AFRO-NETS> Why focus on Iraq and not AIDS? (3)

[Marc Lejars <mlejars@iway.na>]

Why focus on Iraq and not AIDS? (3)
-----------------------------------

Dear AFRO-NETS colleagues,

I would agree upon reformulating the question: "What to do about the 
focus on Iraq and not on AIDS?" suggested by Peter Burgess.

But first we need to answer "why focus on Iraq and not on AIDS?" I 
would imagine that one little nice war on Iraq, would bring much more 
benefits than its costs, in term of arm-trade, oil, political, stra-
tegic and economic influence. What about fighting AIDS? It looks just 
like another costing issue without benefits; even the pharmaceutical 
companies are prevented now to sell drugs at highest price. Both 
(Iraq and AIDS) have and will have or continue to have their own 
slaughters, AIDS more than Iraq. One single death is horrible, so 
many may just be statistics. Moreover, historians, a century from 
now, will more likely just write about war. History has always been a 
question of heroic battles and wars. AIDS: sciences and medicine were 
not enough advanced to treat this plague.

Do we expect any changes? Yes, I would wish some radical changes. 
Having the right funds at the right place. A true political commit-
ment from both North and South. Then, what to do to avoid all this 
humanitarian catastrophe? An important need to speak loudly about it 
to those who are not interested. And not only the North. The South 
needs also some good arguments as some political leaders are still 
denying the magnitude of the epidemic. But we need not only to speak, 
but to convince. And to convince we need to bring strong political, 
strategic and economic arguments. The humanitarian speech is over. We 
need to think this war against AIDS in term of benefits as the war 
against terrorism could also bring benefit to all of us.

Sincerely,

Marc Lejars
Namibia
mailto:mlejars@iway.na

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