The lack of international effort to resolving the post-genocide crisis and conflict led to the 1st Congo War. Many more people died as a result.

UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, toothless tiger & waste of time.

Case closed.

Basically one may divide people, including reviewers, and reviewers of reviewers, into two camps: those who divide issues into black and white and those who see issues in many shades of grey.

I am one of the latter and I think you are, too. People in the first group tend to believe that at some age their kids become totally responsible for their actions, likely to be their fathers–like conservatives.

People in the second group believe their kids slowly take on more responsiblity for their actions from 0% at birth to maybe 100%, or maybe only 80 or 90%, in maturity. These tend more often to be the mothers–like liberals.

I believe two such groupings exist when assigning responsibility for certain current unfortunate happenings in Africa. As a member of the liberal group I often secretly admire those black-and-white types who can so apparently wash their hands of past failures and triumphs and move on. (They often choose not to let loose of past triumphs as readily as past failures, I notice!) These types look at liberals like me as masochistic wallowers in pain and failure.

I like to think of us grey-toned folks as the mature ones, who can continue to support those from our dark past even though it becomes wearisome.

However, I must admit that sometimes a clean break from the past, including mistakes in the past, which I am loathe to do, can spur growth and independence in that kid.

Unfortunately a clean break with the past can also mean missing great opportunities for helping others as well as the introspection necessary to prevent repeating the mistakes of a young parent.

Maybe that’s why two parents of different natures are the ideal.