08-11-2014, 07:58 PM
"The CCD brings with it safety, religious freedom, and a stable economy. There are many who feel that it is not so bad a thing."
Jacques adjusted the way his Kepi sat on his head, shielding his eyes from the sun a bit more effectively. Despite sitting on a hot roof, leaning against bare metal and seated on the loose gravel that coated the roof's surface, he seemed on the verge of falling asleep. A skill any good soldier quickly learned was the ability to sleep anywhere, should time allow.
"But it also leads to the death of culture, history, national identity. Traditions are lost for modernization. Language is forgotten for standardization. Must me forget the past to move into the future? The past provides lessons to guide us to our future, lessons that cannot be learned from when the past is cast aside."
She did not seem to have much of an appreciation for philosophy, at least not when there was work...whatever her work really was...that took precedence. But if she insisted on sticking around, she would simply have to get used to it.
She was correct in her opinion of the CCD; he expected no help from them. In fact, he expected them to hinder any stability from returning to the region. Had their people trained and equipped the Guinean rebels that were already nipping at Sierra Leone's borders? Had they influenced General Katlego to start the coup d'etate? Or was it all just Africa being itself?
"I have no desire to rule a country, Mademoiselle Reed. It is the place of the people to choose their leader, not for one such as I, or either of the Generals, to take it upon themselves."
Many thought he was an optimist, a rare thing in Africa. He did have his sights set on a shining future, an ideal image of how things could be, but he was not so foolish as to think that perfection achievable.
"But if it comes to it, should Wallace-Johnson make the move I expect of him, I will do what I need to do to mitigate the suffering. Should that mean seeing him in shackles, his 'army' disbanded, and my men in their place, so be it. But that will only be until a new elected government can be formed."
It was not a pleasant thought; such a thing could take years to achieve. To train a new military, a functioning police force, to reestablish civil services. Years he did not wish to spend on so small, so local, a task.
"Africa is used to being used for the interests of others, and that shall, sadly, not change any time soon. You may come with me, but I ask of you. Do not work behind my back. Every roadblock in my path is more innocent lives lost, and unlike you, I care who's blood is on my hands."
He eased himself to his feet again; whatever Vanders had done had yet to start to wear off, but he still needed to eat. "I will be going to the Chinese in the morning. Early. That is no problem for you, is it? You women enjoy your beauty sleep, after all."
Jacques adjusted the way his Kepi sat on his head, shielding his eyes from the sun a bit more effectively. Despite sitting on a hot roof, leaning against bare metal and seated on the loose gravel that coated the roof's surface, he seemed on the verge of falling asleep. A skill any good soldier quickly learned was the ability to sleep anywhere, should time allow.
"But it also leads to the death of culture, history, national identity. Traditions are lost for modernization. Language is forgotten for standardization. Must me forget the past to move into the future? The past provides lessons to guide us to our future, lessons that cannot be learned from when the past is cast aside."
She did not seem to have much of an appreciation for philosophy, at least not when there was work...whatever her work really was...that took precedence. But if she insisted on sticking around, she would simply have to get used to it.
She was correct in her opinion of the CCD; he expected no help from them. In fact, he expected them to hinder any stability from returning to the region. Had their people trained and equipped the Guinean rebels that were already nipping at Sierra Leone's borders? Had they influenced General Katlego to start the coup d'etate? Or was it all just Africa being itself?
"I have no desire to rule a country, Mademoiselle Reed. It is the place of the people to choose their leader, not for one such as I, or either of the Generals, to take it upon themselves."
Many thought he was an optimist, a rare thing in Africa. He did have his sights set on a shining future, an ideal image of how things could be, but he was not so foolish as to think that perfection achievable.
"But if it comes to it, should Wallace-Johnson make the move I expect of him, I will do what I need to do to mitigate the suffering. Should that mean seeing him in shackles, his 'army' disbanded, and my men in their place, so be it. But that will only be until a new elected government can be formed."
It was not a pleasant thought; such a thing could take years to achieve. To train a new military, a functioning police force, to reestablish civil services. Years he did not wish to spend on so small, so local, a task.
"Africa is used to being used for the interests of others, and that shall, sadly, not change any time soon. You may come with me, but I ask of you. Do not work behind my back. Every roadblock in my path is more innocent lives lost, and unlike you, I care who's blood is on my hands."
He eased himself to his feet again; whatever Vanders had done had yet to start to wear off, but he still needed to eat. "I will be going to the Chinese in the morning. Early. That is no problem for you, is it? You women enjoy your beauty sleep, after all."