suggests one of three conclusions: (1) that Harmon Snow did not read the book, (2) that he read it and did not understand it, or, (3) that he read it, understood it, and nevertheless chose to deliberately misrepresent the analysis presented therein. We will not speculate on which of the three, or perhaps some combination of them, is behind his mangling of our arguments, though none of the possibilities qualify him to be writing about our analysis in the first place.

We invite the editors and readers to draw their own conclusions about the merits of our book and arguments (our website &lt ;www.scrambleforafrica.org> features several excerpts from the text, as well as our other writings on the Darfur conflict), and expect that this letter will be appropriately included on the page containing his article.

Putting aside the serious mischaracterizations of our book in this article, we are very pleased to see analyses that challenge the distorted narratives of the Western corporate press reaching readers. It is impossible for those of us living in the U.S. to act in solidarity with the oppressed in Africa unless the realities and true causes of African conflicts are known. That is particularly true when our government plays a direct role in the violence.

scrambleforafrica.org

By Kevin Funk and Steven Fake

As the authors of "The Scramble for Africa: Darfur – Intervention and the USA," we find it necessary to respond to Keith Harmon Snow's highly confused and misleading references to our work, and the strange litany of positions he attributes to it, and to us.

Harmon Snow writes that "The book makes no mention of covert operations or private military companies operating in South Sudan or Darfur." Yet this is demonstrably false. We mention the role of Dyncorp in both south Sudan and Darfur (page 88), and, more prominently, Blackwater – in fact, twice in the main text (88, 115), and also for two paragraphs in an endnote (248). Perhaps Harmon Snow's razor eye for detail somehow missed the book's index, in which both companies are listed.

He roundly condemns us for citing "ad nauseum all the usual propagandists," like Eric Reeves. But of course citing does not mean approving. In fact, we label Reeves a "hawkish commentator and invasion advocate" (xxvii), and at different points observe that he pursues his arguments "bizarrely" (xxvii), "very naïvely (to be charitable)," and that he is simply "wrong" (272). In a broader point, even in writing from a leftist perspective, there is of course value in referencing mainstream works (in addition to left-wing ones) where appropriate, as doing so serves to broaden the audience that will be open to the arguments.

As is obvious, relatively few who are not already leftists will be swayed if citations are only given to left-wing works, though if a critique of US policy appears "even" in the New York Times or another mainstream publication, it is much likelier to resonate with the broader public.

Harmon Snow also incorrectly notes that while we call Omar al-Bashir a "major war criminal," we "never similarly condemn" Western powers such as the U.S. and Israel, and their leaders. Again, the factual record, easily available to anyone who reads the book, indicates otherwise.

We note that, "Given that the U.S. has been named the biggest threat to world security in polls of global opinion, one may wonder when a blue-helmeted UN liberation force will be deployed to the streets of Washington to halt its war against the people of Iraq" (64), and that Washington's concerns about the ICC are a reflection of the fact that "it might become a serious instrument for justice, and will thus turn to investigating US crimes" (xxxviii). We reference Israel's "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians" (63), its "war crimes" (116), and the fact that its "massive crimes are perceived to be in service of Western geopolitical interests" (64). Again, the positions Harmon Snow attributes to us are utterly unrecognizable.

Even where Harmon Snow directly cites our work, he deftly manages to misrepresent our arguments. Referencing our comment in the foreword that, "there would be little to mourn in Bashir's overthrow, and such a move—depending, of course, on the actors involved, and its prospects for success—could be cautiously supported," he comments that, "In other words, it's fine for white people from the United States to organize the overthrow of sovereign governments, as long as we selectively chose the 'right' people for the job."

Your comments are obtuse. Why don’t you come out with some actual criticisms? If you have a problem with a fact or facts, state it or them. Otherwise your comments only suggest how little you actually understand and how arrogantly you (think you) do so. Further, why don’t you situate your self — what do you know about Kagame’s “elected” parliament? Do you work in RWanda? With some profit-based “NGO”? Spell out your own interests, or make it clear whose information you are regurgitating.

keith harmon snow

Surely genocide is worthy of more than a pathetic slanging match.

This is about as substantive (and professional)as a British Red top!

I so like how many women Kagame works with in the elected parliament. A new kind of dictatorship, one supposes…

Also, Mr. Reynders, thank you for your expressed interest in being open-minded. I hope you will follow through, without any interests getting in your way, and get to the truth on your own.

You would be wiser next time not to begin your inquiry so obstreperously. My own lack o wisdom is noted.

blessings
keith

I’m happy to do my best to answer any questions that are reasonable.

blessings
keith

By

btw you can e-mail your reply. Would like to read it with good cup of coffee.

MAy I ask you if you are a racist, because by implying that especially my visit to rwanda further underscore your original reply, I can t really see the metaphore in that line.

Informe me please

You will forgive my bad rhetorical skills, but at least I identify myself, and while I made a post at 6:01 regarding the original complaints — Mr. Reynders, instead of dealing with my reply, you want question my sexuality.

I did not question or reference your sexuality, I merely asked if you live in a bubble cubicle — because you so casually ask an ICTR defense lawyer to send you “all the documents from the ICTR cases” etc etc as you did.

So, yes, I am disappointed to find that you have been to Africa, especially Rwanda, and that reality only further underscores my original reply — which as far as I can see has not been posted — that:

“Mr. Berg and Mr. Reynders employ self righteous assumptions that operate from a point of departure that says “WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND DON”T NEED TO EXAMINE OUR THINKING” and thereby they become both genocide exclusivists — that the Hutus committed a genocide and the Tutsis suffered from it — and genocide deniers — that the Hutus are not suffering a genocide.”

You will forgive my bad rhetorical skills, but at least I identify myself, and while I made a post at 6:01 regarding the original complaints — Mr. Berg and Mr. Reynders employ self righteous assumptions that operate from a point of departure that says “WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND DON”T NEED TO EXAMINE OUR THINKING” and thereby they become both genocide exclusivists — that the Hutus committed a genocide and the Tutsis suffered from it — and genocide deniers — that the Hutus are not suffering a genocide.

To be faire I think you have a rather quite elaborate vocabulary and definately posses rethorical skills. It is just a shame you use them so bad.

For the clarity and maybe to prove you that probalities aren’t facts.

I had the pleasure of living fourtien years off my life on the African continent. I am born in Goma from an arabian congolese father and a rwandan mother. Maybe even as much as Kambale I am worried about my family there with wich I have lost all contacts since the upheavel off violence.

I have lived in country’s as Ivory Coast, Cameroen and Congo. Last summer I passed an incredible summer in Rwanda in wich I have learned to particulary admire the rwandese in their perseverence off bulding up together not as a Hutu or a Tutsi but as rwandese a worthy futur.

As a member of both communities the geopolitical situation of the region has always interrested me, I consider myself not as in expert but as a rather loyal observer of the developments in the region.

I hope you are not dissapointed.

Thank you first of all for your well manered response.

My point of view hasn’t change, this is an oppen discussion and I am interrested in the fundaments of your case. Altought I have the sincerity to tell you openly that I am a sympathisant of the actual Rwandese governement and also of the president Paul Kagame. I hope you wont feel disturbed by this announcement and will honor me in sending these documents.

Best Regards,

Paul Reynders

For your information I don t live in the red district and to be fair about it I wouldn’t mind if I have to. The red district is an achievement this country can be proud off.

But common you can be fair about it didn t this didn’t you get in, you seem to have a pretty good description for someone just passing by. :P

another one this time, how strange the NY something our dear Ann Garrison should know pretty well then. I assume this because you said you read everything about the Mai Mai

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/world/africa/21congo.html

This one goes about the kidnaping of some repporter by who ???
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29206

You do not back down from what? From falsehood and US and UK and RPF propaganda? Strange. Well, I cannot retreat from the facts. I can send you the transcripts of the Military II trial which involves the chiefs of staff of the Rwandan Army and the Rwandan Gendarmerie (national police) on a flashdisk only as that trial has lasted over four years, with hundreds of witnesses. If you can send me your postal address to me privately I will send to you. If you would like something more immediate I can send you the transcripts of the evidence of Antoine Nyetera, a Tutsi prince, son of the last king, who was in Kigali all through the April-July period of the final RPF offensive. His testimony will confirm everything I said. I have that on my email system and can send in a couple of days. Your choice. Thanks for keeping an open mind and being willing to examine the facts as opposed to the propaganda.

Christopher Black

I don’t mean to sound harsh, but that request is classic! A perfect example of obliviousness and white privilege could not hardy be invented.

Mr. Reynders, I was recently in Amsterdam and I was amused by the women I saw as I walked down the street, the red light district, who stand naked and enticingly in the bubble cubicles. Do you live in one of these?

keith harmon snow

Its interesting to me that Mr. Reynders — self-described as a law student from Amsterdam — purports to know so much about the Mai Mai factions from the Congo.

The above assertion about the MAI MAI being “a xenophobic militia” is rather telling. It is, first, inherently racist — like most everything you will read about the Mai Mai in Western so-called “news” venues, as Ann Garrison so aptly points out — because such a description is proffered by a law student from Amsterdam who has probably never set foot in Africa, but, certainly not in Congo, but, no matter, has absolutely no idea what he is talking about.

I spent four years in and out of the DRC, I have met the top Mai Mai commander, General Padiri, in person, in his private office, where we held private discussions, and I would not venture such hubris (as above) to think I understand the Mai Mai.

Further, readers will note that I hold Mai Mai to task in my story preceeding this thread, but it is not the Mai Mai who are so much the problem — in the particular geographic region I address — as it is the Jane Goodall Institute and Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund who are funding and directing the local militias to — once again — clear the land and commit atrocities, including extortion and racketeering, in another form of Lebensraumpolitik: gorilla conservation.

Now, Mr. Reynders — please give out the web site and phone number of this newspaper so that more people can read and — hopefully — recognize (a.k.a. RE-COGNIZE) the truth.

keith harmon snow