The below is an article found online:Sometimes in life are we shaken by a casual conversation for hours or even days. I waited quietly for a Friend at a Montreal bus terminal when a gentleman of a certain age has caught up with me before committing, one of the most rewarding conversations of my life. Professor of strategic studies at an international institute the man knew Africa like the back of his pocket. Its analysis, perspective on our future, gives a chilling sensation. And please, do not bring the rancor of "nostalgic settler ." Read with the head and the reason what he said.
I faithfully reported his findings: "It is now more than 25 years that I have been teaching strategy. In my career, I have dealt with dozens of officers and senior African officials. Unfortunately, I am obliged to tell you this: the point of view of strategic studies, analysis and anticipation, I give them a big zero points. Our African trainees are highly educated, they have nice military outfits handle the French language so remarkably, but in the course, they bring us nothing. Simply because to my knowledge, throughout Francophone Africa, there is not a single center of Strategic and International Studies with real professionals at its head. I'll explain why I have no hope for this continent. When I speak, the world is faced with three major issues: energy, defense policy and globalization. Give me one instance where Africa brings something. Nothing!
Start with the energy, namely oil. All internationally recognized experts are unanimous in recognizing that the next 15 to 20 years, this resource will be scarce and overpriced. In 2020, the oil price will be around $ 120. Is aware of this fact that countries such as the USA, France, China, United Kingdom, etc.. have established task forces to study and propose solutions that will enable these nations to get its hands on the world's resources, to ensure that whatever happens, their supply will be provided. Now, what do we see in Africa? The leaders of this continent are not even aware of the danger that awaits them: simply find themselves bereft of oil, which means neither more nor less than a return to prehistory! In a country like Gabon, which will see its oil wells dry up within a maximum of 10 years, any safeguard measure, no alternative measure is taken by the authorities. Instead, they pray that we find other deposits.In Africa, oil has no strategic challenge: you just need to pump and sell. The funds collected are two directions: the pockets of executives and traders weapon chests. This is pathetic.
Secondly, strategic defense. The moribund African armies is so advanced that any armed movement with some pick-up and Kalashnikov is able to rout it. I think it is more about internal repression armies than war or intelligent defense. Why? Because, compared to the armies of developed nations, China, India or Pakistan, African forces are more reminiscent of the Middle Ages that the twenty-first century. Take for example the case of the anti-aircraft defense.There is almost not a single country which has a defense system equipped with modern anti-aircraft missiles. They still use anti-aircraft guns. The cards that have some their staffs date of colonization! And no country has access to satellites able to learn about the movement of people or suspicious aircraft in its airspace without the help of foreign forces. What is the consequence of this inertia? Today, countries such as the United States, France and the United Kingdom can destroy in one day, all the structures of an African army without sending a single soldier on the ground ... Alone using satellites, cruise missiles and strategic bombers. In my opinion, and I think I am dreaming, if African countries got together, and each agrees to only 10% of its military budget to a continental center of research and application of defense systems, the continent can make a giant leap. There are Russia, Ukraine, China, India, hundreds of scientists very high level who are willing to work for 3000 U.S. dollars per month in order to deliver sophisticated weapons manufactured on the continent and for your defense. Do not think I'm kidding. Should never be naive. If the survival of the West through recolonization of Africa and the control of its vital natural resources, it will be without qualms. Do not think too much international law and the principles of peace, it is always the weak who cling to these illusions.
I think it's time to replace your officers (90% are dad's son who will never go to war and I know whereof I speak) by scientists capable of conducting research and development. But I'm skeptical. I think it will remain continent down to sleep until the day when the sky will fall on his head.
Finally, globalization. Unfortunately, as in all other matters which have had their day, the African trainees we receive is excellent mechanically parrots who repeat the arguments they hear in the West. Namely, it is necessary to make human help poor countries cope. You know, in my job, there are realities that I can not tell you about, but I'll tell you anyway. Globalization is just the modern form of perpetuating economic inequality. To be clear, I will tell you that this concept has a purpose: to keep poor countries as sources of goods and resources that would allow rich countries to maintain their standard of living. In other words, hard work, hard, low value-added and impractical in the West will be done in the third world. Thus, the electronic devices that cost U.S. $ 300 in 1980 always return the same award in 2006. And since Africa has not a coherent plan for economic development and independence, it will continue to be a reservoir of consumption which will be filled with all products manufactured in the world.For me, independence means first a degree of autonomy.
But when I see that countries such as Senegal, Mali, Niger, Chad and the Central African import nearly 45% of their own food from abroad, you understand that simple military embargo on supplies of goods and services enough to destroy them.Finally, I'll tell you a story. I spoke with Colonel Senegalese came internship with us a few months ago. We watched television images of millions of Lebanese marched through the streets to demand the withdrawal of Syrian troops from their country. I asked him what he thought.He replied: "The Lebanese want their independence and the Syrian presence suffocates." This is the typical response of naive idealism borrows. I explained that these events are neither spontaneous nor an expression of "".
They are carefully planned because they have a purpose. Israel is eager to battle with Hezbollah and since Tel Aviv can not go to war at the same time agaisnt the Palestinians, and Hezbollah Syria, its desires Damascus to withdraw. Once Lebanon is "uncovered" , Israel has carte blanche to invade and do whatever they want. I called the Senegalese officer two days ago to remind him of our conversation. Unfortunately, he reconverted to a different career. In his internship he was useless. I really hope that one day Africans will be aware of the strength of the union, analysis and anticipation. History shows us that coexistence between peoples has always been and will always be a balance of power. The day you get your nuclear weapons as China and India, you can quietly get through your development. But as long as you have the kind of leadership that I often encounter, you will never understand that respect is obtained with intelligence and power. I'm not optimistic. For if tomorrow the African Union and ECOWAS decide to create an African Institute for Strategic Studies credible and reliable individuals who will be selected will flock to the West to learn the way we see the world and its challenges. However, the challenge is different, it is to develop their way of seeing the world, the African way should be considering the interests of Africa. Then the officials who will be there on a diplomatic status, overpaid, inefficient and unable to think without the help of Western experts, will simply do copy and paste, it will be one among the many mess of the continent. Before your foreign ministries do analysis on how the world works, they would do better to first make your(Africa) own "interest". "
UN WATCH IVORY COAST :
Now it's clear that not a single Western country wants the well-being of the African continent given the fact that the world is faced with three major issues: energy, defense policy and globalization. And the survival of the West is to done through recolonization of Africa and the control of its vital natural resources, that will be done without qualms as we are seeing it in Libya and in Ivory Coast . We should not think too much international law and the principles of peace, which is always spelled out for the weak who cling to these illusions. Given that the UN/ EU/ICC are nothing but instruments in the hand of the multinational corporates building the new world order or globalization. The
Globalization is just the modern form of perpetuating economic inequality. A concept which has a purpose: to keep poor countries as sources of goods and resources that would allow rich countries to maintain their standard of living. In other words, hard work, hard, low value-added and impractical in the West(so far but soon applicable in the West with pressure of the big corporates) will be done in the third world.To put it in simple but harsh way the modern day slavery is on, debt, asset freezing, sanction, embargoes(though the instrument such as UN/NATO/EU/IMF/ICC etc ) have replaced the chains and the whips .
Today, countries such as the United States, France and the United Kingdom can destroy in one day, all the structures of an African army without sending a single soldier on the ground with the help of the UN/NATO. But today as during the old slavery days where there were people who were humanitarians have moral in the West and in Africa we also have the breed of movers and shakers who would stand in the gap to do what they ought to do.
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