Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

War on Terror hits Africa: More oil, more colonies

By, Mike Whitney

Al-Jazeerah, March 9, 2004


War on Terror hits Africa; more oil, more colonies by, Mike Whitney


The Pentagon is signaling that it will be expanding its efforts in the war on Terrorism on a new front; Africa. The news only reinforces the widely held belief among skeptics that the war on terror is a shameless deception aimed at stealing the remainder of the world’s dwindling resources.

In a recent report by the Associated Press, “Al Qaida may be looking to Africa”, the AP makes the case that “al Qaida may be looking in the desserts and jungles of Africa as a haven where terrorists could train recruits and plan new attacks.” These are the conclusions of Deputy Commander of the United States European Command Air Force Gen. Charles Wald. “Key among U.S. military proposals to fight back is deploying American units of about 200 soldiers to train armies throughout the continent, patrol alongside them, or hunt terrorists on short notice if necessary.”

"We need to drain the swamp," Wald beamed, in the thinly veiled vernacular that is particular to America’s new colonial elite.

Wald said some terrorists had been “sent to Iraq from North Africa, and there were indications that al-Qaida has established a presence and tried to recruit in North Africa over the past two years.”

In response to these dubious observations the Pentagon will be undergoing “a major reconfiguring of its forces” under the European Command to address the suspicions that a few rogue al Qaida members might be collecting in the African “outback”. This is an attempt to conceal the real motive behind the intervention; a desire to project American military power in the region.

As Senator Robert Byrd recently opined, “I might have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night!”


The new arrangements for troop deployments focus almost entirely on oil producing countries that are considered critical to America’s energy needs. (Nigeria, Sudan, Gabon, Chad) These countries could very well supply nearly 25% of the petroleum the US consumes yearly.

Not surprisingly, the infestation of terrorist groups always seems to crop up in these oil-rich locations. It almost seems like someone in al Qaida caught a glimpse of Mr Cheney’s secret “energy papers” and is working out a parallel strategy.


Typical of most reporting from the Associated Press, it takes a bit of “sorting out” to wade through the political spin and figure out the gist of what is going on. In this case, once again, we see the US Military is being implemented as A PUBLICLY FUNDED SECURITY APPARATUS FOR PRIVATE INDUSTRY. (excuse the bold print) This, of course, is the modern-day function of the military, although many Americans still believe the nonsensical rhetoric that it operates in the interests of national defense.

It does not. It is entirely devoted to RESOURCE ACQUISITION AND SECURITY FOR THOSE SAME RESOURCES.

There’s no reason for the US to be in Africa, anyone can see that. (Although, The Heritage Foundation, a conservative U.S. think tank, is pushing for the U.S.-based Central Command to take over responsibility for the entire continent. So, we can see that these imperial aspirations are not limited to the White House.) And, we know what Africa’s real problems are; the AIDS epidemic, famine, poverty, disease and political instability. Any of these eclipse the dangers of terrorism.

The Bush Administration has done next to nothing to tackle these pressing needs. (The commitment 2 years ago to provide $15 billion to AIDS in Africa has dissipated into a paltry $2 billion, mostly provided to “abstinence only” programs; the medieval approach to birth control) Instead, they are embarking on another military adventure that will guarantee massive suffering and strip the people of the resources that might lift them out of their dire predicament.

Just more grist for the Bush-mill.


The African deployment demonstrates how the administration is trying to corner to world’s oil market while camouflaging their intention to do so. As always, they are more than willing to sacrifice innocent lives to achieve their objectives.

How long will the American people accept the War on Terror as an excuse for intervention, aggression and plunder?


Any “swamp draining” should be limited to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20editorials/2004%20opinions/March/9%20o/War%20on%20Terror%20hits...