That's the party line right? Western bad bad, non-western is good virtuous and beyond reproach. Our colleges and media are filled with this, how our irredeamably imperialist ways taint us in every respect. How if we really want to repent, we should LISTEN to what non-western nations are telling us.

What are they telling us? That they like poaching endangered species and will pay top dollar to get the skins, meat and bones.

The report says there is also an illegal trade in live leopards and in body parts including teeth, meat and bones: these are used in traditional Asian medicine.

I found this at the Voodoo Lounge, and I understand what the good Dr. meant. That conservation groups are lamenting the danger to snow lepards now that the diligent Taliban aren't in charge any more. What are a few thousand dead Americans, or a population enslaved compared to saving the pretty kitty cats? But I also noted the disconnect, between what the save the earth types and leftists say to us......and what they do in the third world. They treat poor nations as if they were errant children, too dumb to come in out of the rain. Winters coming and you have refugees? Forget that, how about getting protection for this sweet little kitty, you heartless cad! The Afghans don't have the luxury of taking care of wants, they have to address needs first.

They hold up our cultures in the west, the US in particular, as if it were so much roadkill, so decadent and overly agressive. But in the third world they lecture the poorest of nations to protect snow lepards no matter what, when they can't even feed all their own people. This statement says everything.

"They sell for up to $1,000, and hunting has gone up sharply since the Taleban went. Before that, there was no market for the skins.

"Every pelt offered for sale is another nail in the snow leopards' coffin, especially if it's from a breeding female. That's why this report is so disturbing."

You see it's our fault, the Taliban were earth friendly. Aparently only non-human breeding females are of concern with this group. I'd hate to see what these people would say if it was revealed that Hitler was a conservationist. 12 million dead in the camps, 6 million of them Jews, but hey! Look how well the deer are doing in the Black Forest! Those Nazi's know how to conserve........Also, if they actually believed their own rhetoric they would be pushing us to allow the sale of banned animal products to asia. Since they are so much wiser and in tune with Gia. There's not much use for powdered lepard dick in the west, modern drugs like viagra and all. The demand for the banned animal parts is coming from the same people we're supposed to emulate for their virtureous stewardship. Asians are human, just like us, being outside the west doesn't mean they are any better, or wiser, just different. We offer the third world democracy and trade, that's about as good a gift as we know how to give. The conservationists offer them bribes and lectures to protect an animal, while complaining how the last government was better for that very same animal, forgetting the executions and terror. I only wonder why the Afghans didn't just hang the nitwit.

They damn us and patronize the rest, all for the sake of an animal that would eat them just as readily as any other lower form of life. Conservation is a good idea, but when you push it to the point where animals are more valuable than humans, you are unworthy of any consideration. Save maybe as cat food.