Re: [Marxism] A suspicious new "human rights" mega-campaign opens -- against Eritrea

[Steve Fake <freeradical83@xxxxxxxxx>]

While I agree that HRW is capable of less than objective behavior, at this
point, I don't see any reason to suppose this marks the launch of a Western
crusade against Eritrea. While I'm no expert on Eritrea, the HRW report is
in keeping with every other characterization I've seen of the government as
authoritarian. Eritrea is on unfriendly terms with the West, but I'm not
aware of anything that would catalyze an escalation in hostilities that
right now. It had been backed by the U.S. for a number of years in the '90s
until the border war with Ethiopia. Since then it's been at odds with
Washington (which may have felt it had to choose, and chose its much larger
neighbor). When the boundary commission ruled in favor of Eritrea and
Ethiopia ignored the ruling, it did so under the cover of U.S. diplomatic
support. Eritrea and Ethiopia actively undermine each other, supporting
rebel groups against each other when possible. However, Eritrea has also
supplied the rebels in Darfur.

Steve
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