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Summary: The most powerful book I've ever read
Review: I bought this book a few days after it was released and read it within a week. It is an extremely compelling account of a horrific event from one of the few people who tried to stop it. He looked at dead or orphaned children in Rwanda and saw his own young children. He exhorted the UN and the powerful nations of the world to send him a few thousand troops, so that he could save hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. In the end, political calculus was more important to those nations than the lives of almost a million Africans. This book really changed the way I look at the world. Another really good book for exploring the role of politics in refusing to prevent genocide is "A Problem from Hell" by Samantha Powers.
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Summary: Jonathan Man on CNN's Insight
Review: I haven't read the book yet, but Jonathan Man interviewed the general on CNN's Insight. He said; "I never recomend books on air but in this case I will make an exception." That is the reason I am buying it.
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Summary: Unbelievable Account By One Who Would Know
Review: I must admit...I only bought this book because it was rated a Bestseller up here in Canada. Before I read it, I had no idea there was a genocide in Rwanda. Goes to show you how little the news media bothered to play up what was REALLY going on. Makes you wonder just HOW MUCH control the governments of the western world really have over the media.After I had finished reading the Introduction, I was captured and read the book within 4 days. Gives an excellent account as to not only what was going on politically within the country leading up to and during the genocide..but also the back and forth banter that this UN Force Commander had to endure from the governments of the world who could have at any time stopped this tragedy from happening. My heart goes out to Mr.Dallaire and everyone who had to witness the genocide of 1994. What courageous and determined human beings they are. Not only is this book an eye opener about the problems humanity faces, it also stands to remind you that there are still people in this world, willing to stand up for what they believe in and try to make a difference, no matter how small. This is a must read!!!
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Summary: Compelling and raw account of modern Rwandan history
Review: Lt. General Romeo Dallaire's book, "Shake Hands with the Devil" is an important and compelling book. His humanity, intelligence and compassionate leadership shines through what is clearly one of the most horrifying chapters of modern African and world history. The world needs more men and women of his personal integrity and humanity.
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Summary: "Ghosts of Rwanda"
Review: On Thursday 4/1/04 I watched a PBS Frontline presentation called "Ghosts of Rwanda". 1] It was a fine show; technically, artistically, ethically, and as history. It was balanced and fair, but appropriately damning to those who "knew but didn't act". 2] It should serve as a chilling reminder of what happens when deliberative bodies (UN, US, Belgium, etc) puff up in rhetorical diplomatic speech, but then cut-and-run. Whithin the US, much of both the Left and the Right seemed uninterested in Rwanda. Though Ghanan and Canadian (Dallaire) UN commanders, and their few personnel, demonstrated superhuman bravery on the ground...I sure as hell would not want to count on the suits at UN headquarters to pull my bacon out of the fire! The UN is no different (and in many ways is worse) than many nation-states. It will be some time before an organization truely exists that reprsents world justice and order. Until then, I'm afraid that individual nations will need to retain sovereignty, if only to ensure justice and order for their own citizens. [DISCLOSURE: I support current US and Israeli actions in Western Asia]. Some of the heros and villains are listed below. Not listed on the website, but discussed in the show, is an interesting reference made by Madeleine Albright. She claims to have argued for voting to retain some minimal protective UN forces in Rwanda, but was forbidden to so. The political creature that forbid US support of UN action? The then director of peacekeeping at the NSC, Richard Clark. http://mediafilter.org/CAQ/CAQ52Rw4.html 800,000 civilans were butchered in 100 days.
No apology required, I suppose. http://mediafilter.org/CAQ/CAQ52Rw4.html Watch this show if you can:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ghosts/ Heros and villains:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ghosts/interviews/
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Summary: An Inside View of a Horrific Event
Review: This book was released in Canada several months and I ordered it from Amazon's sister site there (you can get it from them much cheaper and faster, by the way) Dallaire was Force Commander during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and, as such, is able to provide the first insiders view of the collapse of the Arusha Accord, the subsequent resumption of hostilities between the RPF and the RGF and the rapidly unfolding genocide. General Dallaire spends much of his book discussing his attempts to implement the Arusha Accords and, when that failed, to secure a cease-fire and protect innocent civilians. He also chronicles his frustrations with some of the troops sent to assist in the peacekeeping mission and the trouble he had getting money, supplies or even an effective mandate from the UN. Dallaire's coverage of some important issues such as the historic Hutu-Tutsi rivalry, the role of the Interhamwe in the genocide or the US role in preventing more forceful action are cursory but, in fairness, they were not intended to be the focus of this book. Dallaire has done the world a great service by chronicling his experience nearly a decade after his life was upended, and 800,000 Rwandan lives were lost, in one of the most horrific humanitarian tragedies in history. And while this book is a great value to those who have a relatively deep understanding of the genocide, it might not be the best introduction for those who know little or nothing about it. Dallaire provides a great amount of detail, but not necessarily the elementary background and big picture views required to understand just who was involved and what was transpiring during this chaotic 100 days.
In the end, Dallaire is a hero, as are Brent Beardsley and so many others who risked their lives to save the lives of others. And we are fortunate that General Dallaire has agreed to share his story. Perhaps with this book, the international community finally begin to take its obligations seriously. Anguished cries of "Never Again!" followed by inaction will never save the lives of innocent victims.
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Summary: Staggers the imagination
Review: This is an amazing book, written by an amazing man. The phrase that can most describe it is "screaming into the void" as Dallaire tried so hard to save a country in a mission that would ultimately fail. This book is crucial to read and it forces you to reconsider many of your beliefs, and now as we see a similar situation occuring in the Sudan, readers will be shocked to see how it is also being ignored. Despite the painful failure of his mission, Dallaire is to me a hero and the faults lie not within UNAMIR, but within the beurocracy. He said that he knows God exists because he shook hands with the Devil in Rwanda. I would like to shake hands with Dallaire and thank him because without his sacrifices, things certainly would have been much worse.
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Summary: Staggers the imagination
Review: This is an amazing book, written by an amazing man. The phrase that can most describe it is "screaming into the void" as Dallaire tried so hard to save a country in a mission that would ultimately fail. This book is crucial to read and it forces you to reconsider many of your beliefs, and now as we see a similar situation occuring in the Sudan, readers will be shocked to see how it is also being ignored. Despite the painful failure of his mission, Dallaire is to me a hero and the faults lie not within UNAMIR, but within the beurocracy. He said that he knows God exists because he shook hands with the Devil in Rwanda. I would like to shake hands with Dallaire and thank him because without his sacrifices, things certainly would have been much worse.
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