Opinion

Dec. 15, 2012
What Next?: Ambassador Rice's Chanceto Rehabilitate Image

What Next?: Ambassador Rice's Chanceto Rehabilitate Image

It has been quite a week here at Africa Talks. After the Op-Ed titled “Susan Rice and Africa’s Despots” was published on Monday in the New York Times, I have received varied reactions from different sources including journalists in the mainstream media, scholars and diplomats. Many of them came to Ambassador Susan Rice’s defense. But most importantly, the... Read more »

Dec. 12, 2012
Rice: Hitting ‘reset’ on Africa talks

Rice: Hitting ‘reset’ on Africa talks

Michael O’Hanlon, in his Reuters Opinion piece, “In defense of Susan Rice” (Reuters, December 10, 2012), took issue with my New York Times op-ed article, “Susan Rice and Africa’s Despots” (December 9, 2012). Mine were not ad hominem attacks. It is fair to hold a public official accountable for her career and for the roles... Read more »

July 29, 2012
A Growing Case of Shooting the Messenger: Africa Coverage

A Growing Case of Shooting the Messenger: Africa Coverage

You’ve come across this. I’m sure of it. Imagine watching an important speech about something groundbreaking and getting interrupted by an annoying comment about what the speaker is wearing instead of what he is saying. If you’re an active social media user like I am, you probably have seen what I call the “snark bombers”... Read more »

April 3, 2012
Kony 2012, the Sequel: Get Your Snark Shooters Ready

Kony 2012, the Sequel: Get Your Snark Shooters Ready

I’m all for Africans solving their own problems. It has a nice ring to it. “African solutions to African problems.” But what does this self-reliance mean when it relates to violent, murderous lunatics such as Joseph Kony? Obviously, the fact that he has been operating in four different countries–the Central African Republic, Uganda, Democratic Republic... Read more »