Video totally worth watching, the Vice Guide to Liberia. A travel documentary looking at Liberia and its recovery from brutal civil war. Parts 1-6 are online now, rest to come. The trailer gives you an idea what to expect. Vice is obnoxiously hipster, but you have to respect they actually produced this video. Not something you're likely to see Anderson Cooper do.
Liberia is fascinating to me because of its special relationship with the United States. It's essentially an American colony, a republic established by freed slaves in 1847. The civil wars there were horribly brutal and marked by bad action all around, including American and UN supported forces. There's some hope for stability now, but what do you do with a generation of child soldiers raised on drug-fueled killing? Vice's video gives some insight.

Update: some thoughtful criticism: 1, 2, 3.
culture
  2010-01-24 18:14 Z