Report: U.S. Africa Aid Is Increasingly Military
Advocacy Group Cites Development Needs
By Stephanie McCrummen
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, July 18, 2008; A10
NAIROBI, July 17 -- U.S. aid to Africa is becoming increasingly militarized, resulting in skewed priorities and less attention to longer-term development projects that could lead to greater stability across the continent, according to a report released Thursday by the advocacy group Refugees International.
The report warns that the planned U.S. Africa Command, designed to boost America's image and prevent terrorism, is allowing the Defense Department to usurp funds traditionally directed by the State Department and U.S. aid agencies.
A Pentagon spokesman did not return a call requesting comment. But Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates warned this week against the risk of a "creeping militarization" of U.S. foreign policy and said the State Department should lead U.S. engagement with other countries.
The Pentagon, which controlled about 3 percent of official aid money a decade ago, now controls 22 percent, while the U.S. Agency for International Development's share has declined from 65 percent to 40 percent, according to the 56-page report.
"The danger is this strategy will not achieve the security objectives of addressing the root causes of terrorism," said Mark Malan, author of the report. "And it certainly won't address the developmental objectives of U.S. foreign policy."
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We're teaching them to
We're teaching them to follow our example of how to become pirates.
I don't know, ptc. I think
I don't know, ptc. I think Bush just wants to put fuel on the fire of some many atrocities so we'll have a reason to invade an oil rich country. Probably Nigeria since we don't wanna face China by invading Sudan.
we're giving guns. at least the Chinese pretend to be interested
in investment. But, I agree that this is shortsighted and somewhat bigoted. I mean, if we were smart, we'd be developing all the little capitalists that we could to open markets there, but these are only Africans, after all, what could they actually BUY (sarcasm dripping, as I see the rest of the world making the pretense of investing in Africa, while all we can do is guns.) But, to look at Africa as a huge potential marketplace would mean that you'd have to look at them as equals, so, you know where THAT's going.
you'd have to look at them
Tell the truth and shame the devil, rik. I mean really. I think the US, and the entire West for that matter, is much more interested in having a dysfunctional Africa than strong Africa. Even though it's cheaper to invest in Africa as a market.
it upsets me. The Chinese (who I don't trust), the Arabs (who
enslaved them), the Europeans (who colonized them) are more interested in doing business in Africa, than the USA. Haven't read a lot of stories, but read enough in Forbes and Fortune to see what a potential market some of the countries in Africa are. But, it would mean getting into an entire mindset...well....last huge untapped potential market on the planet, and everyone and his mama sees it, except for Americans, and I include Black Americans in that. sigh.
I don't know if I'd include
I don't know if I'd include black America. If I had the funds, I'd definitely be investing. Kyle Barker even started an Africa investment fund in the 90s. But that's just me, and Living Single only runs in re-runs, so there's that.
But seriously, if the funds were available and it seemed feasible, at least the "elite 10%" would invest in Africa. Don't you think?
I would hope so, no1kstate. There are some folks
that are entrepreneurial types. Yes, I wish they'd find the stable countries in Africa and go there. It's an entire lack of coordination. I might be wrong, but I don't think they're any lack of coordination between the Jewish members of Congress, and getting Jewish businesses the 'hookup' to Israel. I might be wrong, but I doubt it. Just like the nanosecond after that embargo is lifted in Cuba, the Cubans in Florida don't already have a plan in the drawer, with the connect the dots between the Congress, and what to do on the island. Who to call.