The Conflict Of The Rwandan Genocide Under The Clinton...

In 1994, one of the most brutal genocides of all time took place in the small country of Rwanda. Over the span of approximately 100 days, 800,000 Rwandans were killed—an average of 8,000 people per day— with Tutsis being the primary target. The staggering numbers called for international intervention, yet the action taken across the world was slim. Samantha Power’s â€Å"Bystanders to Genocide† reveals that the U.S.’s handling of the Rwandan genocide under the Clinton Administration was both minimalistic and ineffective. She discusses how the U.S. made full effort to pull out all Americans and then pulled back completely on aid, put their own interests above the needs of the Rwandans, and used the history of a similar situation in Somalia to validate their reluctance to take action. Power’s article presents a strong case for why the action, or lack of action, taken by the U.S. was a poor handling of the situation, but leaves the reader with l ittle understanding of why these decisions were made. By examining the U.S.’s decisions in relation to the ideas that Dalai Lama discusses in â€Å"Beyond Religion†, the question of why can be answered. Through this lens one can see that the true reason behind their decisions is a lack of â€Å"genuine compassion†. This lacking becomes the basis of their decisions, and becomes a rational for standing by during the murder of 800,000 people. Dalai Lama defines compassion as â€Å"being genuinely concerned for others† (45). He also defines beingShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Jimmy Carter s The Attack Of The Elite Soldiers1361 Words   |  6 Pagesnegotiation was Jimmy Carter who acted as an intermediary because of his previous relationship with Aidid (â€Å"Ambush†). In September of 1993, the Clinton administration made a grave mistake. 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