What you say is true, but also remember as I see it is the Congo and the rest of Africa as country states are going through what Europe went through during the 16th & 17th century; I guess we all grow up at our own pace.

Have any one of actually spoken to someone from the region you are pontificating about? Believe me -It is far more complex than I can understand. I pray for good books with an overview because I find myself lost in the details that many (4) of my co-workers devulge. All I can add is that these are problems that one line solutions can't possibly hope to address.... All I can understand is that there is a dense matrix of tribal/local/religeous/social/medical confusion that only a genius can hope to unravel. When the shape of someone's ears is significant.... I just gotta stand back. WoW this is a very active and exciting place but it is so difficult for foriegners (Americans) to get a hook on. Something tells me that the Devil is REALLY in the details here. ..I get the strongest impression is that Karl Marx would swallow a revolver before diving into the library and try to unravel the problems of Sub-Saharan Africa. AAAAAAAAHHH he was a Bozo. We got better-let's be optimistic here. or whatever

Sources indicate that President Kabila #2 is concerned world attention will be diverted away from the Congo now that Afghanistan has heated up. How do we tell him nobody cared before Afghanistan happened either?

Michela Wrong's book "In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurz" is an excellent review of the background to the current conflict. It is interesting that the media's current take on the situation seems to be viewed through ignorance glasses. So many of the reported stories are completely inaccurate or give Kinshasa's line on things. How many articles have you seen which reflect on the fact that Kinshasa moved into Moliro, violating the Lusaka terms, after the RCD-Goma vacated it in compliance with the terms? Or that government-supported forces subsequently punished Moliro RCD supporters, and set up a military supply nexus from which to launch and supply its forces along Lake Tanganika, and perhaps assault Goma itself if the peace talks break down? How often have you noted in media articles that most of the RCD forces are not themselves Rwandan, though they have supplies and training via Rwanda? Or that the government forces include significant members of the Rwandan Interahamwe fighters, who made headlines years ago when they massacred thousands of Hutus and then were forced out of the country? Is the reason for the biased, sporadic, and inaccurate media attention based on racial grounds? Economic interests? Apathy? It's time for some truth.