A drop of water in a sea of blood

Shock and Awe

July 25 2013 8:00 A.M.

CNN: We have breaking news for you all, giant artillery clashes have resulted in the deaths of hundreds in Sudan and Egypt. This comes right after a declaration of war by Egypt on Ethiopia after weeks of bloody conflict in Sudan. The Chinese ambassador has left Cairo and condemned President El-Badwei of Egypt for "reckless warmongering," while the White House has issued a statement condemning Ethiopia for provoking the conflict. Countries across Africa and the world have issued statements of support and condemnation relationing to the conflict, and since talks have broken down, experts predict a larger regional war occurring. Refugees from the Sundanese Civil War and from the earlier Eritrean War have strained Europe's capacity to handle the refugee crisis to the point where some southern countries have resorted to drastic measures, and many fear that this could cause an even worse crisis. We have more with our correspondents on the ground.

July 25 2013 11:30 P.M., Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

It was clear that the war was a real war. A draft had already been initiated the day of the war to bolster the millitary's ranks and many Ethiopians joined up as a new wave of nationalism surged through the country. Weapons and vehicles bought from China were now at the forefront of the fighting, confronting their American counterparts. As American allies like Morocco, Algeria, and Nigeria condemned Ethiopia and sent aid to Egypt, China's friends like Angola, Zimbabwe, and increasingly Kenya supported Ethiopia. South Africa was seemingly on the fence at the moment. As the war raged on, it grew to seem that the first proxy war between China and the United States had begun. It would not be the last
 
Into The Jaws Of Death


Excerpt from "The East Africa War" by Robert Mendez:

"The war between Egypt, Ethiopia and their assorted proxies was thought to be short at first. The world had not seen a long bloody war between larger nations since the Second Congo War. This was merely the end of the intermission from the First Cold War between the USSR and the USA, and the Second Cold War between the PRC and the USA. Although Egypt was not the most endeared of American allies, having changed governments several times in the last few years, President Obama and his administration felt the need to combat China's growing power around the world. This was solidified by Secertary Clinton making numerous visits to Cairo to talk with President El-Badwei on the war. American arms sales to Egypt were at an all time high, and although El-Badwei was friendly to the milliatry establishment of Egypt, he mistrusted them in private, fearing they'd take the opportunity to overthrow him at the first opportunity. Because of this, coordination between Sobhi and El-Badwei was limited, and this worked to Addis Ababa's favor.

On the other side, China was angry with Ethiopia starting this war. It had upset the plans they had to use their soft power to solidly influence in East Africa, of which only Tanzania remained out of their influence. However, this provided an opportunity for China to assert their power and win a major victory against the United States. By defeating Egypt, they could establish China as a power that could effectively challange the United States directly, perhaps wooing over China friendly countries that were cautious of the United States. Thus they tightened relations with Ethiopia and sent them more arms and equipment. Internally, there was little dissent in Ethiopia, unlike Egypt. Zenawi had kept a tight ship, and improvements in public amenities and the quality of life rising made him more popular in general. Although the reconstruction of Eritrea was still ongoing, the war had been short, if brutal, so it did not make a huge dent in the budget. Overall, by early August, the war had not changed much, with battle lines staying roughly the same, but this would not be a permanent situation..."
 
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