George W. Bush recently stated that America “demands clear results for the billions of taxpayer dollars it sends to Africa” and that recipients should ”set clear goals and achieve measurable results.”
This is ironic on several levels. For years the neoconservatives at the highest level of the imperial class have all criticized the need for metrics and “objective results” in measuring the progress, or lack thereof, in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Another reason this is confusing is that neither Bush nor the Western envoys are willing to point the blame on themselves for compounding this quagmire. Over 80% of all taxpayer-financed aid that has been sent to Africa has made its way into private Swiss bank accounts of more than a dozen dictators. This amounted to roughly $150 billion in 2005. (see: Where does most of that money go?)
However arguably the most blaise statement was that Bush declared that the “age of paternalism” was over for Africa — that its nation-states would have to grow up on their own.
This is ironic because after pooring billions of dollars in military aid to support various puppet states, last October, the Pentagon errected a brand new central command for the whole of Africa (minus Egypt).
If politicians were consistent about caring for taxpayer investments they would simply give the money back to the taxpayer and stop funding nepotistic kleptocracies altogether. After all, even after being coerced into financing public aid projects, American-based private individuals and charities still manage to donate more than three times that of what the US government does – $95 billion in 2005 alone.
Thus, among other places, walking the walk may have prevented the unnecessary deaths of 19 soldiers fifteen years ago in Mogadishu.
Thank you, Tim Swanson. Based on the figures and facts stated above, I think that the aid we give Africa should be from people to people.
Aid to third world countries is only to keep dictators in power,until the US decide to replace them, and the citizrns in fear and misery.The aid was never meant to solve anything,but compound the sufferings.Most aid comes in the form of military aid which used to buy un-needed military equipments from westren corporations.
Much aid subsidizes US companies
From people to people? That is crazy talk, where did you get such a crazy notion? lol
For a complete rundown on new the US role in Africa, log onto http://www.africom.mil Note the .mil which indicates a military website as suggested by salem s above.
The U.S. needs an “African Command” like One needs a hole in their head.
First of all the feds should stop giving away our money, even to worthy causes. That aid is money taken from our pockets by dint of federal force, not a freewill offering from the goodness of our hearts.
I guess Bush forgot to check with us first.