The Popes Christmas message??? Is there another Great Lakes Region?

[bush_is_wacko]

I found this little excerpt a little strange from the Popes Christamas message. Please read and give me an opinion. Isn't Ohio in "The Great Lakes Region?" What conflict is he speaking of in the "Great Lakes Region"?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6753198/

<<snip>>

“I think of Africa, of the tragedy of Darfur in Sudan, of the Ivory Coast and of the Great Lakes Region,” John Paul said of those conflict areas.
“With great apprehension I follow the situation in Iraq. And how can I fail to look with anxious concern, but also with invincible confidence, toward that Land of which you are a son?” the pontiff said in reference to the Holy Land.

[NMDemDist2]

1. there is a Great Lakes Region in Africa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes_region_(Africa)

Great Lakes also refers to the region around these lakes. These include the entirety of the nations of Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda as well as portions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Kenya.

It is one of the most densely populated areas of the world with an estimated 107 million people living in the Great Lakes region. Because of past volcanic activity this part of Africa contains some of the world's best farmland. Its altitude also gives it a rather temperate climate despite being right on the equator. This has left it out of the disease zone allowing widespread use of livestock, especially cattle and goats.

Because of the density of population and the agricultural surplus in the region the area became highly organized into a number of small states. The most powerful of these monarchies were Rwanda, Burundi, Buganda, and Bunyoro. Unique to Sub-Saharan Africa, the traditional borders were largely maintained by the colonial powers.

Being the long sought after source of the Nile, the region had long been of interest to Europeans. The first Europeans to arrive in the region in any numbers were missionaries who had limited success in converting the locals, but did open the region to later colonization. The increased contact with the rest of the world led to a series of devastating epidemics affecting both humans and livestock. These decreased the region's population dramatically, by up to 60% in some areas. The region did not return to its pre-colonial population until the 1950s.

[bush_is_wacko]

2. Is this the area of conflict in Africa?

The Pope mentions Africa in the context of that speech as being an area of conlict. It seems funny to me to mention Africa twice, but I suppose he could be doing that. Thanks for that, BTW, I'll do a little research on this area.

[amazona]

3. Kenya and Tanzania are talking about war aga. Egypt

There is some saber-rattling over Lake Victoria. By old treaties Kenya and Tanzania are not supposed to be taking water that would otherwise go to Egypt. However, it is unreasonable while people and animals are dying of drought, to expect them to sit by and not make use of this great lake. Several villages in Tanzania have boldly started water projects in violation of the treaty, and both Tanzanian and Kenyan officials have stated that they do not feel that they should be bound by old British treaties that cheat their nations of the water. Earlier in the year, some Kenyans stated outright they would be willing to go to war to decide the issue. They think it unfair that two very poor nations of Africa should be deprived of water in order to supply one of the very richest.

On edit -- this link is old but it will summarize the issue for you:

http://www.gci.ch/Communication/DigitalForum/digiforum/ARTICLES/ENS_2001/eastafrican.html

[OldLeftieLawyer]

4. That's great - the Poe's such a "happening" guy

Did he mention anything about his outfit's decades of hiding and moving and covering up their pedophile priests?

[gizmo1979]

5. I don't want to be critical

but how can the catholics follow a man that can't talk can't walk,can't even hold up his head.He was strapped into his little Pope chair for gods sake.I'm not even sure he's really alive or a really bad robot.Just wondering.

[demosincebirth]

6. Don't want to be critical, huh?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

7. How about this?

They're already "following" some guy up in the sky who rewards them with Eternal Life, but ONLY after they die, and ONLY if they followed HIS rules while they were on Earth.

I don't think it's that much of a stretch for them to take orders from some bag of organs strapped into a chair, do you?

[The Zanti Regent]

8. Especially since the Pope and his Bishops are such big Bush backers!

They LOVE that liability cap Bush is pushing. Wonder why?????