Re: Bush & Africa

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

At 2003-06-26 21:32 -0700, you wrote:
> [perhaps Dubya is afraid folks might draw comparisons between the Repugs.
> version of warlord capitalism and Charles Taylor's.]
>
>
>
> [New York Times]
> June 27, 2003
> Bush Calls for Changes in Africa to End Wars and Promote Trade
> By RICHARD W. STEVENSON

I like Ian's shrewd selection of clippings but on this occasion I think the
significance is even greater than the comment above suggests. Although I am
sure Bush does not intend to spend a lot of money on Africa, and does not
intend to send troops there, this is an even more chilling declaration of
pax americana, in the era of Empire, than particular attacks on the states
of the axis of evil.

After all in the case of North Korea, the Bush administration, even
Wolfowitz is having to think about strategy and tactics.

This above is a declaration for the whole of sub-Saharan Africa far more
arrogant than the Munro doctrine. The USA will probably leave Britain and
France to lead the military peace making/keeping initiatives, but it is is
openly using every lever to install a neo-colonial neo-liberal political
dispensation across the sub-continent and it will coordinate the whole
process. And it feels no obligation to make a great show of charity to
justify its grand design.

Chris Burford
London