The US government condemned the recent drone attack against the UAE as a terrorist act. Well, we agree that the attack was a terrorist act as the victims were civilians who should never be targeted under any circumstances or justifications. However, a little bit of context is worth considering here. The UAE, a small gulf state with billions of petrodollars, has emerged as one of the top exporters of drones to dictatorial regimes who have no qualms about using them to kill innocent civilians. A case in point is Ethiopia, where UAE drones are being used indiscriminately on a daily basis to kill children and women in Tigray and the Oromia region.

To be fair, the US government has also condemned the drone attacks in Tigray and Oromia. However, it is noteworthy to remember that the words used to condemn such attacks are markedly different from the ones used in the UAE's case. Why is it that the US government does not call the drone attacks in Tigray and Oromia terrorist acts? This is a classic case of double-standard. As they say, what is good for the goose is good for the ganger!! Further, why is it that the US has chosen not to use its leverage to stop the UAE from exporting drones when it is clear that drones kill and are killing innocent civilians?

Understandably, the US government, like any other government, acts in its national interest. But I am at a loss how US national interest can be served in the Horn of Africa by allowing the UAE to interfere with impunity in the internal affairs of African states.

Terrorism in Tigray and Oromia is equally worthy of condemnation as the one we had in the UAE.

Ethiopia condemns in support of UAE

After I posted this message, I learned that the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement condemning the drone attack in the UAE as a terrorist act. (Other states, including the UK, France, Pakistan, among others, have also condemned the attacks.) While I would still argue that there is a double-standard in treating the drone attacks in the UAE differently from the drone attacks in Tigray and Oromia by all those who condemned the attack, the condemnation by the Abiy regime is probably the most hypocritical of all. What moral authority would a government that is well-known to use drones to terrorize and kill civilians have to condemn such attacks as if it is clean? We are in the middle of the month of January, and, according to a UN report, the Abiy regime has already killed upwards of one hundred civilians, mostly children, women, and the elderly in Tigray. No figures are available as to how many have been killed in Oromia, but we know many civilians were killed in Wollega and Harar.

In light of the foregoing well-documented terrorist attacks (to use the US term used to condemn the drone attack in the UAE), one would think that Abiy would have been served better by keeping quiet, but he could not. Reason: Abiy had to show his support for his creditor and chief ally in his unjust war against all freedom-loving people in Ethiopia.

Have you wondered why the international community has been so swift in condemning the drone attack in the UAE, while its condemnation of the same drone attacks with far more devastation in Tigray and Oromia is watered down? You guessed it right: This is a rich man's world, sad as it is.