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Hillary's Gutsy Mission
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Hillary Clinton met with South African President Jacob Zuma in Durban on Saturday, where the two discussed strengthening ties between the two nations and HIV-prevention efforts — an issue that's caused friction between the US and South Africa in the past. It was one more closely watched meeting on the Secretary's 11-day trip around the continent, during which she's courted controversy by meeting a Somali leader Bush deposed and taking on rape in Congo.
There’s a cynical kind of math that comes along with reporting on Africa. Forget positive, or complex coverage; the bottom line is death tolls have to be high for anyone to care at all, or for any news outfit to foot the bill on a given story.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 11-day trip to Africa is a promising indication that may be changing. First, it’s the longest venture she’s taken out of the country thus far. Second, it comes on the heels of her boss’ trip to Ghana three weeks ago. Such heavy hitters so early on in Africa? It’s unheard of.
And then there’s the nature of the business at hand. In Kenya, Clinton has called out the wobbly-at-best coalition government over the deaths of 1,000 people during last year’s election. She is also risking the conservative political fallout at home to meet with the soft-spoken, smoky-eyed president of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. (The Bush administration helped to oust him three years ago in the name of anti-terror.)
View Our Gallery of Hillary's Trip
Clinton also is not shying away from addressing the horrors unfolding in Zimbabwe. And she’s taking up an age-old unpopular issue of rape as a crime of war in eastern Congo. Nigeria is yet to come—a country the State Department has called “probably the most important in Africa.” (Read: It’s our fifth-largest oil supplier.) And to round out the itinerary, she’s stopping in Angola, Liberia, and Cape Verde.
This is an aggressive agenda for the secretary of State, who could use such a trip to bolster approval ratings, but in a way it’s uncontroversial foreign policy that pays lip service to Africa’s woes without having to do much but promise American money for intractable far-away problems—malaria, AIDS, global poverty. This on a continent where most people nearly deify the Clintons, and almost all American presidents. (Even George W. Bush was popular here.) But she’s taking on controversial issues and desperate problems without easy solutions.
Two examples: Somalia and Congo.
In Somalia three years ago, under Bush, the U.S. backed an invasion by neighboring Ethiopia, which ousted a popular Islamist government headed by the man Clinton met this week. America was then looking—and in the right place, it turned out—for three suspected al Qaeda members, but the fallout of that invasion was that it created a popular militant insurgency, the very enemy America was seeking to defeat. As Somalis put it: In the hopes of getting three bad guys, you supported the attack of 7 million people? Bad math.
It’s true that the U.S. initiated low-level talks before Barack Obama took office. But people who have urged such a high-level meeting in the past have been scoffed at as idealists, or simply idiots. Clinton’s choice to meet Sheikh Sharif not only will lend him the tremendous legitimacy he needs to try to bring peace to his country, it’s also a very smart move of trying to separate friends from foes, and not letting the foes borrow the too-easy banner of religion to mask an increasingly brutal insurgency. Now, thanks to this meeting, it’s indisputable that the U.S. is willing to work with those who want an Islamic state in Somalia. That will be hard for the militant thugs to spin on the sandy streets of Mogadishu. It is a major step forward.
While rape as a crime of war is hardly a new issue, for Clinton to stop in eastern Congo to address this seemingly intractable problem—from which millions of Congolese women suffer—is an important move toward establishing accountability for the perpetrators. One might think, oh, really, what does it matter that Hillary speaks out against rape? But if ragtag militias fear they might be thrown in jail—or even brought before the International Criminal Court—they will think twice about perpetrating these crimes. Such measures may sound theoretical here in the United States—and in truth, they are mostly bureaucratic nightmares—but sometimes the threat functions as a deterrent. People do think about consequences.
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Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
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wfleet
Thanks for doing this reporting. I learned a lot. Hurray, too, for SecHillarry. I follow her on Dipnote, the State Dept blog. It's amazing what she & State are doing.
Very smart and very practical are a good combo. It doesn't hurt to have enough self-confidence to be able to give great respect to others without feeling emptied oneself. It's inspiring to watch.
OrlandoFC
Wonderful article. Very well done.
I was screaming on every discussion board I could last year that Africa will be a bigger security threat than the Middle-East if we don't pay attention. Somalia and Zimbabwe have potential to harbor al-Qaeda and then to great possibilities for recruiting there with all the desperate people. That's where extremist will always have the upper hand, in places struck with strife they will play savior and give them food and then strap bombs to their backs.
Good on ya' Clinton. Now, can we get moving with healthcare?
nkadzi
"Somalia and Zimbabwe have potential to harbor al-Qaeda and then to great possibilities for recruiting there will all the desperate people." Seriously? i wonder what criteria you use to lump both Somalia and Zimbabwe into one entity, Somalia has its own Islamic militants and whomever they support, but Zimbabwe, on what basis? seriously?
democracyforall
Obama and Clinton at it again. Anything to further Islam.
bhavanibbana
That's right! Where's the picture of him in a robe when you need it, eh?
maireadkt
"democracyforall"...shouldn't your name be "democracy for only those who believe what i believe"??
jenny4hill
What's wrong with Islam? It's fundamentalist, religious extremist terrorists that need to be rejected (whatever their religion).
The U.S.A. will never rule the world, so engaging in diplomacy with legitimate Muslim leaders is pragmatic and constructive. While strutting like cowboys, talking tough and slipping weapons to shadowy insurgent mercenaries may make some politicians feel like they're doing something bad-ass, it's unintelligent and destructive.
So I say, Obama and Clinton, keep at it!
democracyforall
In unstable areas of Africa, Islamists are pushing Sahria Law.
You think that is OK?
misha1000
"Anything to further Islam. Islamists are pushing Sahria Law. You think that is OK?"
How would you like it if I held all of Christianity responsible for what happened in Europe? How do you think I like it when Jewish nationalists in the West Bank mistreat Arabs, and then they blame everyone Jewish?
Name one Moslem nation that built a concentration camp. When I was unfairly reprimanded at work, a Palestinian came to my defense. Jewish people have been treated better in Turkey than in Europe.
BTW, when the CIA wanted to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan, they armed bin Laden. Big mistake, just like the CIA armed Castro.
jenny4hill
democracyforall: I think you missed my point.
Islam is. Islam is in the same world where the U.S. lives. Islam is as beautiful, and as terrible, as any other religion. It's the fundamentalist extremists in any religion who ruin civilization for the rest of us through their violence, prejudice and intolerance.
Personally, I would never live in a country where the political system is not a democracy with separation of church and state. And I fear for people who live in countries where Sharia law is imposed, because I believe that, as a political system, any fundamentalist religion is tyranny and leads too easily to violation of human rights.
I'm no isolationist and I hate it when the U.S.A. is not activist in stopping human rights violations in the world. I'd also hate it if our government were not protecting us from foreign terrorists.
In both of those cases, engaging in diplomacy is pragmatic and constructive. Having a single-minded, chest-beating, gun-slinging, coup-oriented militaristic approach while ignoring all other means of influence and persuasion is unintelligent and destructive.
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n--Y--longcrlBasPos
It's "sharia" and it's equal to the lot here who oppose any and all abortions, even for rape and incest. Extremists if any sort are a danger to all of us. "democracyforall" is a wingnut troll whose moniker is a lie.
suzannewynn
Well apparantly you are not for democracy for all! what is wrong with islam? Fearful are we?
Hawnzz
Hillary still has the biggest cajones in Washington. She's smart, tougher then titanium and fearless. Even if you can't stand her... you have to give her that much.
Palin whines about the press being mean to her. Hillary has been hounded by decades. I see a distinct difference in their character.
I don't always agree with Hillary (often in fact). But I'm often impressed by her toughness.
Mary50
Good article, although I don't get the part about the need to "bolster approval ratings". Clinton's approval ratings are at 80%.
MsMarple
Hillary Clinton has really found her niche. She is an exemplary Secretary of State, and kudos to President Obama for appointing her.
TK798999
Hillary Clinton is amazing and should be our President. The DNC was very foolish to betray the incredible Clintons (kudos to Bill and Hillary on the successful N. Korea trip) for the unqualified Obama. It's a tragic missed opportunity for this country and world to be denied the most talented, smartest, skilled political team in history of Hillary and Bill Clinton.
Hillary has high approval ratings and does not need to "bolster approval ratings". Obama is the one in trouble. Hillary is the only bright spot in this otherwise pathetic administration. Congress is most pathetic this year as well. I am a very disappointed, moderate, fiscally responsible Democrat.
Hillary's work at State is outstanding. She hit the ground running, prepared and exemplifies real leadership.
Obama may watch and weep. He will never be the political equal of Hillary or Bill Clinton.
Hillary 2012.
crymeariver
Yes, you are 100% correct. She has brought peace to the middle East, North Korea and Iran have given up nuclear weapons, Indian and China have signed on to drastic cuts in CO2 emmissions, the drug war in Mexico is over! Obama is "pathetic" and "unqualified". He is a little boy "weeping" in the corner somewhere, that's why your hero calls him: BOSS :)
To the writer of the article: great job covering the Africa trip, CNN has done a great job covering it. Other networks have not.
It's great to see Hillary building up her own resume instead of always using Bill's. I'm hoping she and President Obama do MUCH better than Condi and Bush.
BasPos
Sorry, when Hillary stooped to a pre-Palin "He's different" tack in the primary, I was no longer a supporter, and I voted for her in the Texas primar.
2016
Shish1
Great report. Beast, let's see more of this and less dissecting celebrity dysfunction!
khepri
Thanks for the comment: "bad math." The US obsession with managing the affairs of nations far, far away from its normal sphere of influence has produced disaster after disaster. The superpower mantle is a curse that the US would be well advised to shake off; so much push-back and dysfunction are tied to US meddling and manipulation in parts of the world where it should leave peoples to work out their own destinies. Whether the US approves of the choices or not.
crymeariver
While rape as a crime of war is hardly a new issue, for Clinton to stop in eastern Congo to address this seemingly intractable problem-from which millions of Congolese women suffer-is an important move toward establishing accountability for the perpetrators. One might think, oh, really, what does it matter that Hillary speaks out against rape? But if ragtag militias fear they might be thrown in jail-or even brought before the International Criminal Court-they will think twice about perpetrating these crimes.
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This part of the article is sadly not true. It's almost IMPOSSIBLE to get people who commit GENOCIDE to the international criminal court, let alone rape. Women have enough problems being raped by the POLICE when they go in to report these crimes. A lot of these countries have rape as a crime on their books but they don't enforce it.
It doesn't matter what Sec. Clinton or President Obama SAY. It's what they DO to address the issue. They can help establish non-profit women's shelters, encourage women to enter fields of power such as the police, law, and government by funding the education of girls. You have to empower the women in their own societies and not count on the international criminal court.
Speaking out against rape is great but does nothing for these women, it only makes us FEEL good. What these women need is concrete ACTION in their everyday life.
sophia5
Hillary's "Gutsy Mission" will be a rematch with Obama in 2012.
Margem81
Kudos!! crymeariver on your recent reply. In parts of the world where rape is "publicly" met with resistance, we see and hear what is considered to be the correct and just response. However, when cameras, reporters and diplomatic officials leave, it resumes, and, tragically at times, more fiercely.
The issue truly is to establish a workable program to educate women.. There must be a centralized location where women in these areas can securely be medically treated, counseled, and be able to either be trained or educated.
If women become empowered in parts of the world where they presently are being mistreated and/or murdered, their collective voices can not be ignored.
It is not easy to change generations old misconceptions, but, instead of just words, bring people, supplies and a strategy to kick start that change.
Thank you.
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