>From: malik kah <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Malik>>Re: call for restraint on abusive adjectives
>Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2001 17:20:37 +0000
>
>Jallow, you have not refuted my assertions that there exist a strict mode
>of
>hierarchial relationship in the arm forces. By using Colin powell you are
>completely missing the point, I am not saying that members of the armed
>forces as individuals  do not develpe a sense of critical awareness, far
>from it, what am trying to say is that, in the army  in Arica
>particularly,deliberately exist a methodology of education designed to turn
>soldiers into subservient tools, whose allegiance is not to our
>constitutions  and the rule of law, but essentially to defend the
>neo-colonial exploitative  class whose intrest and that of the people quite
>regularly conflicts.
>
>This is  as oppose to the USA where military take overs are inconceivable,
>hence a different focus an emphasis on their roles and  content  of
>teaching, the emphasis are quite different, in the structure of our armed
>forces loyalty comes first above all else, in fact any soldier foud
>suspicious and waverinng would normally be decommssioned. Because his
>primary function which is to defend the ruling class would no longer be
>there, hence his raison d 'etre. This the type of military machinery that
>exist in Africa, except perhaps for a few exceptions.
>
>Of course soldiers can acquire political clarity as well as criticality but
>only by
>virtue of their own quest because they are not equipped for any other
>purpose other than to defend the ruling class evenwheras they might be
>mismanaging and violating the very spirit and letter of the constitutions
>they purported to defend and uphold.

A good case in hand for a  soldier with a difference, would be
>Sankara,
>Sankara undoubtedly had political education, he was just not a soldier
>whose
>sole purpose was to defend a leech class that was bent upon sucking the
>blood of the people. Through his personal quest in search of knowledge he
>came to the conclusion that there exist class intrests in society,hence he
>made the choice to be on the side of the people. His mission became that of
>a liberator instead of a dominator. He never went for personal glory and
>self aggrandisement, unlike your creed  of soldiers whose first jump was to
>seize the nations coffers and start enjoying  both the wealth and trappings
>of power at the
>expense of the ordinary masses. Sankara never paid himself exorbitant sums
>of money fo overthrowing an exploitative regime, no, instead he worked
>tirelessly, sacrificing the opportunity to enrich himself.
>
>If you had cited such an exemplary soldier who died leaving nothing to his
>family, then I would have conceded that you understand the premise of my
>analysis, but the very fact that you went to talk about Powell conviced me
>that you still lack the clarity of the issues. After all Powel comes from a
>completely different background' he is an American soldier therefore poses
>no threat of overthrowing the ruling class as oppose to the African soldier
>who have both the potential and the tendency and therefore is constantly
>watched with an eagle eye by the ruling class.

  What we want are
>soldiers
>with political awareness and not just those that are eloquent and
>deceptive,
>  whose ambitions are to hang on to privileges at the expense of national
>developement as well as human rights.
>
>What we are witnessing in the Gambia is a regime that does not want to know
>about human rights a regime whose leadership is on record as saying that
>human rights is secondary in their agenda. And with a mandate to rule,
>people still do not understand why they adopt such an untenable and
>misguided
>
>posture. The only explanation would have to be the concept of commandism,
>which is inculcated in all the neo-colonial armed forces whose existence in
>the first place is for  the protection of the ruling elites intrests and
>not
>the people, .

With such a vocation they must inculcate fear as a mechanism of  tcontrol
and this very approach
>would  alienate them just as  was the case with the hitherto ruling
>classes. They can continue to use unwarranted methods to ensure compliance
>by any means necessary but they can never subjugate all the people.
>

The only
>way they can enjoy a guaranteed peace and tranquility is for them to learn
>to
>dispense democaray and its values without hesitation or paranoia.
>
If
>people are happy with them under a judicious and an equitable climate vote
>for them,  well then
>they can be there for eternity and no one will have a bone to pick with
>them, after all  a people get the government they
>disserve.
>
>
>>From: Ebou Jallow <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: Malik>>Re: call for restraint on abusive adjectives
>>Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2001 17:22:18 -0800
>>
>>Mr. Kah,
>>
>>I read your analysis of Jammeh's decision-making / leadership
>>paradigm with some reservation.  I would admit that your conclusions
>>are alsolutely wrong.  Your description of the military command
>>structure is correct, and there is a contingent and absolutely
>>necessary reason for the vertical structure.  And I believe you are
>>ignorant of how the military institution works.  Your claim that
>>"developing a sense of rationality is unknown in the armed forces"-
>>is totally absurd.  If this was the case, the number one diplomat of
>>the Free World, General Colin Powell who served his entire life in
>>the military could not have the respect of the entire world, and not
>>even mentioning the public eagerness for him to run for the
>>presidency.  I hope this one illustrious example will suffice.
>>Imagine for a second what it takes to fight a battle against an enemy
>>determined to end your way of life- it is the most physically and
>>intellectually demanding than any other life experience, and yes it
>>takes a special kind of a human being to accomplish that mission- a
>>person disciplined mentally, emotionally and physically- a kind of
>>psychological conditioning that only the military can provide in
>>society.
>>
>>President Jammeh has his own unique style of leadership/decision-
>>making( and all of us do have our own idiosyncracies), yet I will
>>state that your assertions on Jammeh's "commandism" is an
>>overstretch.  I have worked with him, and I can testify to that.
>>
>>=====
>>Ebou Jallow
>>Georgetown University
>>Washington, DC
>>
>>__________________________________________________
>>Do You Yahoo!?
>>Find the one for you at Yahoo! Personals
>>http://personals.yahoo.com
>>
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