Some argue that the right to bear arms should be an international civil right. I tend to agree. As Instapundit notes:
The U.N. seems to feel differently, of course, but given its record of supineness -- if not outright complicity -- in the face of genocide, that isn't much of an objection.
Of course, if a people could defend themselves, we'd never see the sight of the international community springing into action like this:
Annan told the Financial Times in an interview it was vital for African countries to break their silence to protect the continent's credibility in the eyes of the world.
"What is important -- and what is lacking on the continent -- is (a willingness) to comment on wrong policies in a neighboring country," he said before attending a summit of the Group of Eight (G8) top industrialized nations in Scotland.
Annan did not name Zimbabwe in the interview, but a special representative of the U.N. secretary-general is assessing Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's demolition of shanty towns that human rights groups say has made 300,000 people homeless.
When confronted with the barbarity of Mugabe, the Secretary General unleashes the dreaded oblique rebuke. My only surprise is that Mugabe didn't rush to turn himself in to the ICC for speedy justice.
I'm sure in two years we'll have a professionally done report on the killing fields of Zimbabwe in several official languages, nicely indexed and hard bound with bright ribbons and wax stamps that just scream "we care" to sit alongside the Darfur reports and the other assorted bureaucratic recordings of genocide and inaction in the face of evil.
When Zimbabwe's neighbors don't care enough to do something--or even to say something--I see no reason why we should expend any blood to stop this problem. Remember, Somalia started as a mission of compassion before it ended with a dead American soldier being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu. And the people who want missions of mercy the most are the ones least likely to support aggressive military action when it becomes necessary.
If we do anything, just drop cheap and simple small arms plus ammo into Zimbabwe. At least give the people a fighting chance. Perhaps it should be their right to defend themselves.
