The people looking for a birther conspiracy behind our (very minimal) support for the rightful winner of a democratic election in Cote d’Ivoire are more or less totally unhinged at this point – and they are making insane leaps of logic that are internally contradictory. They are also issuing astonishing ad hominem attacks (for example, here).
So, to review this logic. The very minimal support from the United States for Outtara in Cote d’Ivoire is an indication that Obama is helping one of his Muslim buddies take over a good Christian nation. However, our rather engaged and substantive support for the Sudanese referendum that will almost certainly lead to a new African country next week – and a country that will be Christian and animist dominated, no less, doesn’t count for anything.
Wow.
So apparently our minimal support for the rule of law in Cote d’Ivoire is not a problem because the guy we’d have to support is Muslim. Because of that, we can forget that Gbagbo clearly stole the election, or that he has mobilized issues of citizenship to disenfranchise a large percentage of the Ivorian population. Good news, Christian dictators – you are free to toss democracy, just keep the Muslims out. Does anyone hear the echoes of US Cold War policy re: communism? Anyone?
One of my favorite twitterers, @bill_westerly, is right: “some enemy: fight wit honner und sword uf reason. some enemy: immune to reason, just kick in duh goolies und laff.”
If you think Geller’s posts are frightening, Ed, wait until you have to wade through the comments section – a pit of deranged ignorance.
It’s quite funny to watch them anointing themselves the self-appointed guardians of human rights, though. I’m sure the people of South Sudan are grateful.
I agree with your post almost entirely. However, I take issue with the statement “Gbagbo clearly stole the election.” Is it clear? There are reports of dramatic differences between votes cast in the North verus the number of registered voters. Furthermore, many monitoring agencies reported witnessing voter intimidation. Of course this occurred on both sides.
Again, I agree that it is clear the birther conspirators are ridiculous and they wil never be assuaged. In my opinion, what is less clear is who “stole” the election in Cote d’Ivoire.