10 years since Bill Clinton's biggest failure.

[Archae]

The slaughter in Rwanda is being looked at on ABC news.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040406_1218.html

Why didn't Bill Clinton help them, like he did Bosnians?
I consider this his biggest failure.

[lancdem]

1. I think Bill Clinton might agree with you

He's often remarked that he regrets not taking action.

[mot78]

2. Sadly he did nothing

And while 800,000 innocents were being slaughtered, Americans were focusing on OJ. That's the '90s for ya.

[bluestateguy]

3. Because Republicans just would have bitched and moaned

They oppose any humanitarian aid to countries where the people aren't white and Christian and where there is no oil to suck on.

They just would have pissed and moaned like they did when we wen't into Bosina and Kosovo and like they whined about Monica Lewinsky when Clinton launched airstrikes on Afghanistan and Iraq.

They are as much to blame as he is.

[Quetzal]

4. There was obstruction by both Clinton and the Republicans

The Clinton Administration refused to call it what it was: a genocide.

The Republicans in Congress were totally against it because it wasn't in "our National Interest". I saw Frontline this past weekend and they had a special on it. One of the Republican congressman told a Tutsis that needed help that "America doesn't have any friends - America only has interests, and this is not in our national interest"

Many in the Pentagon were against it also. They wouldn't even send a descrambler over Africa to cut off the communication of the Hutus. Their radio signals inflamed the population and contributed GREATLY to the genocide.

[thexanman]

5. I agree that it was his biggest failure, but...

It did happen just a few months after the highly-publicized drama in Mogadishu and the rest of Somalia. America at that point was very much AGAINST humanitarian intervention in Africa and Clinton was getting a lot of heat for it. I don't think he really knew the severity of it at the time - combine that with Somalia, and it's at least understandable (not excusable or right by any means) why he chose not to intervene. This isn't an excuse, just some context.

Also, the U.N., in my opinion, failed more than ANYBODY else in regards to Rwanda. Intervening in situations like Rwanda is one of the U.N.'s primary jobs. Yet they sat on their ass and then PULLED TROOPS OUT.

Also, when I saw Clinton speak, someone asked him about his biggest regret in office and he said, without hesitation, and in a very grave tone (sounded like he was about to cry to be honest), "Rwanda."

[swinney]

6. Clinton apologized in person to the people there.

His mistake. Not reading it soon enough.

Never forget this. It was a two week slaughter. It was not something that went on and on and on.

Had he acted by the time he got troops there it was over.

Nonethless. He had courage and compassion to admit a fault and apologize.

That is wwy I consider him a very great person.

[NJ1DEM]

7. Clinton and Annan knew ......

2 week slaughter? How about never forget this. 100 days it went on. The PBS just did an excellent work on this and it shows just how badly the UN and the US screwed up........We blew it

<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/evil/>

[thexanman]

8. It was NOT a two-week slaughter.

It lasted a few months - which is still short, but NOT two weeks.

[Bread and Circus]

9. Wes Clark urged to take action to stop it....

but he was stifled by Cohen, Shelton, and alas...Clinton.

[Seriously]

10. Because They Are Black.

"Why didn't Bill Clinton help them, like he did Bosnians?"

If they were any shade other than black he might have helped them.