Commentary:

Delusional Eritrean Propaganda Tactic

Aradom:

I strongly resent your attempt to use me as part of your propaganda work.

The reason I stopped responding to your e-mails back in February was because I wasn’t interested in your childish boasts about the invincibility of the Eritrean army. Within a week or so of your last boastful e-mail, the Eritrean army collapsed in a humiliating manner on the Badime front.

But instead of accepting the truth you posted articles on Dehai insinuating that your beaten army was still controlling Badime. I realized that you were a bit delusional at that point.

Your latest article has got it hopelessly wrong. Since you know me you should have known better than to try to use me as a prop in your propaganda service for your dictator.

Only when you and your fellow Eritrean elites start condemning the invasion of Ethiopia and the criminal massacre at Mekele, only then can we know you are serious about peace. Until then it is obvious you are nothing but propaganda mouthpieces for your dictator.

Regarding your article, first of all, there is nothing courageous about an Ethiopian speaking his mind. Unlike the frightened Eritrean elites, we are free to say what we want. Read the newspapers in Addis if you like.

The courageous ones are those Ethiopian soldiers who destroyed your army at Badime and lead the attack at Tserona. The courageous ones are those who turned the feeble Eritrean attacks in March into a rout by counterattacking and overruning the Shelalo front. The courageous ones are the Ethiopian defenders who crushed your dictator’s doomed “Monday in Badime” offensive.

I have absolutely no doubt that should this war continue to the end, your military will be permanently crippled. The only reason I advocated to stop now is because I don’t believe it is worth it for Ethiopia to expend its resources that way. However, I certainly believe it is a just cause. If the Ethiopian public consensus is to continue the war until the Eritrean military and its criminal leadership are destroyed, then I support that 100 percent.

However, I do reserve the right to express my own view. There is nothing strange about this. The US Congress and Senate held an intense debate in 1990 before proceeding with the Gulf War. Those who strongly objected to the military option ended up fully supporting the troops after the debate was over. In a similar manner, I will support the popular consensus even if it is against my personal preference. What you failed to understand is that I am objecting only to the way our government leadership (especially Meles) conducted the NEGOTIATIONS. With regard to “breaking the spine” of the criminal EPLF leadership, I fully support that.

As far as conduct of the war is concerned, my only objection is that if a high price must be paid then victory must be absolutely guaranteed. The celebrated American offensive victories in WWII; (eg. Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and D-Day; Omaha) did not come cheaply. But victory, and the resulting peace justified the cost. I simply want our government to have patience, take its time, and use EVERY single strategic option (such as long-term aerial bombing) to achieve victory while minimizing losses.

By the way Aradom, if you are indeed the person using the screen name “Warsay” and posting anti-Ethiopian ethnic slurs on other internet forums (and I have good reason to believe you are that person) then I suggest you seek mental help.

As for Dehai – You would do well to remove this silly, totally off-target article by Aradom. But based on your previous behavior I know this is asking too much. One of your prominent posters, Saleh Younis, rather than taking the opportunity to correct his recent lies (about withdrawal before ceasefire) tried to reinforce them with yet more lies! And Dehai still refuses to correct its year-old lie about the Treaty of 1902 specifying a straight line.

Like I said before…. the Eritrean Intellectual - too lazy, too stupid, or too frightened to acknowledge the truth.

- Dagmawi

P.S. Don’t bother e-mailing me.