Archive for October, 2008
U.S. defense contractors expanding business in Africa
By Daniel Volman | 31 October 2008
“If you look at the record for these programs in terms of teaching respect for human rights, professionalizing militaries, and preparing African armies for peacekeeping operations—all of which are perfectly laudable goals—the end result of the programs doesn’t contribute very much to those,” says Daniel Volman, who directs the African Security Research Project in Washington. “It’s much more likely to be used for purposes not intended by the U.S. government: counter-insurgency warfare, terrorizing populations, repressing internal dissent, etc.”
Committee to Protect Journalists: Nigerian government crackdown on journalists, bloggers
By ACAS | 31 October 2008
New York, October 31, 2008—Nigeria’s national security agency today confirmed it is holding a U.S.-based Nigerian blogger in the capital, Abuja. This is the second online journalist held for questioning in the past two weeks. Local journalists told CPJ that the detentions are part of a government crackdown on foreign-based Nigerian political Web sites ever since controversial photos of President Umaru Yar’Adua’s son were published on a popular news blog.
United States and other major powers still doggedly refuse to negotiate their lifestyles.
By James H. Mittleman | 26 October 2008
Writing about the current financial debacle, Thomas L. Friedman holds that in a globalizing world, “we are all partners now.” He hopes that “globalization will saveth.” More than 20 years ago, a global commission headed by Willy Brandt, the former chancellor of West Germany, called for a partnership in international development. What have been the results?
Call on next US president to fulfill pledges to Darfur
By ACAS | 17 October 2008
To date over 450,000 lives have been lost and over 2.5 million people have been rendered homeless. We cannot be silent witnesses to this atrocious abuse of human rights and outrageous violation of the very sanctity of life! With a new administration coming into the White House in the next few months, we have a historic opportunity to put pressure on the next U.S. president to lead the international community in bringing peace and justice to Darfur and all Sudan.
What Should the United States Do in Western Sahara?
By Jacob Mundy | 13 October 2008
Autonomy is not the most realistic solution for Western Sahara because it will require an expensive international peacekeeping force to guarantee the safety of the population and mutual implementation of the agreement. Considering the lack of resources to stop genocide in Darfur, is there really enough international will for an even more robust intervention into Western Sahara? This, however, assumes Morocco and the Western Saharan independence movement can reach an agreement in the first place. In the case of Israel and the Palestinians, at least there is the fundamental agreement on a two-state solution. In Western Sahara, there is no fundamental agreement.
Africa Says No to AFRICOM
By ACAS | 11 October 2008
A top Pentagon official for African affairs insisted on Wednesday that no country on the continent had been asked to host the new United States military command for Africa (Africom), as she began a three-day visit to Angola.
News: US cuts funding for condoms on Marie Stopes clinics
By ACAS | 6 October 2008
The US government is cutting its funding for the supply of contraceptives to family planning clinics run by Marie Stopes International in Africa, alleging that it condones forced abortions in China.
McCain, Obama on Africa
By ACAS | 2 October 2008
“While the many challenges faced by Africa—political instability and violent conflict, economic stagnation and poverty, disease and malnutrition—are well-known, Senator McCain has long believed that the continent also holds incredible promise, reminding his audience earlier this year in his speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, for example, that “we must refocus on the bright promise offered by many countries on that continent,” rather than being fixated on its problems,” writes McCain’s Africa adviser J. Peter Pham.