Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper
I think that is a very rosy perspective on how things might turn out.
IMHO, the reality is that virtually all of the African states suffer from decaying infrastructure and such pandemic corruption as to qualify as kleptocracies, and are so close as to be nearly failed states like Somalia rather than emerging democracies. The rich get richer, and skim as much of the aid to the poor off as they can get away with. Every team I have talked to which has returned from an African state have the same story. Near total lack of resources, other than people, and a bribe, "fee" or other extortion attempt every time a new official is encountered, and a rampant lack of responsibility.
More aid to Africa is, IMHO, only going to line the pockets of a few and in the end, create more starving Africans. I do not think anything AFRICOM does is going to change that.
TR
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Generally speaking you’re correct and the world shares your opinion with good reason. Africa has consistently demonstrated the incapacity to stabilize volatile situations on its own. My optimism is based on the unprecedented progress that AFRICOM has made in the last twelve months alone, which really isn't much of a measuring stick. But my personal experience tells me that Africa today is definitely not the Africa I first visited 22 years ago. This is more of an indictment of just how bad things were then, more so than an endorsement of how much progress has been made since. But AFRICOM, for better or worse, is forcing change. The United States finally has a real presence on the continent that is ready, willing, and able to respond quickly to a humanitarian crisis; and equally willing to be a problem solving partner for some of the more challenging dilemmas facing sub-Sahara Africa, e.g. establishing viable democratic governance while also helping African’s establish their own sustainable security. AFRICOM also brings an unprecedented level of accountability to governments and other groups who, for the first time, have to factor non-traditional consequences of their actions, e.g. the training and equipping of opposition forces. The change is slow, and painful, but it’s happening. The African continent is ripe with insurgencies and corruption, mass killings, and retaliatory justice; but the change is happening. One example, only yesterday, Christian – Muslim violence erupted yet again in Nigeria, but the response this time was measurably different: 93 immediate arrests and the containment of what likely could have erupted into a regional conflict only two years ago. Instead the Nigerian government downplayed the religious undertones as “isolated” and was able to make quick arrests. Incidents like this are still a common occurrence in Africa today, but what’s different is how governments are responding to them. While there’s a long, long way to go, there is, in fact, a growing sense of law and order, accountability, and importantly – hope for the future.
A friend of mind told me that during a safety briefing he received in 1989 upon first arriving in central Africa, he was warned that if he asked a woman to dance, and she said yes, that she was also consenting to sleep with him that night. That’s an interesting mindset and a good example of the cultural challenges the world faces in Africa. The hurdles are enormous. For example, South Africa’s president, Jacob Zuma, recently married his fourth wife and is planning on marrying a fifth later this year, while Bill Clinton was, essentially, impeached for an affair. Marriages as young as eight are common in some areas which is very problematic for westerners. And this too often results in a “hands off” attitude towards Africa which has been a further impediment to progress. But 911 changed all that. We could no longer afford to ignore sun-Saharan Africa, especially with el Qaida generating large amounts of cash by protecting drug cartels. We didn’t have any other choice. I’m probably not alone in thinking that helping Africa achieve democracy and ending senseless violence is a noble cause, especially if it comes with the added bonus of combating piracy and terrorism. While tasked primarily with humanitarian and diplomatic missions, we can’t deny the military significance of AFRICOM. Routine humanitarian assistance teams don’t normally have “special” operators running interference, but these aren’t routine times we’re living in. When I was a kid my grandfather used to take me fishing. He was a commercial fisherman and we used gill nets. Sometimes a fish would be so hopelessly tangled that I wanted to cut the net. I would give up out of frustration. He would patiently tell me to “work until you find daylight, son”. I did (I didn’t have any other choice with him sitting there), and it worked every time. I'm hopeful that AFRICOM will be a little like my grandfather sitting there watching me work; and with terrorism being what it is today, we really don’t have a lot of choice. I can definitely see your point, but I guess the bright side is that we have rapid response boots on the ground in case we need them.