[Vision2020] Re: Bush's Africa trip
Ralph Nielsen
nielsen@uidaho.edu
Thu, 24 Jul 2003 14:12:58 -0700
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> From: "Carl Westberg" <carlwestberg846@hotmail.com>
> Date: Thu Jul 24, 2003 9:49:15 AM US/Pacific
> To: vision2020@moscow.com
> Subject: [Vision2020] Bush's Africa trip
>
>
> My boss's daughter just returned from 2 years in the Gambia where she=20=
> was in the Peace Corps. She received an e-mail from a Gambian friend=20=
> detailing President Bush's visit to Senegal. He arrived in Senegal at=20=
> 7:20 AM, and left at 1:30 PM. In the lead-up to his arrival, more=20
> than 1,500 people were arrested and jailed between the preceding=20
> Thursday and Monday. The U.S. Army planes flew day and night over=20
> Dakar, depriving residents of sleep. About 700 security people from=20=
> the U.S. were there for Bush's security. Senegalese security forcesa=20=
> were not allowed near the President. All trees in places where Bush=20
> would pass were cut down, some of these trees were over 100 years old.=20=
> All roads going downtown, where hospitals, businesses, and schools=20
> are located were closed from Monday night to Tuesday afternoon at 3=20
> PM. Residents could not go to their offices or schools. Sick people=20=
> had to stay home. National exams that were scheduled to start on=20
> Monday were postponed until Wednesday. There is an island called=20
> Goree Island that faces Dakar. =46rom the 15th to the 19th century,=20=
> African slaves were shipped to America from this island. One of the=20=
> island houses is now a museum designed to remind humanity of this=20
> period. It's been visited by many dignitaries (including Bill=20
> Clinton). But for "security reasons" the local population was chased=20=
> out of their own homes from 5 to 12 AM. American security forces=20
> forced them to leave their houses open, including their wardrobes to=20=
> be searched by dogs brought by U.S. security. The ferry that links=20
> the island to Dakar was stopped and offices and businesses were closed=20=
> for the day. Senegal, a very poor country lost huge amounts of money=20=
> during this visit, because workers were prevented from leaving their=20=
> homes. King George brought his own armchairs, meals and drinks. =20
> Senegalese journalists were forbidden from the airport and where he=20
> was visiting. The Senegalese president was not allowed to speak, only=20=
> Bush. The feeling among this poster's fellow Senegalese: "We have the=20=
> feeling that everything has been done to convince us that we are=20
> nothing, and that America can behave the way it wants, everywhere,=20
> even in our country." =20=
> =20=
> =20=
> =20=
> =20=
> =20=
> Carl Westberg Jr.
I think the answer is here.
Ralph Nielsen
US to Lock Africa in a Military Embrace=A0
JULIAN BORGER /=A0 The Guardian Weekly (UK) 10jul03
Control over future sources of oil is preoccupying Washington as well=20
as the rival giants of East Asia
President Bush's African tour this week is being sold as the gentler,=20
softer, altogether more huggable side of global superpower politics. If=20=
you thought we just do wars, it is time to take another look at=20
America, the advance publicity suggests. We do Aids and poverty and=20
fair trade too. If this rings a bell, you may be thinking of=20
"compassionate conservatism". Remember that? Bush was the presidential=20=
candidate who spoke Spanish and really cared about public education. As=20=
promised, the No Child Left Behind act was passed with great fanfare,=20
but then a strange thing happened. The school rescue programme was=20
quietly drained of funds, which were spent on tax cuts and Pentagon=20
budgets instead, until the whole scheme was hollowed out.
Africa and its supporters should keep a close eye on what now happens=20
to Bush's five-year, $15bn plan to combat Aids, and the three-year,=20
$10bn Millennium Challenge to transform the world's poorest countries.=20=
Both schemes are up for the chop in Congress. Republicans may well be=20
paring both programmes even as the US president extols them on his=20
African tour. In America they call this tactic "bait and switch".
More US Bases
Although the mood music on the African trip will be sentimental and=20
uplifting, there are hard-headed calculations behind it. The=20
presidential visit signals a strategic decision by the administration=20
to upgrade the US military presence in Africa to bolster what=20
Washington now sees as important national interests on the continent -=20=
the supply of oil and the struggle against terrorism.
The global war on al-Qaida and the administration's goal of weaning the=20=
US off Middle East oil have put Africa on the map. It is principally=20
for this reason that Bush is contemplating sending troops to Liberia,=20
the sort of humanitarian intervention he criticised in his election=20
campaign. An essential element of the new Africa policy is to enhance=20
military cooperation with the region, particularly the Ecowas West=20
African bloc.
On the eve of the president's departure, General James Jones, the=20
commander of the US European command with responsibility for African=20
operations, said the US was trying to negotiate the long-term use of a=20=
"family" of military bases across the continent. These would include=20
major installations for up to 5,000-strong brigades, "that could be=20
robustly used for a significant military presence", he told the New=20
York Times. It would also involve smaller, lightly equipped bases=20
available in crises to special forces or marines.
The bases would not only be established in North African states such as=20=
Algeria, where Islamic extremism is already a potent force, but also in=20=
sub-Saharan African nations such as Mali. Gen Jones has also predicted=20=
a much bigger role for the navy and marines in the oil-rich Gulf of=20
Guinea.
"The carrier battle groups of the future may not spend six months in=20
the Mediterranean sea, but I'll bet they'll spend half the time going=20
down the west coast of Africa," he told journalists. The new bases are=20=
described as temporary, but once built they are likely to become part=20
of the African landscape. Camp Lemonier in Djibouti, home to about=20
1,500 marines and special forces troops, is one of the country's=20
biggest employers - and it is still growing.
The Djibouti base is in striking distance of Sudan, Somalia and Yemen -=20=
all seen as possible havens for al-Qaida. But bases in West Africa and=20=
an enhanced naval presence in the Gulf of Guinea would be primarily=20
designed to safeguard an increasingly important source of oil. The US=20
is importing 1.5m barrels a day from West Africa, about the same as it=20=
imports from Saudi Arabia. Conversely, the US has so far invested a=20
cumulative total of $10bn in West African oil fields. According to the=20=
US energy department, those figures are set to grow, with annual=20
African oil imports soon reaching 770m barrels, and US investment in=20
the oil fields set to exceed $10bn per year.
At a meeting organised last month by the Corporate Council on Africa, a=20=
senior CIA official, David Gordon, predicted that over the next decade=20=
African oil would be potentially more important to the US than oil from=20=
Russia or the Caucasus.
But, according to other participants at the meeting, he warned that=20
over the following decade the oil industry there ran the risk of=20
imploding as a result of the region's inherent instability, unless the=20=
US did more to prop it up.
In a report to Congress last year, an advisory panel that included oil=20=
executives and Pentagon officials recommended greater military=20
cooperation with oil states. The panel, known as the African Oil Policy=20=
Initiative Group, said it considered "the Gulf of Guinea oil basin of=20
West Africa, with greater western and southern Africa and its attendant=20=
market of 250 million people located astride key sea lanes of=20
communication, as a 'vital interest' in US national security=20
calculations".
The report advised setting up a "unified command" for Africa that would=20=
play a similar oversight role to Central Command in the Middle East. To=20=
safeguard oil shipments, the report said, "the US should give serious=20
consideration to increased force presence and the establishment of a=20
regional homeport, possibly on the islands of the Republic of Sao Tome=20=
and Principe centered in the Gulf."
In fact, the second-ranking general from European Command, General=20
Carlton Fulford, visited the islands last year, after which the Sao=20
Tome government declared it had an agreement to build a port. The claim=20=
was denied by the state department, but it said the US would be=20
offering naval and coast guard assistance.
Wherever the new bases are built, there is no doubt they are coming.=20
The news will be welcomed for now by many long-suffering Liberians, but=20=
if the people of the Gulf of Guinea are wondering whether the troops=20
are coming principally to protect oil or lives, they should look beyond=20=
this week's speeches and ponder the history of the other Gulf.
If you have come to this page from an outside location click here to=20
get back to mindfully.org
Please see the Fair Use Notice on the Homepage
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<excerpt><bold>From: </bold>"Carl Westberg"
<<carlwestberg846@hotmail.com>
<bold>Date: </bold>Thu Jul 24, 2003 9:49:15 AM US/Pacific
<bold>To: </bold>vision2020@moscow.com
<bold>Subject: </bold>[Vision2020] Bush's Africa trip
My boss's daughter just returned from 2 years in the Gambia where she
was in the Peace Corps. She received an e-mail from a Gambian friend
detailing President Bush's visit to Senegal. He arrived in Senegal at
7:20 AM, and left at 1:30 PM. In the lead-up to his arrival, more
than 1,500 people were arrested and jailed between the preceding
Thursday and Monday. The U.S. Army planes flew day and night over
Dakar, depriving residents of sleep. About 700 security people from
the U.S. were there for Bush's security. Senegalese security forcesa
were not allowed near the President. All trees in places where Bush
would pass were cut down, some of these trees were over 100 years old.=20=
All roads going downtown, where hospitals, businesses, and schools are
located were closed from Monday night to Tuesday afternoon at 3 PM.=20
Residents could not go to their offices or schools. Sick people had
to stay home. National exams that were scheduled to start on Monday
were postponed until Wednesday. There is an island called Goree
Island that faces Dakar. =46rom the 15th to the 19th century, African
slaves were shipped to America from this island. One of the island
houses is now a museum designed to remind humanity of this period.=20
It's been visited by many dignitaries (including Bill Clinton). But
for "security reasons" the local population was chased out of their
own homes from 5 to 12 AM. American security forces forced them to
leave their houses open, including their wardrobes to be searched by
dogs brought by U.S. security. The ferry that links the island to
Dakar was stopped and offices and businesses were closed for the day.=20
Senegal, a very poor country lost huge amounts of money during this
visit, because workers were prevented from leaving their homes. King
George brought his own armchairs, meals and drinks. Senegalese
journalists were forbidden from the airport and where he was visiting.=20=
The Senegalese president was not allowed to speak, only Bush. The
feeling among this poster's fellow Senegalese: "We have the feeling
that everything has been done to convince us that we are nothing, and
that America can behave the way it wants, everywhere, even in our
country." =
=
=
=
=
=20
Carl Westberg Jr.
</excerpt>
I think the answer is here.
Ralph Nielsen
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param><bigger>
<bold><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger>US to Lock Africa in a Military
Embrace=A0</bigger></bigger></bigger></bigger></bold>
<bold>JULIAN BORGER /=A0 The Guardian Weekly (UK) 10jul03</bold>
<italic>Control over future sources of oil is preoccupying Washington
as well as the rival giants of East Asia</italic>
President Bush's African tour this week is being sold as the gentler,
softer, altogether more huggable side of global superpower politics.
If you thought we just do wars, it is time to take another look at
America, the advance publicity suggests. We do Aids and poverty and
fair trade too. If this rings a bell, you may be thinking of
"compassionate conservatism". Remember that? Bush was the presidential
candidate who spoke Spanish and really cared about public education.
As promised, the No Child Left Behind act was passed with great
fanfare, but then a strange thing happened. The school rescue
programme was quietly drained of funds, which were spent on tax cuts
and Pentagon budgets instead, until the whole scheme was hollowed out.
Africa and its supporters should keep a close eye on what now happens
to Bush's five-year, $15bn plan to combat Aids, and the three-year,
$10bn Millennium Challenge to transform the world's poorest countries.
Both schemes are up for the chop in Congress. Republicans may well be
paring both programmes even as the US president extols them on his
African tour. In America they call this tactic "bait and switch".
</bigger></fontfamily><bold><fontfamily><param>Arial Black</param>More
US Bases</fontfamily></bold><fontfamily><param>Times New =
Roman</param><bigger>
Although the mood music on the African trip will be sentimental and
uplifting, there are hard-headed calculations behind it. The
presidential visit signals a strategic decision by the administration
to upgrade the US military presence in Africa to bolster what
Washington now sees as important national interests on the continent -
the supply of oil and the struggle against terrorism.
The global war on al-Qaida and the administration's goal of weaning
the US off Middle East oil have put Africa on the map. It is
principally for this reason that Bush is contemplating sending troops
to Liberia, the sort of humanitarian intervention he criticised in his
election campaign. An essential element of the new Africa policy is to
enhance military cooperation with the region, particularly the Ecowas
West African bloc.
On the eve of the president's departure, General James Jones, the
commander of the US European command with responsibility for African
operations, said the US was trying to negotiate the long-term use of a
"family" of military bases across the continent. These would include
major installations for up to 5,000-strong brigades, "that could be
robustly used for a significant military presence", he told the New
York Times. It would also involve smaller, lightly equipped bases
available in crises to special forces or marines.
The bases would not only be established in North African states such
as Algeria, where Islamic extremism is already a potent force, but
also in sub-Saharan African nations such as Mali. Gen Jones has also
predicted a much bigger role for the navy and marines in the oil-rich
Gulf of Guinea.
"The carrier battle groups of the future may not spend six months in
the Mediterranean sea, but I'll bet they'll spend half the time going
down the west coast of Africa," he told journalists. The new bases are
described as temporary, but once built they are likely to become part
of the African landscape. Camp Lemonier in Djibouti, home to about
1,500 marines and special forces troops, is one of the country's
biggest employers - and it is still growing.
The Djibouti base is in striking distance of Sudan, Somalia and Yemen
- all seen as possible havens for al-Qaida. But bases in West Africa
and an enhanced naval presence in the Gulf of Guinea would be
primarily designed to safeguard an increasingly important source of
oil. The US is importing 1.5m barrels a day from West Africa, about
the same as it imports from Saudi Arabia. Conversely, the US has so
far invested a cumulative total of $10bn in West African oil fields.
According to the US energy department, those figures are set to grow,
with annual African oil imports soon reaching 770m barrels, and US
investment in the oil fields set to exceed $10bn per year.
At a meeting organised last month by the Corporate Council on Africa,
a senior CIA official, David Gordon, predicted that over the next
decade African oil would be potentially more important to the US than
oil from Russia or the Caucasus.
But, according to other participants at the meeting, he warned that
over the following decade the oil industry there ran the risk of
imploding as a result of the region's inherent instability, unless the
US did more to prop it up.
In a report to Congress last year, an advisory panel that included oil
executives and Pentagon officials recommended greater military
cooperation with oil states. The panel, known as the African Oil
Policy Initiative Group, said it considered "the Gulf of Guinea oil
basin of West Africa, with greater western and southern Africa and its
attendant market of 250 million people located astride key sea lanes
of communication, as a 'vital interest' in US national security
calculations".
The report advised setting up a "unified command" for Africa that
would play a similar oversight role to Central Command in the Middle
East. To safeguard oil shipments, the report said, "the US should give
serious consideration to increased force presence and the
establishment of a regional homeport, possibly on the islands of the
Republic of Sao Tome and Principe centered in the Gulf."
In fact, the second-ranking general from European Command, General
Carlton Fulford, visited the islands last year, after which the Sao
Tome government declared it had an agreement to build a port. The
claim was denied by the state department, but it said the US would be
offering naval and coast guard assistance.
Wherever the new bases are built, there is no doubt they are coming.
The news will be welcomed for now by many long-suffering Liberians,
but if the people of the Gulf of Guinea are wondering whether the
troops are coming principally to protect oil or lives, they should
look beyond this week's speeches and ponder the history of the other
Gulf.
</bigger></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Century Schoolbook</param>If
you have come to this page from an outside location
<bold><color><param>0000,0000,FFFF</param>click here</color></bold> to
get back to mindfully.org
Please see the <bold><italic>Fair Use Notice</italic></bold> on the
Homepage</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param><bigger>
</bigger></fontfamily>
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