Africa and the lack of a fear factor
Thursday, June 9, 2005 at 6:20PM ■"Africa's Problems Move to Top of Global Agenda: Blair Seeks Debt Relief, Aid, But Bush Is More Cautious; Slow Change in Mozambique," by Roger Thurow, Wall Street Journal , 9 June 2005, p. A1.
■"Reformers in Saudi Arabia: Seeking Rights, Paying a Price," by Neil MacFarquhar, New York Times, 9 June 2005, pulled off web cause dog ate paper.
Good WSJ piece on how Blair is rehabilitating his global rep by getting off the Middle East (and Iraq) and focusing on Africa. Worthy goal pursued by easily the smartest and most talented politician working the global stage today, so I won't argue with his choice.
But the reality is this: fear will bring the U.S. to Africa, like the growing hype on China "infiltrating" the continent, building roads and what not; or the notion that we desperately need African resources so we can wean ourselves off the Middle East. Fear, my friends. That's what it will take.
Meanwhile, there is plenty left to be done in the Middle East to follow through on the Big Bang. We have started quite the party, and now people are putting their lives on the line to push the pile. Do we stick it out, or pull back?
The faster we transform the Middle East, the faster we get to Africa for realónot just forgiving debt but keeping the peace and stopping the genocide.
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