AFRI(OIL)COM- Will the next war for oil be in Africa?

by Antonia Juhasz

Methodically and without fanfare, the United States spreads its military tentacles across the length and breadth of Africa. Although imperialism needs no excuses to expand its dominion, the lure of huge untapped oil reserves gives urgency to the massive U.S. military penetration of the continent. "Under the rubric of the Global War on Terror, the Bush administration has implemented the greatest realignment of US forces since the end of the Cold War." As the Americans endeavor to turn the entire globe into an energy battlefield, "the impact in Africa will likely be the same as in Iraq: perpetual occupation, instability, and growing anti-Americanism."

"Africa is an area of increasing activity for both Big Oil and the US military."



The number of Americans who believe that the war in Iraq was a mistake has surpassed the number who felt the same way about Vietnam during that war. At the same time, a much quieter US military build-up is underway on another continent. The ultimate objective of the two efforts is the same: securing Big Oil's access to the regions' oil. The impact in Africa will likely be the same as in Iraq: perpetual occupation, instability, and growing anti-Americanism.

In recognition of "the emerging strategic importance of Africa," President George W Bush in February 2007 ordered the creation of AFRICOM, the US Africa Command.

AFRICOM centralizes all authority for the US military operating in the African region under one command structure. It also transfers many duties that previously belonged to nonmilitary US agencies - such as building schools and digging wells - to the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense. While fighting terrorism in Africa is the primary reason given for the establishment of AFRICOM, oil appears to be the more pressing motivator.

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http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5301