MajGenl.Meade wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 5:43 pm
liberty wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 10:21 pm
The most impressive part is that Ethiopians did this themselves. It was their vision, their idea. They raised most of the money, did the hard work, and provided nearly all the labor. In the process, they gained valuable skills, carpentry, plumbing, concrete work, steelwork, electrical work, engineering, and construction, that can now be applied to other projects across the country. It’s a model of self-reliance and ambition that other African nations might do well to emulate.
Yeah I thought at first you were going to address NGOs but I see that you've managed to issue congratulations (to Ethiopia's government) that are really a back-handed way to sneer at other African nations and what you characterize as a lack of ability to
be self-reliant and ambitious.
Such oversimplified generalities rather spoil your valid point about the contribution of Ethiopians to their own uplifting. That and the 1 billion US dollars for turbines and electrical equipment that was funded by the Exim Bank of China - which may yet disprove my forebodings about letting that particular wolf into the sheep kraal.
Well, Mead, if it's seen as a backhanded slap, I'm sorry. That's unfortunate, but it's what I see. Most of Africa is still Screwed up, even though there's been quite a bit of progress, or at least some progress, in the last 25 years. Across much of the continent, corruption and political ineptitude run rampant.
I believe Botswana deserves praise for the improvements it has made; it has the lowest corruption levels on the African subcontinent. There's no benefit in ignoring reality and denying problems only makes them worse. Acknowledging your problems, and making an attempt to fix them, is the only path to progress.
Now, concerning Ethiopia: yes, they took money from China as a loan, but I don't think they love communism, considering their experience with the Derg regime. They also had an unpleasant history with the Italians, yet it was an Italian construction company that helped build and supervise the dam project. I reckon when you're poor, like Ethiopia, you can't afford to hold too many grudges; or at least you can't let them affect your decisions.
I expected to be placed in an air force combat position such as security police, forward air control, pararescue or E.O.D. I would have liked dog handler. I had heard about the dog Nemo and was highly impressed. “SFB” is sad I didn’t end up in E.O.D.
Your view is that any outright lie Trump utters must be some sort of nuanced truth since Trump does not (and cannot) lie and is never wrong--I know hero worship is hard but you really should start thinking for yourself before it is too late (if it's not too late already). I used to think you are too smart to be a mindless member of his fifth column, but now I am not so certain.
