May 19, 2006
“He's dead, ma'am”
Here's my mental image of the week.
US military presence in Horn of Africa growsCAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti- Surrounded by lush green mountains in rural southern Ethiopia, U.S. Charge d' Affaires Ambassador to Ethiopia Vicki Huddleston grips the gun and fires into a plywood target. The M4 machine gun kicks slightly, and she turns to the small crowd of soldiers and officers standing behind her, smiling. “Did I hit anything?” she asks. “You hit his throat,” a soldier replies, stifling good-natured laughter. “He's dead, ma'am.”
Read more at the Sub Saharan Informer.
UPDATE: Why make do with a mental image when you can see it all in the flesh on Things We Should Have Written Down.
Posted by aheavens at May 19, 2006 1:18 PM
Comments
Even more of a striking image if you know what Vicki Huddleston looks like (she was ambassador to Mali when I lived there). She's a tiny woman. Hard to picture her with an automatic weapon.
Posted by: Robin at May 19, 2006 1:42 PM
Doesn't that explain why the Americans are willing to let live Mr. Meles eventhough he is guilty of massive corruption, civilain deaths and dictatorship?
But this is a typical short-sightedness from the American side. People will remember that they were focused too much into their own interest at the expense of our interest.
Bati
Posted by: Bati at May 19, 2006 8:14 PM
I am stunned.
Posted by: safiya at May 21, 2006 2:45 AM
As an Ethiopian living in the US, I can't tell you how this US military presence in the Horn scares the hell out of me. It's interesting that the number of GI's is increasing despite the fact that the fear of widspread presence of terrorists in the area has not materialized.
What are they up to?
Thanks for the update, Andy.
Posted by: Chereka at May 26, 2006 9:57 PM