Guinea junta leader now convalescing in Burkina Faso

Guinea junta head Camara to recover in Burkina Faso

Captain Moussa Dadis Camara has not been seen in public since the shooting Guinea's junta leader has been taken to Burkina Faso after six weeks in Morocco being treated for a bullet wound. Eyewitnesses said Capt Moussa Dadis Camara, who was shot by an aide last month, had to be helped off the plane. The authorities in Burkina Faso say he will continue recuperating there, but no-one has explained why he is not returning to Guinea. Burkina Faso's leader is mediating in the crisis in Guinea, which has been in turmoil since a December 2008 coup. Capt Camara was receiving medical treatment in the Moroccan city of Rabat after being shot in the head by an aide on 3 December. Read entire story @ BBC tags: guinea_conakry, coup, geopolitical, moussa dadis camara, burkina faso

Obama moves ahead with AFRICOM (Dap @ kingdomzx.ning.com )

In his 11 July 2009 speech in Accra, Ghana, US President Barack Obama declared, 'America has a responsibility to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there is genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems – they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response. That is why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy, technical assistance, and logistical support, and will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. Our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa and the world.'

And yet all the available evidence demonstrates that he is determined to continue the expansion of US military activity on the continent initiated by President Bill Clinton in the late 1990s and dramatically escalated by President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. While many expected the Obama administration to adopt a security policy toward Africa that would be far less militaristic and unilateral than that pursued by his predecessor, the facts show that he is in fact essentially following the same policy that has guided US military involvement in Africa for more than a decade.

Read entire article at Pambazuka

We must resist Africom!


Photo credit: theblackchannel

tags: africom, barack obama, geopolitical, neo-colonialism

Are the Chinese Racist? (FB H/T @Jemima @ KAG) + China in Africa (MONDAY)

DIG IT!

Are the Chinese Racist?

This should prove interesting. As y'all know there has been a lot of debate regarding China's growing influence in Africa. Does this relationship benefit Africans or is it just another opportunity for corrupt African elites to fatten their boubous? Is China exploiting Africa much in the same way Western nations have done for centuries? Is China a racist nation?

I am no authority on the matter, but I hope to get a few leads at the China in Africa lecture at Boston University (see below). 

A few random thoughts: i have never been to China. i spent six months in Iwakuni Japan, but I don't have extensive experience in Asia. There is a fascinating thread on FB about Rwandans and other Africans in Japan who frequently puzzle their hosts with numerous instances of what they believe to be language convergence. 

I also have a few African American and African associates in China who are doing well--no complaints of overwhelming racism. My office mate of 3 years was from a rural area in northern China. We have swapped stories about poverty on several occasions, I can't recall discussing racism. I don't deny that racism exists in China. But I question the lack of balance in recent articles on the topic. And I am uncertain whether the recent intensification of ethnic violence in China explains racial attitudes towards black people. 

In the Washington Post article below, journalist Keith Richburg seems keen on depicting China and specifically the Han majority, as overwhelmingly  racist. He includes not a single quote offering a counter-opinion. Apparently only the GREAT OBAMA [*sarcastic grin*] can rescue them from their racists selves. Richburg also implies that Chinese writers exaggerate the status of race relations in the US when in fact, by some indicators, african americans are moving backwards. Yet Richburg is mute on this point...

America and Western Europe are currently engaged in fierce competition with China for trade deals w/resource rich African nations. China = racism/racists is, in my opinion, one of many strategies the west is using in an attempt to undermine China's rising profile in Africa. I don't know that Richburg is on a lobbyist payroll (i wouldn't doubt it), but his imperial American bias works well with the interests of white American elites. 


NB: China's relations with Africa are far older than the 1960s. I think they go back to c. 14 century.

Hung, 48, said her generation was "taught world history in a way that black people were oppressed, they were slaves, and we haven't seen any sign of success since. The African countries are still poor, and blacks [in America] still live in inner cities." Hung noted that Chinese racial prejudices extend to the country's own minority groups, including Tibetans and Uighurs -- or anyone who is not ethnically Han Chinese.

The view of African Americans as poor and oppressed fits into the official narrative of the United States as a place of glaring inequalities. China's most recent annual report on the United States' human rights record in 2008, released in February, made no mention of Obama's historic election. But it said, "In the United States, racial discrimination prevails in every aspect of social life."

"Black people and other minorities live at the bottom of the American society," the report said. "There is serious racial hostility in the United States."

Sherwood Hu, a Shanghai-based filmmaker, was one of the judges on "Go! Oriental Angel" who gave Lou high marks. "Before the Cultural Revolution, China considered black people our brothers and white people our enemies," Hu said. "But deep down, they're a little bit afraid of black people."

The racial animosity here reflects a prejudice dating to China's mainly agrarian past: Darker skin meant you worked the fields; lighter skin put you among the elite. The country is rapidly industrializing and urbanizing, but that historical prejudice remains. High-end skin-whitening products are a $100 million-a-year business in China, according to industry statistics.

 Incidentally, Mr. Richburg is the same journalist who in his book Out of America: A Black Man Confronts Africa, "thanks God for slavery," because it rescued his ancestors from African "savagery." I would not consider his discussions of race useful or accurate. But decide for yourself. Read the entire essay here. 

Robeson in China

Paul Robeson certainly seemed to have a good relationship with China--It was in America that he caught hell and was ultimately driven to a nervous breakdown. 

In the clip below this beautiful, brilliant, courageous black man sings the Chinese national anthem Chee Lai ("March of the Volunteers"). The song originally caught on as a way to encourage national solidarity against and resistance to Japanese aggression during WWII:

Quoting from Youtube: "Robeson sang the songs of the world's people in their own languages. He came to be conversant in 20 languages, and fluent in 12. Paul Robeson was the first foreign singer who sang the Chinese song "Chee Lai" in Chinese in the United States and the world over. This song was written in 1935 by the famous Chinese progressive playwright Tian Han...In 1935, the Japanese army occupied the northeast of China and was marching towards North China in an attempt to occupy the whole country. Chinese people were indignant and wanted to unite together to fight against Japanese invasion. It was at that time, "Chee Lai" or "March of the Volunteers" came into being to call on the whole nation to rise up." 

This is a shorter clip of Robeson where you can actually watch him singing Chee Lai live. WOW!!!

China in Africa MONDAY! @ Boston University

Photo Credit: Gavin Coates

tags: africa, barack obama, china, geopolitical, keith richburg, paul robeson, racism

Why are we changing maps?

Peters Projection World Map

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[Source: UCLA Afrikan Student Union]


tags: ucla afrikan student union, geopolitical, peters projection map

U.S. Achieves Deep Penetration of African Armed Forces (H/T Shango)

U.S. Achieves Deep Penetration of African Armed Forces

Posted Mon, 10/05/2009 - 23:55

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A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

Supporters of African independence are generally pleased that the U.S. Africa Command, AFRICOM, has not yet established an official headquarters on the continent, for fear of igniting anti-imperialist passions. But AFRICOM doeshave a major base on the continent, and more than half the militaries of Africa are at this moment being trained by AFRICOM units.

U.S. Achieves Deep Penetration of African Armed Forces

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

“They are creating African militaries that cannot operate without the assistance of the Americans.”

AFRICOM, the U.S. military's Africa Command, has forged deep ties to a growing number of militaries on the African continent. And, contrary to popular belief and official U.S. proclamations, Africom has established a base on the African continent. The base is located in Djibouti, the former French colony in the Horn of Africa on Somalia's northern border. The huge American base in Djibouti, from which the United States coordinates military actions in the region, including operations in Somali territory, is under AFRICOM command. It is, therefore, a fiction to maintain that AFRICOM has no bases on African soil.The U.S. Africa Command has simply opened no new bases, or relocated its official headquarters from Germany – a move that might ignite a wave of protest on the continent.

But the Americans may not have to stage a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a formal AFRICOM headquarters to accomplish the militarization of Africa under U.S. domination. A massive, U.S.-led military exercise is just winding down in the west African nation of Gabon. Dubbed “Africa Endeavor” the training mission involves military units from nearly 30 African countries under the auspices of the Americans: the U.S. Africa Command. It is by far the largest joint exercise with African militaries, and the third in so many years; the first two involved South Africa and Nigeria.

“It is a fiction to maintain that AFRICOM has no bases on African soil.”

The African American who commands AFRICOM, Gen. William Ward, claims the latest exercise in Gabon, which began last week and ends October 8, is designed to improve the ability of armed forces from various African nations to communicate with each other in peace-keeping operations. They are without a doubt learning how to communicate with and operate alongside the United States military. The current focus of U.S. AFRICOM activities appears to revolve around preparing African troops to operate under American command-and-control procedures. In early September, 50 Ugandan military officers were sent to the U.S. military base in Djibouti for training. A spokesman for the Ugandan Armed Forces told reporters the objective was to train Africans to fight with international forces. That is clearly a euphemism for operating alongside the Americans.

If the U.S. can turn the militaries of sovereign African nations into appendages of American forces, operating under American command-and-control, then there is no need to draw attention to the US. military presence in Africa by formally designating an AFRICOM headquarters in, say, Kampala, Uganda, or Monrovia, Liberia. Once the U.S. has subverted the officers corps of Africa's armies and made them dependent on U.S. equipment, procedures and logistics, American military domination becomes a fait accompli.

For its part, the U.S. Africa Command says the military exercises are meant to develop “standard procedures” for the operation of an all-African “Standby Force,” under the African Union. What they are in fact creating is a force that cannot operate without the assistance of the Americans. And, of course, such a force could never resist the Americans in battle. The U.S. will never give Africans the tools to defend themselves from...the Americans.

For Black Agenda Radio, I'm Glen Ford. On the web, go towww.BlackAgendaReport.com.

BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted atGlen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com.

tags: africom, geopolitical, war, uganda, africom, military industrial complex

OVERKILL: Troops In Afghanistan Already Outnumber Taliban 12:1

OVERKILL

Troops In Afghanistan Already Outnumber Taliban 12:1

SLOBODAN LEKIC | 10/27/09 09:14 PM |
BRUSSELS There are already more than 100,000 international troops in Afghanistan working with 200,000 Afghan security forces and police. It adds up to a 12-1 numerical advantage over Taliban rebels, but it hasn't led to anything close to victory.

Now, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan is asking for tens of thousands more troops to stem the escalating insurgency, raising the question of how many more troops it would take to succeed.
The commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, says the extra forces are needed to implement a new strategy that focuses on protecting civilians and depriving the militants of popular support in a country where tribal militias may be Taliban today and farmers tomorrow.

The White House said Tuesday that President Barack Obama has nearly finished gathering information and advice on how to proceed in Afghanistan, where bombings killed eight more American troops. With October now the deadliest month for U.S. forces in the war, many experts question the need for more troops.

"The U.S. and its allies already have ample numbers and firepower to annihilate the Taliban, if only the Taliban would cooperate by standing still and allowing us to bomb them to smithereens," said Andrew Bacevich, a professor of international relations and history at Boston University, and one-time platoon leader in Vietnam.

"But the insurgents are conducting the war in ways that do not play to (allied) strengths."
The Taliban rebels are estimated to number no more than 25,000. Ljubomir Stojadinovic, a military analyst and guerrilla warfare expert from Serbia, said that although McChrystal's reinforcements would lift the ratio to 20-1 or more, they would prove counterproductive.

"It's impossible to regain the initiative by introducing more foreign forces, which will only breed more resentment and more recruits for the enemy," he said. "The Soviets tried the exact same thing in Afghanistan in the 1980s with disastrous results."

Read the entire story here.

tags: afghanistan, barack obama, geopolitical, war on terror

Deeper in Afghanistan

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According to media reports, on Wednesday, 11 people, including five United Nations workers, died in an attack in Kabul. On Tuesday, eight more American troops lost their lives. October has been the deadliest month to date in the war in Afghanistan. President Barack Obama is set to announce next week that he's increasing troop levels for a war that has no coherent objective.

How does this not end in disaster for Obama and America? [Source]

tags: barack obama, war, afghanistan, geopolitical, war on terror, united nations

Guinea and China 'agree big deal' (H/T Papa Aziz)

From the BBC
Guinea and China 'agree big deal'

Guinea's military rulers have agreed a huge mining and oil deal with China, officials have told the BBC, amid continuing criticism of the junta.

Mines minister Mahmoud Thiam said a Chinese firm would invest more than $7bn (£4.5bn) in infrastructure.

In return, the company would be a "strategic partner" in all mining projects in the mineral-rich nation.

Guineans are currently on strike to remember dozens of protesters killed by soldiers during a rally two weeks ago.

CHINA IN AFRICA
China is Africa's second-biggest trading partner, behind US
Between 2002 and 2003 two-way trade doubles to $18.5bn
By 2008 trade tops $100bn - China exports $51bn, imports $56bn
Almost all imports come from oil-rich nations: Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, and Sudan Sources: China Daily, Reuters, Council on Foreign Relations

The shootings were widely condemned by international leaders and opposition groups within Guinea.

Agricultural Minister Abdourahmane Sano resigned on Monday, saying he could no longer show solidarity with the government.

And the president of West Africa's economic bloc, Ecowas, warned that the country was in danger of slipping into another dictatorship.

There are widespread calls for junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara to step down.

After last December's coup he promised to lead a transitional government and hand power back to civilians after an election scheduled for January 2010.

But there has been growing anger at reports that he intends to stand for president.

Read entire article here.

Country profile.

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga dissed (Thanks JP for sending this!) by the hypocrite Barack Obama. What would Minister Farrakhan say?

Many of y'all have already heard about complaints that Obama's first official visit to "black Africa"  should have made to the land of his father, Kenya, rather than Ghana. According to the Kenyan newspaper, the Daily Nation, the Obama administration has now established a pattern of snubbing Kenyan officials because of "corruption." Most recently the White House "disinvited" Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga from a luncheon.

New York-based Kenyan ambassador to the UN Zachary Muburi-Muita told the Nation on Saturday night that the State Department contacted him on Friday to “disinvite” Mr Odinga from the September 22 luncheon with President Obama in New York for African leaders. The ambassador last Monday confirmed to the Nation that he had received an invitation letter for the PM to attend the luncheon. A dispatch to the Foreign Affairs ministry from Kenya’s Ambassador to Washington, Mr Peter Ogego, seen by the Nation confirmed the cancellation.

And if there was any doubt on the matter, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, put the matter plainly.

“We are looking to have a dialogue with responsible leaders about the future of Africa’s economic and social development,” Susan Rice said on Monday in announcing the luncheon.

Apparently, Kenya is now a charter member of an honor role of sorts: The US list of super "corrupt" (Obama endorses the racist view that Africa has a monopoly on corruption) African nations. 

Kenya has been left out of the list of 40-plus countries invited to the luncheon, and will be among nations the US is snubbing because of disputes over their governance or an antagonistic relationship with Washington. They include Eritrea, Guinea, Madagascar, Niger, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

[Source: Daily Nation via JP]


When will African leaders stop accepting this nonsensical, hypocritical, browbeating from western nations?  Any single American president has been one hundred times more corrupt than any African leader. Do you doubt it? Well, what then shall we call the 90,000 + civilians that have perished in Iraq because Americans need oil? Minister Farrakhan puts this deadly hypocrisy in perspective during an interview by Mike Wallace. 



Any questions?