Where is the outcry???

Former Member

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3997885.stm

Deaths at Ivory Coast demo

Anti-French feeling is rampant in Ivory Coast
Several people have died after shooting at an anti-French protest in Ivory Coast's commercial capital, Abidjan.
Several witnesses told the BBC that French peacekeepers opened fire on a crowd of tens of thousands supporters of Ivorian government.

If it were US forces involved? There would be the mewling and outrage of "murder", and multiple threads to make CERTAIN everyone heard the "moral indignation" of this forum.

A little selectivity concerning your "moral outrage"? Prejudice and hypocrisy rearing its head, again?

Former Member

Not really the same is it? In fact, not remotely the same.

Former Member

Originally posted by Fiend_85
Not really the same is it? In fact, not remotely the same.

Killing unarmed civilians? Not worthy of your "moral indignation?

Former Member

Originally posted by Globe
Killing unarmed civilians? Not worthy of your "moral indignation?

Always worth condemning, imo, no matter who its by.

Former Member

Originally posted by Globe
Killing unarmed civilians? Not worthy of your "moral indignation?

Well apparently some shots were fired first, so not the same situation.

ETA: Obviously I condemn the unnecessary shooting of any innocent people, but you're getting at us for not mentioning it and yet having a million page thread on the US marine up for murder. So I'm simply pointing out why they're not really comparable.

Former Member

I don't know enough about it really.

Some interesting comments here though.

Former Member

Originally posted by Fiend_85
Well apparently some shots were fired first, so not the same situation.

and there were no bullets flying around the americans heads?

Former Member

I feel that whole continent is ignored no matter what goes on or who is doing it.

Former Member

Originally posted by morrocan roll
and there were no bullets flying around the americans heads?

Well, Mr Rolly...

Apparently the fact that Marines are being killed while doing the exact same job as the specific Marine who commited the much publicized "murder", has exactly ZILCH to do with the matter at hand. After all... handling rioters is EVER so more dangerous than what is transpiring in Falluja, right? :rolleyes:

And...

The lives of American Marines are meaningless, while those of French counterparts are ever so precious, don't you know?

To acknowledge ANY simularity in the issue? Would mean ALSO acknowledging the rampant prejudice, in THIS place. And that would mean that those who luxurate in their prejudice might not feel so self righteous...

Former Member

Globe has a point, it’s absolutely the same. The fact that French colonial forces killed fewer innocent people than Americans doesn’t make murders somewhat less murders. Chirac is the same bloody bitch as his brothers-in-hell Bush, Blair, Putin etc. are.

Former Member

What is the topic of the thread?

Is it about France, the Ivory Coast or the USA?

It seems to me that the only reason it was started was to complain about "hypocrisy", rather than out of any real concern for the unarmed civilians who got shot.

:rolleyes:

So, anyways - why were the french troops there? Were they part of a pre-emptive strike to get control of oil fields in defiance of international law? Cos if they were, then its exactly the same as whats happening with US marines in Iraq.


On the other hand, if they're there as part of a US sanctioned peacekeeping force, then it is not comparable .........

There also seems to be some confusion about who actually fired on the crowd - was it the French or the Ivorian troops.

No doubt Globe will be along soon to give us some historic perspective on the topic, so that there can be an informed discussion about it.

Former Member

Originally posted by LabRat
Globe has a point, it’s absolutely the same.

No, it isn't. If Blair had sent troops at the behest of the French government, and the UK had been threatened with reprisals by terrorists as a consequence, it would be the same. I've made it pretty clear that, while I have nothing against the Iraqi people, I don't want our troops involved in such a ****ed up situation. Thanny seems to think I should say something about the Ivory Coast. Truth is, if the invasion of Iraq had been a purely US/Australian/Spanish/bitty little countries that Bush managed to bribe venture, I would be content to sit back and watch the fireworks. I really don't think the invasion would have taken place without Blair promising his backing, but still...

Believe me, though, the moment our government steps out of line and puts it's citizens under threat, directly or indirectly, this board will hear about it.