Wayne H. Bowen: President Obama and Africa: The Irony of Neglect
[Dr. Wayne H. Bowen is professor and chair of the Department of History at Southeast Missouri State University.]
...Africa is critically important to the United States, including in the struggle against radical Islamist terror. For all of the justifiable attention paid to al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Iraq -- the central fronts in the war on terrorism -- the continent of Africa has long been a nexus for recruitment, attacks and fundraising by Osama bin Laden's infamous terrorist network. From Kenya, to the Sudan, to Algeria, al-Qaida has deep entanglements, which threaten not only U.S. interests, but even more the stability of nations that have partnered with the United States.
Regrettably, the Obama administration appears not to understand the strategic importance of the continent. Other than a short paragraph on Sudan, there is no mention of Africa on the "Foreign Policy" issues section of the White House's website, and there has been little follow-up on the president's much-ballyhooed visit of July 2009....
Ironically, given the African roots of our current president, the Obama administration has paid less attention and devoted fewer resources to Africa than did President Bush, risking many recent military, political, health and economic gains. While many Africans are proud that the son of a Kenyan father now lives in the White House, tangible benefits in security, living standards and freedom were far greater under the Republican from Texas who preceded him. We risk losing tremendous ground in Africa, as al-Qaida and its regional allies are poised to rush in where they perceive a lack of interest and involvement by the United States....
In North Africa, al-Qaida in the Islamic Magreb (AQIM) has been active since 2002, attacking the Algerian and other governments, as well as Western targets. While their operational abilities appear to be less than comparable affiliates in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, AQIM has a geographically broader range of movement, including into southern Europe. Loosely tied to Osama bin Laden's network, AQIM has been pursued by Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, has suffered dramatic losses of its personnel and resources, but continues operate, and recently has begun to forge dangerous ties with sympathetic Muslim communities in France, Spain and Italy.
In the late 1980s, an Ethiopian dissident, in a speech at the National Press Club, which was also broadcast on C-SPAN, declared: "We are more than just hungry bellies!" His case is even stronger today, as the continent of Africa has taken on a strategic importance greater for the United States than at any time in history. It would be a supreme irony if America's first African-American president let slip the dramatic gains the United States and its African partners have achieved.
Read entire article at Southeast Missourian
...Africa is critically important to the United States, including in the struggle against radical Islamist terror. For all of the justifiable attention paid to al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Iraq -- the central fronts in the war on terrorism -- the continent of Africa has long been a nexus for recruitment, attacks and fundraising by Osama bin Laden's infamous terrorist network. From Kenya, to the Sudan, to Algeria, al-Qaida has deep entanglements, which threaten not only U.S. interests, but even more the stability of nations that have partnered with the United States.
Regrettably, the Obama administration appears not to understand the strategic importance of the continent. Other than a short paragraph on Sudan, there is no mention of Africa on the "Foreign Policy" issues section of the White House's website, and there has been little follow-up on the president's much-ballyhooed visit of July 2009....
Ironically, given the African roots of our current president, the Obama administration has paid less attention and devoted fewer resources to Africa than did President Bush, risking many recent military, political, health and economic gains. While many Africans are proud that the son of a Kenyan father now lives in the White House, tangible benefits in security, living standards and freedom were far greater under the Republican from Texas who preceded him. We risk losing tremendous ground in Africa, as al-Qaida and its regional allies are poised to rush in where they perceive a lack of interest and involvement by the United States....
In North Africa, al-Qaida in the Islamic Magreb (AQIM) has been active since 2002, attacking the Algerian and other governments, as well as Western targets. While their operational abilities appear to be less than comparable affiliates in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, AQIM has a geographically broader range of movement, including into southern Europe. Loosely tied to Osama bin Laden's network, AQIM has been pursued by Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, has suffered dramatic losses of its personnel and resources, but continues operate, and recently has begun to forge dangerous ties with sympathetic Muslim communities in France, Spain and Italy.
In the late 1980s, an Ethiopian dissident, in a speech at the National Press Club, which was also broadcast on C-SPAN, declared: "We are more than just hungry bellies!" His case is even stronger today, as the continent of Africa has taken on a strategic importance greater for the United States than at any time in history. It would be a supreme irony if America's first African-American president let slip the dramatic gains the United States and its African partners have achieved.