The New Scramble for Africa

[blindpig]

The New Scramble for Africa

Is current U.S. foreign policy in Africa following a blueprint drawn up almost eight years ago by the right-wing Heritage Foundation, one of the most conservative think tanks in the world? Although it seems odd that a Democratic administration would have anything in common with the extremists at Heritage, the convergence in policy and practice between the two is disturbing.

Heritage, with help from Joseph Coors and the Scaife Foundations, was founded in 1973 by the late Paul Weyrich, one of the most conservative thinkers in the United States and a co-founder of the Moral Majority.

In October 2003, James Carafano and Nile Gardiner, two Heritage Foundation heavyweights, proposed a major shift in U.S. military policy vis-à-vis the African continent.

In a "Backgrounder" article entitled "U.S. Military Assistance for Africa: A Better Solution," the two called for the creation of a military command for the continent, a focus on fighting "terrorism," and direct military intervention using air power and naval forces if "vital U.S. interests are at stake." Such interventions, they wrote, should include allies and avoid using ground troops.

more ugly truth...

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/hallinan150911.html

[malaise]

1. Good effing Grief

Someone unrec'd this?

Rec

[blindpig]

2. Some would deny the existence of US imperialism.

The US is the Santa Claus of the world, don't ya know?

[malaise]

8. Nah I don't believe in Santa Claus

:fistbump:

[Quantess]

15. Maybe they're just disappointed that the founder of Coors beer

is a knee-jerk RWer.

[Starry Messenger]

3. k&r

[Blue_Tires]

4. No big surprise...

For years, RW fundies like Pat Robertson have been balls-deep in the shady diamond trade (under the guise of 'ministry')...So I already knew they have their fingers in a lot of pies...

[blindpig]

9. Mere pikers compared to the 'legitimate' corporations.

Corruption and 'bad actors' pall before the actions of 'legitimate' capitalists.

[Odin2005]

5. Every cellphone has cobalt tainted with Congolese blood.

[blindpig]

7. And that merely the most prominent....

gold, diamonds, other stragetic metals, rare woods....

Yet the coltan, a sudden 'necessity' for cell phone, laptops and game decks created for no other reason than profit should indeed be formost in the mind, the dead, maimed, raped, the land mutilated, the nation robbed.

[amborin]

11. and farmland....Ethiopian habitat being scooped up by the millions of hectacres for western ag

[Distant Observer]

6. If we weren't so wonderfully Humanitarian, China would take it all. Can't let that happen

[amborin]

10. +1 all the dead elephants strewn along newly constructed roads, tusks cut off...

[sabrina 1]

12. Africom, the US Military Command in Africa to 'protect our interests there'

Africom

General Carter F. Ham, Commander
Washington, DC
9/16 12:25:24
GMT/West Africa
9/16 16:25:24
Central Africa
9/16 17:25:24
Germany/Southern Africa
9/16 18:25:24
CJTF-HOA/East Africa
9/16 19:25:24

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ABOUT UNITED STATES AFRICA COMMAND
About U.S. Africa Command

The United States Africa Command, also known as U.S. AFRICOM, is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). As one of six that are regionally focused, it is devoted solely to Africa. U.S. AFRICOM is responsible to the Secretary of Defense for U.S. military relations with 54 African countries. USAFRICOM better enables the Department of Defense to work with other elements of the U.S. government and others to achieve a more stable environment where political and economic growth can take place. U.S. AFRICOM is committed to supporting U.S. government objectives through the delivery and sustainment of effective security cooperation programs that assist African nations build their security capacity to enable them to better provide for their own defense. The command was created by presidential order in 2007 and was officially activated October 1, 2007. It became fully operational October 1, 2008, with General William E. “Kip” Ward serving as its first commander. U.S. Army General Carter F. Ham became the second commander of U.S. AFRICOM on March 9, 2011.

AFRICOM Mission Statement

Africa Command protects and defends the national security interests of the United States by strengthening the defense capabilities of African states and regional organizations and, when directed, conducts military operations, in order to deter and defeat transnational threats and to provide a security environment conducive to good governance and development.

Commander's Intent

Our purpose is twofold: 1) to protect the U.S. homeland, American citizens abroad, and our national interests from transnational threats emanating from Africa; and 2) through sustained engagement, to enable our African partners to create a security environment that promotes stability, improved governance, and continued development. Should preventive or enabling efforts fail, we must always be prepared to prevail against any individual or organization that poses a threat to the United States, our national interests, or our allies and partners.

Africa Command’s activities, plans, and operations are centered on two guiding principles:

A safe, secure, and stable Africa is in our national interest.
Over the long run, it will be Africans who will best be able to address African security challenges and that AFRICOM most effectively advances U.S. security interests through focused security engagement with our African partners.

And people think we went to Libya for 'humanitarian' purposes. US Corps have been in Africa for decades and we are in Somalia, mostly bombing people there and using their prisons to send detainees for torture.

This week, in line with the theme of Africom, a familiar face was installed in Libya as Chief of the Army there. He is the Libyan ex-pat who was living in the US, near CIA headquarters for decades. Who made him chief? Those poor Libyans, I hope their hopes to rule their own country without interference are not totally dashed. So, the focus is on the military as always.

It looks like the new Colonialists realized the old ones hadn't successfully stolen all of Africa's resources, so we are getting serious about it now.

How would it be if we just left everyone alone I wonder? Or helped out in more peaceful ways? Why the assumption that we always have to bomb people into democracy or that they even want democracy?

[blindpig]

13. National interests, indeed....

As for Libya, only a fool or the disingenuous cannot see it for what it is, imperialism with the scantiest of fig leaves.

[sabrina 1]

16. I agree. As soon as NATO got involved

and it was clear that 'regime change' not 'humanitarian support' was the goal, the writing was on the wall. A NATO spokesperson was asked this week if he was concerned now, considering the brutality of the 'rebels' towards Black Africans, eg, that all NATO had done was 'replace one brutal regime with another'. What was interesting was the Spokesperson didn't even deny that they had violated the UN Resolution, he just mumbled something like 'we'll have to wait and see'.

But with the installation of the new military, CIA associated leader, I think NATO knows what to do about anyone who caused trouble that affects their 'interests'. They don't seem to be leaving anything to chance. It's Iraq, all over again. And they are now admitting they 'may need boots on the ground' just to 'help'. That will probably come under the cover of 'peace-keeping' forces. And the mercenaries will arrive to 'protect Embassy and Business personel'. So transparent, it's amazing anyone falls for it anymore.

[blindpig]

14. kick