US Africa Command Launched Amid Skepticism and Rejection

[Jacuma]

Attempts to change imperialist image cannot mask true intentions

by Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor
Pan-African News Wire

On Oct.1, the much anticipated United States Africa Command (AFRICOM)
was officially launched. The military re-organization of forces to
oversee developments in the entire continent has been met with strong
objection from the major political states and regional blocs. Despite a
19-month effort to win acceptance in Africa for this plan, the
headquarters of AFRICOM remains in Stuggart, Germany.

Although the west African state of Libera, which has maintained close
ties with the US since its inception as a semi-colonial outpost where
former slaves sought an independent existence during the early and
middle 19th century, has expressed interested in hosting AFRICOM, the
only real base of operations is located at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti in
the Horn of Africa.

The US military base in Djibouti has existed since at least 2002, when
the Bush administration began to place greater emphasis on the Horn of
Africa, claiming that so-called "Islamic terrorists" were utilizing
neighboring Somalia as an area of operation.

Reports have also surfaced since 2007 that the southern African nation
of Botswana was being courted for the possiblity of establishing an
AFRICOM base in this largely arid and sparsely populated diamond-rich
country, which borders both Zimbabwe and South Africa. (Kenya Daily
Nation, September 13, 2007).

Attempt to Re-organize US Military Operations in Africa

Prior to the creation of AFRICOM, the US military command strucutre in
Africa was divided among three other regions. First the Central Command
(Centcom), which was responsible for Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya. Secondly, the European Command (Eucom),
which covered other states on the continent. Then there is the Pacific
Command (Pacom), with responsibility for Madagascar, the Seychelles and
the Indian Ocean area.

AFRICOM will be headed by a four-star General, William E. Ward, who is
African American. With the initial announcement by the Bush
administration in February of 2007 that it would launch this new
re-organization plan for US military operations in Africa, the nations
of South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and others immediately denounced the
concept and urged other states to follow suit.

Since this time period the US has attempted to cover up its true
imperialist's objectives and to promote AFRICOM as another assistance
program that would enhance the continent's ability in various areas
including national security, technical development and governmental
capactiy building.

In a recent State Department-sponsored "Voice of America" radio
interview with Mauro De-Lorenzo, who is a resident fellow for foreign
and defense policy at the right-wing American Enterprise Institute, he
told reporter Peter Clottey from Washington that AFRICOM would bolster
Africa's security situation.

"I think it's a positive development, but one which almost no one will
notice in Africa in their daily lives. AFRICOM is simply going to take
over the programs and objectives that were previously carried out by
three separate U.S military commands," said the AEI spokesperson.

De-Lorenzo sought to ease the concerns of African states by saying that:
"...most governments won't notice much of a difference. The content of
what they are engaging in with the United States is not going to change
very much right now. And certainly citizens will not see anything new or
surprising as a result of this," De-Lorenzo noted.

However, in an article published on the British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC) web site on Oct.1, it indicated that the number one priority of
AFRICOM was the so-called "war on terrorism." The US has no faith in
those states who they have funded to work toward eradicating the
purported influence of al-Qaeda and other organizations that are
targeted as a threat to imperialist interests.

The BBC article stated that: "[T]he main area of concern currently for
the US is Somalia, where it claims al-Qaeda operatives have sought
shelter and where training may be taking place. The US has launched a
number of airborne attacks on suspected al-Qaeda personnel in Somalia
without, it must be said, much success."

According to the BBC article, the second priority of AFRICOM is to
secure oil resources for US markets. With the increasing levels of
resistance in Iraq and throughout the Middle-East region, the
multi-national oil corporations are looking to Africa to supply greater
amounts of petroleum to the US and other western imperialist countries.

"Africa is the world's primary growing oil market; the US already gets
about 20% of it oil supplies from West Africa and the US is committed to
increasing its supply of oil from the continent to 25% by 2015," the BBC
article stated. There was also concern expressed by the BBC that the
political situations in Sudan, Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea,
all oil-rich states, were not necessary conducive to US strategic
interests.

Finally, the BBC identified the necessity, as far as US imperialism is
concerned, to counteract the emerging influence of the People's Republic
of China on the African continent. China has not only developed economic
parternships with numerous African countries, but has intervened at the
United Nations Security Council to prevent further sanctions against
Zimbbawe and Sudan, two states that have been targeted by the US for
regime change.

"China has prospered in Africa leaving the rest of the world-
particularly Western countries - behind. Africom represents part of a
new US strategy to engage with Africa," the article continued.

"The US government has been careful to point out that the establishment
of Africom will not mean any new permanent military base in Africa and
says there is no hidden agenda.
But such assurances have apparently done little to lower levels of
scepticism."

Challenges for the Anti-War and Anti-Imperialist Movement

With the formal launching of AFRICOM, it is essential that people within
the United States oppose this effort on the part of imperialism to
further its economic and military grip over large sections of the
African continent. It is clear that several areas of the continent have
been selected for direct military intervention to enhance US control
over oil and other strategic resources that are key to the continued
dominance of capitalist globalization.

Recent diplomatic and military efforts against the nations of Somalia,
Sudan and Zimbabwe must be analyzed in light of the formation of
AFRICOM. These countries have sought to move in a political direction
independent of US influence. The corporate media outlets within the
imperialist states have continually slandered the leading political
forces within these areas and is constantly attempting to influence
public opinion towards accepting direct military intervention.

Consequently, anti-war and anti-imperialist groups in the capitalist
states must oppose AFRICOM and its military interventionist program for
the African continent. The potential for wider military conflicts on the
African continent involving direct and indirect US involvement is all
too real.

The situation in Somalia, where the US-backed invasion by Ethiopian
troops in December 2006, has created the worst humanitarian crisis on
the continent. In Zimbabwe, the US along with Britain and the EU, have
imposed sanctions that have had a devastating impact on this southern
African nation's economy. In Sudan, the conflict in Darfur, has been
utilized to push for the arrest of that nation's head-of-state and for
the intervention of the US through a purported United Nations
peacekeeping force.

Therefore, US military involvement in Africa can only mean greater
instability and underdevelopment on the continent.
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Abayomi Azikiwe is the editor of the Pan-African News Wire. He was an
organizer of the "US Imperialism & Africa" Conference that was sponsored
by MECAWI in Detroit on February 23, 2008. The Conference condemned
AFRICOM and called for the peoples of Africa to reject its aims and
objectives.