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© 2013 AFPObama leads world tributes at Mandela memorial
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© 2013 AFP
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Probie
Of course he does...
lostrune2
Obama made a point: Mandela should not be judged as a saint but as a man who learned thru his mistakes but tried his best for equality and accomplished great things.
TorafusuTorasan
@Probie: why wouldn't he? Did you think the other politicians on Air Force One such as G. W. Bush and Hillary Clinton were going to get top billing over the sitting POTUS? That would be going against established decorum.
Being a fly on the wall of that flight would be something else. Potentially three consecutive presidents kicking back together! I wonder if the presidential plane has a liquor cabinet, and who drank what out of it (not that any of the three seem like they drink much anymore, but you never know). What kind of inflight magazines did they peruse etc.
Crikey
Surprised Abe-san did not attend.
WilliB
Why the heck does Obama "lead" any tributes? He is just one of many state leaders visiting. It seems the media are intent of turning everything into an Obama eulogy.
Jean ValJean
One not often featured quote by the late Nelson Mandela,
“If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America. They don’t care for human beings.”
Fadamor
Context? I guess I'll provide it seeing as you've conveniently left it out. This quote was made at an International Women's Forum in Johannesburg South Africa prior to the George W. Bush invasion of Iraq but after Bush started rattling his sabres over the phantom "weapons of mass destruction". Even though I'm American, I'd say Nelson Mandela pretty much nailed it on the head in regards to the United States' (or at least the George W. Bush administration's) concern for Iraqi lives. The war in Iraq was an unspeakable atrocity foretold by Nelson Mandela and one that should have Bush sitting in a cell as a Class A War Criminal ("Crimes against peace") rather than flying on Air Force One to attend Mandela's eulogy.
CRIMES AGAINST PEACE: (i) Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances; (ii) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts mentioned under (i).Jean ValJean
Fadamor, I don't disagree with you on that, as that was indeed the context.
Also, expressing his own communistic mindset, Mandela met with Fidel Castro in 1991, giving a speech alongside him entitled “How Far We Slaves Have Come.” The country was commemorating the 38th anniversary of the storming of the Moncada, and Mandela hailed Cuba’s ‘special place’ in the heart of the people of Africa, its revolution, and how far the country had come.
“From its earliest days, the Cuban Revolution has also been a source of inspiration to all freedom-loving people. We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of the vicious imperialist-orchestrated campaign to destroy the impressive gain made in the Cuban Revolution….Long live the Cuban Revolution. Long live comrade Fidel Castro.”