Clinton appeal on Congo conflict

[Heidi]

Source: BBC

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged students in the Democratic Republic of Congo to speak out against the country's deadly civil conflict.

On the latest leg of her seven-nation African tour, she said students could write a new chapter in history.

Violence flared in the country's mineral-rich east last year, raising fears of a return to civil war.

She said people must condemn the mass rapes reportedly carried out by rebels and government troops there.

<snip>

At one point a student inquired about the views of her husband, former president Bill Clinton, about a Chinese loan to DR Congo.

She replied: "My husband is not the secretary of state, I am."



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8193166.stm

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Related video: "My husband is not secretary of state, I am"

[hmorehead]

1. Send Bill

[marshall]

3. That would be the quickest solution

But who dares make the suggestion to her?

[Heidi]

5. Please explain. If you're gonna say something like that in an LBN thread,

expect to be challenged. So: please explain.

[marshall]

7. Bill Clinton has a proven track record and is a valuable asset to our country

As Jimmy Carter has proven himself to be of great use from time to time, former President Clinton will also surely be called on, as he was recently with the North Korea incident, to step in and lend his extensive expertise.

That makes sense, doesn't it?

On the other hand, I think Secretary of State Clinton would prefer to stand separate from her spouse, so any involvement of the former president would best be done through other channels.

[rvablue]

9. Please. If SoS Clinton thought her husband could help bring an end to this conflict

as some kind of special ambassador or envoy, do you really think that she would let her ego stand in her way?

I'm not buying this "Hillary is pissed about the potentially being overshadowed by her husband" meme -- you do realize that this is ginned up drama for TV ratings, right?

[marshall]

10. I reallly don't know what she is thinking, but I agree it is overblown

She knew when she ventured into public office that she would likely be forever overshadowed by her husband (especially after the presidency of '08 eluded her). I do think she will do her job well, and if that meant calling in her spouse she would do it. I think she got angry about a question that was posed to her in mistranslated form--that means little to those of us out here, but it probably means a lot to those who know her personally and who work with her every day.

[Heidi]

4. Why?

Is this a Clenis thing? If so, I think Secretary of State Clinton is well equipped to give her husband a figurative run for his money.

[Psephos]

11. Because Bill Clinton has considerably greater natural political talent than Hillary Clinton

I'm hardly alone in that opinion, and their separate political histories support that contention nicely.

It says nothing bad about either of them personally, of course.

[earcandle]

2. Our current civil conflict is NOT DEADLY?

[Posteritatis]

6. The US is a gigantic Kumbaya circle compared to central Africa

Christ, people, get some perspective.

[David__77]

8. Then stop supporting the countries interfering in DR Congo's affairs.

Rwanda and Uganda, specifically. DR Congo would never have had a "civil war" were it not for this subversion.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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[uppityperson]

13. too bad we didn't get McCain/Palin, right?