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There's troubling violence elsewhere in the world -- and it appears tyranny is the cause. Ethiopia has erupted in violence following an apparently rigged election. After the main opposition group, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy, peacefully protested Monday, police clashed with protesters Tuesday. They have killed over 40 protesters and jailed over 3000, many of whom are political prisoners. The government claims that the protesters were violent, but international observers in the country counter these claims.

As the government cracks down, the State Department urges calm and dialogue:

The United States continues to urge both the government and political opposition in Ethiopia "to resolve whatever differences they may have through peaceful means," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters November 4.

Speaking at the department's daily press briefing, McCormack said: "It furthers no one's cause to try to manipulate situations in order to provoke a violent reaction. We think that peaceful dialogue is the way to resolve what is in fact a political issue."

Is the U.S. blaming CUD? Peaceful dialogue will be challenging when the government is roughing up and jailing peaceful protesters. The U.S. is calling for Ethiopia to release all political prisoners, but the call for an independent inquiry to sort out the events of the protests seems to be abdicating any judgment and avoiding the application of any pressure.