ARTICLE: "Colonial-Era Ties to Africa Face a Reckoning in France: Secretive and Powerful Cell Suffers Blows As Controversies Grow," by David Gauthier-Villars, Wall Street Journal, 16 May 2007, p. A1.

France has long used its residual forces in Africa to make sure its former colonies continue to give it privileged access to raw materials and energy and precious commodities there--same old same old.

Now, with the scandals piling up and Sarkozy poised to clean some house, France's minor key SysAdmin role in Africa appears to wind down, leaving the continent to whom?

Already, the U.S., India and China are investing heavily in Africa, hovering around what's left of French-controlled riches on the continent.

Now, with Africom poised to stand up, we see the real shift from Old Core to New Core begin in Africa, with America naturally aligned with this era's frontier-integrating economies: India and China.

So yeah, shrinking the Gap is not some dream. It's right on schedule.