South Sudan Nhial Deng Nhial: We are on brink of war - Polidicks

[QUOTE][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Bbc_logo_1970.png[/IMG] South Sudan's foreign minister has warned his country is on the brink of war with Sudan following days of fierce fighting along the border. Nhial Deng Nhial told the BBC Sudanese forces had invaded the town of Jau, which was in the south. He urged the international community to intervene and said he hoped full-scale hostilities could still be avoided. South Sudan seceded from the north in July following years of civil war in which some 1.5m people died. The border between the north and south has not yet been officially designated. Since July Khartoum and Juba have accused each other of supporting rebels in the border areas. 'Tanks and aircraft' Mr Deng Nhial said the clashes in Jau, which he said was a town in Unity state, were the biggest threat to peace since South Sudan's independence. "Although there have been frequent aerial bombardments of different places in the Republic of South Sudan, we think that Khartoum has raised this offensive to an entirely new level by committing ground forces to cross into the Republic of South Sudan," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. "We are still very much committed to the principle of dialogue with Khartoum - we are still hopeful that we can pull back from the brink of outright war." Earlier, Col Philip Aguer, spokesman for South Sudan's army - the South People's Liberation Army (SPLA) - told the BBC that Khartoum had used tanks and long-range artillery in the offensive on Jau, which started on Saturday. Continue reading the main story Outstanding secession issues• Blue Nile and South Kordofan have not had popular consultations about their future, due before the split • Abyei has not held a referendum on whether to join north or south, due before the split • Sharing oil revenues • Exact border demarcation Antonov aircraft had also bombed the area, he said. Southern troops had now recaptured the town, but Sudanese soldiers were still in South Sudan, he said. "This is a war situation and if they don't withdraw, the SPLA will force them out," Col Aguer told the AFP news agency. Across the border in the state of South Kordofan, Sudan's army has for several months been battling rebels, who once fought against Khartoum during the civil war. South Kordofan is one of several border areas which failed to hold popular consultations about their future ahead of South Sudan's independence. Mr Deng Nhial denied accusations that his government was supporting the rebels in the northern border areas, known as the SPLM-North. "We had been associated with the SPLM-North during the years of our struggle. After independence we severed all military ties with our units in the north and we didn't provide any additional equipment," he said. The foreign minister said it was important that the border be properly demarcated. "Khartoum continues to drag its feet although we are agreed that close to 80% of the border is no longer in dispute," he said. "This in our mind raises serious suspicions." [/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16115699[/url] [B]FOR FUCK'S SAKE[/B]

Well that was quick.

Can anyone think of an instance where separating a country into North/South/East/West has worked?

They should have a DMZ between the two countries, Korea style.

[QUOTE=Occlusion;33642514]Can anyone think of an instance where separating a country into North/South/East/West has worked?[/QUOTE] North and South Deko- Wait those are states :v: [editline]9th December 2011[/editline] No I cannot

[QUOTE=Occlusion;33642514]Can anyone think of an instance where separating a country into North/South/East/West has worked?[/QUOTE] Irelan- German- Kore- Fuck.

[QUOTE=Occlusion;33642514]Can anyone think of an instance where separating a country into North/South/East/West has worked?[/QUOTE] Splitting the Roman Empire allowed the Eastern part to live almost 1000 years longer than its Western counterpart.

[QUOTE=Occlusion;33642514]Can anyone think of an instance where separating a country into North/South/East/West has worked?[/QUOTE] South Yemen and North Yemen maintained relatively peaceful relations throughout their years.

Cyprus?

Called it on day, fucking, one.

[QUOTE=Occlusion;33642514]Can anyone think of an instance where separating a country into North/South/East/West has worked?[/QUOTE] Germany and Austria are both German nations and they are separate, so there's that. North Ireland and Ireland are...content for now, at least too.

Czech Republic and Slovakia? :v:

[QUOTE=croguy;33642978]Czech Republic and Slovakia? :v:[/QUOTE] Those aren't the same ethnic group. Czechs and Slovaks are as different as Polish and Russians.

[QUOTE=Hidole555;33642672]Splitting the Roman Empire allowed the Eastern part to live almost 1000 years longer than its Western counterpart.[/QUOTE] That wasn't an ethnic thing. That was a "cutting off a vestigial limb" thing.

[QUOTE=Kung Fu Jew;33644954]That wasn't an ethnic thing. That was a "cutting off a vestigial limb" thing.[/QUOTE] The ethnic makeup of the Empire allowed it to collaspe in that way. One of the reasons for its weakening was the migration of Germans and spread of Christianity within its borders which acted as a catalyst to its breakup. Rome and China were both empires at the same time, yet China survives as a national state still to this day. I think the reason is the Chinese identity has remained and kept it together despite all the revolutions and wars it has had.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;33642939]Germany and Austria are both German nations and they are separate, so there's that. North Ireland and Ireland are...content for now, at least too.[/QUOTE] I don't think they were ever combined though, there was the Austria-Hungarian country then the German Empire.

[QUOTE=Sobotnik;33645613]The ethnic makeup of the Empire allowed it to collaspe in that way. One of the reasons for its weakening was the migration of Germans and spread of Christianity within its borders which acted as a catalyst to its breakup. Rome and China were both empires at the same time, yet China survives as a national state still to this day. I think the reason is the Chinese identity has remained and kept it together despite all the revolutions and wars it has had.[/QUOTE] Rome sought expansion, which lead to multiculturalism and thus ethnic conflict. China had an inward focusing society. They did not "go out and conquer" further than there were ethnic Chinese, though there are a few exceptions. [editline]10th December 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=FFStudios;33645639]I don't think they were ever combined though, there was the Austria-Hungarian country then the German Empire.[/QUOTE] Holy Roman Empire technically had them united, though it wasn't a very central government. Also, Hitler united them in 1938-1945, though it's such a short time I don't feel it's really a point to note much. Also, Kosovo and Albania are both Albanian and they are not united as one nation.

Let them fight it out. Should have done the same with Libya. America was able to fight for their independence and rights on their own, Canada attempted rebellions, the Irish fought for their country. We have no place in the Sudan, let them settle their own affairs. It's a war, people will die and I sure as shit do not want anyone from my country having to die for theirs.

I think that for purely humanitary reasons, UN should intervene. Sadly no country is ever willing to do anything for purely humanitary reasons. Edit: It's still likely that peacekeepers will be dispatched, most probably after the war has ended already though. [Quote=Wikipedia]In 2010, the CIA issued a warning that "over the next five years,...a new mass killing or genocide is most likely to occur in southern Sudan."[/Quote] That place is that fucking volatile

After 5 months of independence, Sudan-ly, there's war. That sucks.

I saw this miles away.

[QUOTE=Gundevil;33654933]Let them fight it out. Should have done the same with Libya. America was able to fight for their independence and rights on their own, Canada attempted rebellions, the Irish fought for their country. We have no place in the Sudan, let them settle their own affairs. It's a war, people will die and I sure as shit do not want anyone from my country having to die for theirs.[/QUOTE] America was aided greatly by France during the American Revolution.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;33642985]Those aren't the same ethnic group. Czechs and Slovaks are as different as Polish and Russians.[/QUOTE] You're mixing up ethnicity and nationality. Ethnically, they're Slavic, but they're different in terms of nationality, culture, and language.

[QUOTE=Fhenexx;33663399]America was aided greatly by France during the American Revolution.[/QUOTE]and Spain. France also helped the Irish rebellion. Since, you know, France is a dick toward Britain.

[QUOTE=Fhenexx;33663399]America was aided greatly by France during the American Revolution.[/QUOTE] That was for their own gains though not some humanitarian effort

Oh man not again, the people in the south have already been through it once and now faced with it again, that's really sad. :(

[QUOTE=Sobotnik;33645613]The ethnic makeup of the Empire allowed it to collapse in that way. One of the reasons for its weakening was the migration of Germans and spread of Christianity within its borders which acted as a catalyst to its breakup. Rome and China were both empires at the same time, yet China survives as a national state still to this day. I think the reason is the Chinese identity has remained and kept it together despite all the revolutions and wars it has had.[/QUOTE] China was invaded several times if I remember correctly, they just took over and kept things basically the same. Plus, they're surrounded by mountains on their western and northern flanks, with oceans on their southern and eastern sides, keeping foreign invaders out of their country, so they were left to their own devices for centuries. [editline]10th December 2011[/editline] The Roman Empire also collapsed because Rome was attacked and sacked in the late-400s in the midst of political turmoil. Without leadership, the Empire disintegrated. And the Eastern (Turkish) Empire fell because people invented cannons to blow through their walls, if I remember correctly.

[QUOTE=Aman VII;33663475]That was for their own gains though not some humanitarian effort[/QUOTE] That's not the point, though. He believed that America was able to fight for their independence completely alone, when the French intervened and assisted them a great deal.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;33654738]Rome sought expansion, which lead to multiculturalism[/QUOTE] rome had nothing to do with multiculturalism

[QUOTE=Gundevil;33654933]Let them fight it out. Should have done the same with Libya. America was able to fight for their independence and rights on their own, Canada attempted rebellions, the Irish fought for their country. We have no place in the Sudan, let them settle their own affairs. It's a war, people will die and I sure as shit do not want anyone from my country having to die for theirs.[/QUOTE] Fighting for independence isn't the same thing as fighting for control.