Cloaked in "humanitarian" guise, the U.S. military's new Africa Command, or
Africom, poses an imminent threat to self-determination on the continent. By
grouping every country but Egypt under one military umbrella - as if they were
already protectorates of the United States - the Pentagon telegraphs its
intention to "secure" Africa's wealth for other people's purposes. Leaders of
the Washington-based TransAfrica Forum warn that "misguided unilateral US
military policy" has "led to inflamed local conflicts, destabilization of entire
regions, billions of wasted dollars and the unnecessary deaths of US soldiers."
Rather than accept a U.S.-imposed order, Africans should "develop Africa's own
strong, effective and timely security capacities."
With little scrutiny from Democrats in Congress and nary a whimper of protest
from the liberal establishment, the United States will soon establish permanent
military bases in sub-Saharan Africa. An alarming step forward in the
militarization of the African continent, the US Africa Command (Africom) will
oversee all US military and security interests throughout the region, excluding
Egypt. Africom is set to launch by September 2008 and the Senate recently
confirmed Gen. William "Kip" Ward as its first commander.
General Ward told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Africom would first
seek "African solutions to African problems." His testimony made Africom sound
like a magnanimous effort for the good of the African people. In truth Africom
is a dangerous continuation of US military expansion around the globe. Such
foreign-policy priorities, as well as the use of weapons of war to combat
terrorist threats on the African continent, will not achieve national security.
Africom will only inflame threats against the United States, make Africa even
more dependent on external powers and delay responsible African solutions to
continental security issues.
The US militarization of Africa is further rationalized by George W. Bush's
claims that Africom "will enhance our efforts to bring peace and security to the
people of Africa" and promote the "goals of development, health, education,
democracy and economic growth." Yet the Bush Administration fails to mention
that securing and controlling African wealth and natural resources is key to US
trade interests, which face growing competition from China. Transnational
corporations rely on Africa for petroleum, uranium and diamonds - to name some
of the continent's bounty. West Africa currently provides 15 percent of crude
oil imports to the United States, and that figure is expected to rise to 25
percent by 2015.
"Securing and controlling African wealth and natural resources is key to US
trade interests."
Policy-makers seem to have forgotten the legacy of US intervention in Africa.
During the cold war, African nations were used as pawns in postcolonial proxy
wars, an experience that had a devastating impact on African democracy, peace
and development. In the past Washington has aided reactionary African factions
that have carried out atrocities against civilians. An increased US military
presence in Africa will likely follow this pattern of extracting resources while
aiding factions in some of their bloodiest conflicts, thus further destabilizing
the region.
Misguided unilateral US military policy to "bring peace and security to the
people of Africa" has, in fact, led to inflamed local conflicts, destabilization
of entire regions, billions of wasted dollars and the unnecessary deaths of US
soldiers. The US bombing of Somalia in January - an attempt to eradicate alleged
Islamic extremists in the Horn of Africa - resulted in the mass killing of
civilians and the forced exodus of refugees into neighboring nations. What
evidence suggests Africom will be an exception?
In contrast, Africa has demonstrated the capacity to stabilize volatile
situations on its own. For example, in 1990 the Economic Community of West
African States set up an armed Monitoring Group (Ecomog) in response to the
civil war in Liberia. At their height, Ecomog forces in Liberia numbered 12,000,
and it was these forces - not US or UN troops - that kept Liberia from
disintegrating. In another mission, Ecomog forces were instrumental in repelling
rebels from Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown.
"Policy toward Africa must be rooted in the principles of African
self-determination and sovereignty."
There are a range of initiatives that can be taken by the US government and
civil society to provide development and security assistance to Africa that do
not include a US military presence. Foremost, policy toward Africa must be
rooted in the principles of African self-determination and sovereignty. The
legitimate and urgent development and security concerns of African countries
cannot be fixed by dependence on the United States or any other foreign power.
Instead of military strategies, African countries need immediate debt
cancellation, fair trade policies and increased development assistance that
respects indigenous approaches to building sustainable communities. Civil wars,
genocide and terrorist threats can and must be confronted by a well-equipped
African Union military command.
American policy-makers should be mindful that South Africa, whose citizens
overthrew the US-supported apartheid regime, opposes Africom. In addition,
Nigeria and the fourteen-nation Southern African Development Community resist
Africom. These forces should be joined by other African governments and citizens
around the world, to develop Africa's own strong, effective and timely security
capacities. Progressive US-Africa policy organizations and related civil society
groups have not been sufficiently organized to bring this critical issue before
the people of the United States. It is urgent that we persuade progressive US
legislators to stop the militarization of aid to Africa and to help ensure
Africa's rise to responsible self-determination.
Danny Glover and Nicole C. Lee are, respectively, chairperson and executive
director of TransAfrica Forum.
Source: Black Agenda Report Website
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