Of the many, many figures and statements I could quote from Samantha Power's stunning A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide, I give you this anecdote, from her chapter on the Rwandan genocide. It's for all those of you wondering how, exactly, the worth of an American life stacks up against the lives of Others.
Ready?
"On July 29 President Clinton ordered 200 U.S. troops to occupy the Kigali airport so that relief could be flown directly into Rwanda. Ahead of their arrival, [Major General Romeo] Dallaire, [commander of UN peacekeeping forces in Rwanda,] says he got a phone call. A U.S. officer was wondering precisely how many Rwandans had died. Dallaire was puzzled and asked why he wanted to know. 'We are doing our calculations back here,' the U.S. officer said, 'and one American casualty is worth about 85,000 Rwandan dead.'" (pg 381)
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I got really excited upon realization that you have started her book!
However, I pray that you have some form of an 'outlet' while you read this book. I made the mistake of reading the book while doing papers but found a way to talk about it with friends at home
(make sure to read the commencement speech delivered to the graduating class of a law school...its in the back of the book! very very inspiring)
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