So, according to the President of the United States, the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea is just a cross-border 'tribal conflict' which does not warrant intervention by the international community. Clinton said this last Sunday, 15 May 1999, when he outlined his views on when U.S. intervention in foreign conflicts is justified. Whilst referring to the Ethiopia and Eritrea war as "terrible and regrettable" and acknowledging that ten thousand people have been killed there, he does not think there is anything that any third party could do about it. Clinton was unsually clear and strongly implied that whilst he is willing to intervene in Kosovo, being in the underbelly of Europe, he will not give a damn for any tribal wars in Africa.

It is a sad reflection of our time that the sole superpower country of the world is led by a man who is not known for his moral convictions. Unfortunately too, he is not short of disciples that blindly follow his ill thought out ideas. His greatest follower is the Prime Minister of Britain, Mr Tony Blair. Filled with the arrogance that their undetectable and remote-controlled Smart Bombs have brought them, Clinton and Blair have been bypassing and disregarding the very international rules and norms that they have always preached the rest of the world should abide by. What a hypocritical stance!

Thus, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair have set a bad example for pariah leaders who, rather than resorting to arbitration and negotiation, will not hesitate to bomb to get their way. How else can Meles^R unprovoked bombing of Eritrean towns be explained? With Bill Clinton openly declaring a non-interference policy in Africa^Rs 'tribal wars', who is to stop the Meleses of Africa from committing aggression against their neighbours?

Clinton's declaration of non interference in 'tribal wars' has significant implications for Eritrea. In tribal wars, it is the fittest that survives and Eritrea should never lose sight of the fact that only her military capability will save her from the aggression that is being perpetrated against her by the Weyanes. The hapless and America led OAU and UN cannot and should never be expected to have any meaningful role to play in the conflict. How could they when their pay master himself is saying that he has no interest in "tribal-wars".

It has been said many times that the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea is not about a dispute over borders - not at all. Let no mistake be made that the Weyanes intention was and remains the overthrow of the government and the creation of a situation conducive to achieving their expansionist aims. The Weyanes will not stop short from attempting to inflict a destruction of the Kosovo type on Eritrea if they have the military capability to effect it. At the risk of over emphasising the point, therefore, Etritrea^Rs strategy must be to bring home to the Weyanes that, unlike Kosovo, she is more than capable of defending herself. Only when they eventually come to realise Eritrea^Rs defensive capability will the Weyanes come to the negotiating table and take the diplomatic option seriously.

Some writers have suggested that the aim of Ethiopia^Rs on going air bombardment over Eritrean towns is to provoke the Government to retaliate so as to justify another huge ground offensive. To others, the bombardment has a political motive behind it. None of these are plausible explanations. The Weyanes never sought justification for their previous ground offensives and nor are they likely to do so in any future offensive. Like before, there is no doubt that the air offensive being unleashed on Eritrean towns is in preparation for the ground offensive that will surely come. But, where are the voices that, at one time, pretending to be interested bodies, spoke loud and wanted to establish who had started the air strikes?

Eritrea's response to Ethiopia's air offensive has been very disappointing to many concerned observers. The issue is not whether or not Ethiopian Migs hit their targets or that the damages were light but Ethiopia^Rs flagrant violation of Eritrean sovereignty. The damage should not be dismissed as light either because, after all, lives have been lost. Thus, Eritrea should have vigorously complained against Ethiopia^Rs wanton aggressions to the relevant world bodies (for the record if not for anything else) and it would have been within her right to take any appropriate deterrent action for the protection of her sovereignty.

It is not a mere requirement but a necessity that Eritrea will have to do what it takes to protect and safeguard its independence and existence. It should be absolutely clear to every Eritrean, be it inside or outside, that the Weyane threat is real and there should not be any complacency until the conflict is completely resolved in one way or the other.

Now is the time when Eritrea's revolutionary campaign of 'lomi zeyketete: bdewu kemzmote' must start. It is thus incumbent upon the Government to take the lead in this and, for sure, Eritreans everywhere are ready to respond.

Eritrea shall prevail!