09-12-2010, 11:24 AM
Some of this story became public in September 2008, when the ship "Faina" was captured by pirates in Somalian waters.
It had on board among other materials 33 Ukrainian T-72 tanks, destined for Mombasa, Kenya.
In February 2009 the ship was freed by payment of ransom and reached Kenya.
Kenya then proceeded to transport the tanks towards Uganda and from there allegedly to the SPLA in South Sudan.
The new Obama administration intervened, threatening sanctions for shipping weapons into crisis areas.
BUT to everybody's embarrassment, this cable makes clear that the US was supporting the SPLA with weapons and training themselves, following a 2007 presidential directive. Understandably the Kenyans were confused and annoyed.
It seems to me, some chapters in the history of Sudan have to be rewritten in the light of this. Hypocrites, all.
It had on board among other materials 33 Ukrainian T-72 tanks, destined for Mombasa, Kenya.
In February 2009 the ship was freed by payment of ransom and reached Kenya.
Kenya then proceeded to transport the tanks towards Uganda and from there allegedly to the SPLA in South Sudan.
The new Obama administration intervened, threatening sanctions for shipping weapons into crisis areas.
BUT to everybody's embarrassment, this cable makes clear that the US was supporting the SPLA with weapons and training themselves, following a 2007 presidential directive. Understandably the Kenyans were confused and annoyed.
It seems to me, some chapters in the history of Sudan have to be rewritten in the light of this. Hypocrites, all.
The most relevant literature regarding what happened since September 11, 2001 is George Orwell's "1984".