by Paul I. Adujie
America's establishment of the so-called African Command (AFRICOM), should be
seen for what it is: America's self-interested armada of protection for
America, and her allies and not for Africa's security. Africa has steadily
and increasingly become more important by playing the role for Westerners as
repository of energy resources which powers the engine-rooms of Western
economies. . . .
Westerners have only been in exploitation mode and Africa as the butt of
their dinner jokes, bluntly put. China on the other hand is, practical,
engaged and straightforward. When was the last time the United States
invited African leaders together to a joint summit or conference on
economic, strategic or military cooperation?
China has over the years sent almost 20,000 medical doctors into many
nations on the African continent. Beyond that, China has given loans,
guaranteed loans for infrastructure development for African nations. China
has been engaged, as well, in the direct creation of public infrastructures
in some African nations. . . .
FULL TEXT
David Leigh and David Pallister, "The
New Scramble For Africa," Guardian, June 1, 2005
Salim Lone, "Somalia: 'Most Lawless
War of Our Generation'," Deocracy Now, April 27, 2007
Peter Erlinder, "Darfur
Deception," CommonDreams.org, September 9, 2008
Xan Rice, "Sudan President Charged
With War Crimes," Guardian, March 4, 2009
Enver Masud, "Those Somali Pirates
and the Scramble for Africa," The Wisdom Fund, April 11, 2009