Sentry Project - OpEd ABC.es online (Espania/Spain) August 8 2015

It's a nice picture of George and John.  Somewhere in Africa?  I can't comment beyond that.

Saw this the other day. Couple of points

1. Better to try and do something positive, rather than nothing at all.....instead of arming/exploiting (China), and other 'entrepreneurs' busy using slave labour to mine (DRC)

2. And inevitable that those trying to do something will be in contact with political figures from the likes of UN etc

In my opinion George is all about the human condition and what is fair. He would be the last person to think he would 'benefit' from such excursions. Well aware of what goes on around him, yes, but desperately trying not be cynical, or beaten come to that.

Anybody know if the author of this is part of a right wing think tank - or has Trump shares!?

Oh so this was a pretty negative article about George's humanitarian endeavors?  Well we've read a few of those before haven't we?  Usually written by far right conservatives out to discredit a very vocal liberal.

Your points PAN are right on.

From what I can see the journalist responsible for this piece writes almost exclusively about Africa - based in Kenya. From a few quick reads it seems he writes some reasonably well thought out pieces that cover subject matter ignored by the main stream press.

He's young. Left wing, anti-colonialist and so on.

My sense is that this is more of a sounding off on the colonialism angle together with a general lack of trust with respect to any organization with ties into the US government. Which is pretty much expected of any left leaning (and not that far left:-) ) folks whose roots are in the southern hemisphere and in South American in particular.

With the exception of the criticism aimed at the structure of the organization - the limitations (and the frustrations) of what this work can do and cannot do are things that George himself has acknowledged.

 And I agree doing something is a lot better than doing nothing.

All  in all though I am not surprised by this piece or this point of view - I really don't think George would be either. Indeed I suspect he would agree with a fair bit of it.

Then oops on my part oldweston.  Thanks for clarifying.  Usually these attacks on George's efforts are from the right.  I'm at a disadvantage since I can't translate this article.

But I appreciate your thoughts.  You're right.  George isn't a Pollyanna.  He knows the positives and negatives of outside forces attempting to change the politics in a third world nation.

And Donnamarie - I could be wrong too:-) I didn't spend a lot of time on this.

But for sure sure he's not right wing. In fact that D person would despise him :-)

Internacional

No te engañes, George Clooney o cualquier otro actor no van a acabar con las guerras de África

EDUARDO S. MOLANO@eduardosmolano / CORRESPONSAL EN ACCRA  Día 06/08/2015 - 18.06h


El proyecto «The Sentry» pretende desmantelar a quienes financian y se benefician de los conflictos más sangrientos del continente

En 2006, quiso salvar Darfur. En 2012, Sudán del Sur. Y ahora, a toda África de sus conflictos. Con ustedes, el nuevo Mesías del continente. O va a ser que no.

Hace solo uno días, el actor George Clooney presentaba junto al activista John Prendergast, fundador de Enough Project, un proyecto encaminado a acabar con los conflictos que asuelan África. Así, sin medias tintas.

Según sus creadores, el objetivo de «The Sentry», como se denomina el intercepto, es desmantelar la red de perpetradores y facilitadores que financian y se benefician de los conflictos más sangrientos del continente -para la organización: Sudán, Sudán del Sur, República Centroafricana y República Democrática del Congo. El clásico «follow the money», pero versión Malibú.

«Los investigaciones tendrán como objetivo involucrar a la sociedad civil y los medios de comunicación (…) y proporcionar a los políticos la información que necesitan para tomar una acción eficaz», reza el leitmotiv del proyecto.

Es verdad, no es la primera vez que Clooney se involucra en una cuestión así.

Desde octubre de 2010, la organización Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) supervisa las zonas conflictivas de la frontera entre Sudán y Sudán del Sur mediante una red de satélites comerciales situados a más de 500 kilómetros de altura. El adalid (y financiero) de esta iniciativa no es otro que el propio actor estadounidense, quien, en consonancia con Naciones Unidas, la Universidad de Harvard y una amalgama filantrópica, busca convertirse en el principal acicate de la infamia sudanesa.

Es cierto que las imágenes por satélite del SSP han servido para denunciar masacres cometidas por las tropas del Ejército de Jartum en la región fronteriza de Abyei.

O que esto ha provocado, incluso, el agradecimiento de ciertos sectores de Sudán del Sur. Por ejemplo, a poco de iniciarse el proyecto, Gibson B. Wande, ministro de Información del Estado de Western Equatoria, ya aseguraba a este periodista que «la financiación de George Clooney ha resultado clave para sacar a la luz el actual conflicto fronterizo de la región, uno de los más olvidados del mundo. Sobre todo, desde que la independencia sureña provocara un aumento en la escalada militar».

Pero que nadie se engañe: Clooney no está salvando la región con sus chalecos kaki.

Primero, al ofrecer una versión maniquea y simplista de estos países. Ya en 2012, en referencia al tratamiento de Clooney sobre el conflicto Sudán y Sudán del Sur, el grupo opositor Sudan Change Now denunciaba que «retratar los conflictos regionales en el país como una guerra simplificada de los árabes y los africanos nos preocupa (...) teniendo en cuenta que el gobierno de Sudán es una dictadura y no refleja los sentimientos de la mayoría de los las personas».

Segundo, por la reiteración en «salvar» África desde el paternalismo occidental. Para muestra, un botón: «The Sentry» no cuenta con un solo africano en su núcleo duro. Oh, gracias. Mejor lo gestionamos desde Washington. Esa misión evangelizadora que Rudyard Kipling denominó «la abrumadora tarea del hombre blanco».

Y tercero, por la falta de independencia. La organización que lidera el proyecto, Enough Project, fue fundada por el ya mencionado John Prendergast, así como por Gayle Smith, directora ejecutiva de desarrollo y democracia en el Consejo de Seguridad Nacional de la Casa Blanca. Para entender aún más de qué va la historia, Smith fue nominada recientemente para dirigir la Agencia de Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID).

De igual modo, el padre natural de Enough Project es el Center for American Progress. Y aquí, los lazos continúan: Mientras que el primer presidente de este grupo fue John Podesta, jefe de gabinete de Bill Clinton, el cargo lo ocupa ahora Neera Tanden, quien trabajara en la diferentes campañas de la Administraciones Obama y Clinton.

Así que lo sentimos, «The Sentry» no está salvando la región. Para ello, eso sí, siempre nos «quedará» Kony2012. ¿Se acuerdan?


And here's the very bad Google translation:


international

Do not kid yourself, George Clooney or any other actor not going to end wars in Africa

EDUARDO S. MOLANO @ eduardosmolano / CORRESPONDENT IN ACCRA Day 06/08/2015 - 6:06 p.m.

The "The Sentry" project aims to dismantle those who finance and benefit of the bloodiest conflicts on the continent

In 2006, I wanted to save Darfur. In 2012, South Sudan. And now, all African conflicts. With you, the new Messiah of the continent. Or it is going to be no.

Only one days ago, actor George Clooney presented by the activist John Prendergast, founder of the Enough Project, a project to end conflicts that ravage Africa. So, without mincing words.

According to its creators, the goal of "The Sentry" as is called the intercept, is to dismantle the network of perpetrators and facilitators who finance and benefit of the bloodiest conflicts on the continent -to the organization: Sudan, South Sudan, Republic CAR and DRC. The classic "follow the money" but Malibu version.

"The research will aim to involve civil society and the media (...) and provide policy information they need to take effective action," reads the leitmotif of the project.

It's true, is not the first time that Clooney is involved in such an issue.

Since October 2010, the organization Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) monitors conflict zones of the border between Sudan and South Sudan through a network of commercial satellites located more than 500 kilometers. The champion (and financial) of this initiative is none other than the actor himself, who, in line with the United Nations, Harvard University and a philanthropic amalgam, seeking to become the main driving force of Sudanese infamy.

It is true that the SSP satellite imagery have been used to denounce massacres committed by the Khartoum army troops in the border region of Abyei.

Or that this has caused even the appreciation of certain sectors of South Sudan. For example, shortly after the project started, Wande B. Gibson, Minister of Information of the State of Western Equatoria, and assured this reporter that "the financing of George Clooney has been instrumental in bringing to light the current border conflict of region, one of the most neglected in the world. Especially, since the southern independence provoked an increase in military escalation. "

But make no mistake: Clooney is not saving the region with their khaki vests.

First, to offer a Manichean and simplistic version of these countries. Already in 2012, in reference to the treatment of Clooney on Sudan and South Sudan conflict, Sudan Change Now opposition group claimed that "portray regional conflicts in the country as a simplified war of Arabs and Africans we are concerned (.. .) considering that the Sudanese government is a dictatorship and does not reflect the feelings of most people. "

Second, by the repetition in "save" Africa from the western paternalism. For example will suffice: "The Sentry" has not a single African in its hard core. Oh thanks. Best we manage from Washington. That evangelizing mission that Rudyard Kipling called "the white man's overwhelming."

And third, the lack of independence. The organization leading the project, Enough Project, founded by the aforementioned John Prendergast and Gayle Smith, executive director of development and democracy at the National Security Council at the White House. To further understand how the story goes, Smith was recently nominated to head the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Similarly, the natural father of Enough Project is the Center for American Progress. And here, the bonds remain: While the first president of this group was John Podesta, chief of staff to Bill Clinton, the position is now held Neera Tanden, who worked in the different campaigns of Obama and Clinton administrations.

So sorry, "The Sentry" is not saving the region. To do so, yes, we always "shall be" Kony2012. Remember?