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January 28, 2009 09:53 AM UTC
8 Comments
Peace is always a priority, and Obama’s bold move with this interview bodes well for furthering the cause of peace.
More discussions should be had on the Peace Dividend.
In these troubling economic times, I’ve heard very little about trimming the military.
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of a one-time investment of, say, $300 Million in Somalia ?
Build up their law enforcement capacity; encourage domestic agricultural production; start some civil society initiatives ?
This would pay dividends for decades.
Instead, we are spending more than $50 Million extra each month to address “Somali piracy,” employing a grey hull strategic naval force tackle a brown water mission.
Actually, a “law enforcement” mission.
Mongo foreign policy.
A single frigate can burn through $200,000 in Marine Gas Oil a day.
Meanwhile, the China National Oil Corporation has gotten 3 months of positive press for a $400,000 donation to a children’s hospital in the region.
All CNOC cares about is the welfare of the good people of Somalia. Just a coincidence that they sit between CNOC wells in Sudan and the sea.
The Chinese might even offer to help the locals develop their own natural resources (despite concessions granted back when there was a government to Western oil companies.)
Maybe participation by the People’s Liberation Army in the anti-piracy task force isn’t just about piracy, after all ?
In my opinion, if we do something about the lawlessness and hopelessness in Somalia, we start to address the causes of most piracy.
Those same conditions, hopelessness and lawlessness, are mother’s milk for nurturing terrorism.
Let’s try experimenting with rational foreign policy that advances US national interests, for a change.
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I got a bit of an education from a guy who recently walked away from his assignment as Minister of Fisheries, Ports, Marine Transport and Marine Resources for the Puntland Autonomous Region of Somalia.
He told me it was hopeless for the local government to try to assert control over the pirates without outside help. After he asked the International Community to help the indigenous law enforcement agencies, particularly the Coast Guards that fell under his Ministry, they (we) responded by hinting that we would invade and fix their mess our way, recalling for him how we “fixed” Iraq.
Maybe he figured that if Europeans invaded while he was in office, the local population would assume he was in cahoots with the foreigners. Kiss of death.
But he continues to advocate for a local law enforcement solution to the piracy problem, and we have talked about how he might get international help for his home and country.
Somalis want to fix things on their own, but believe that outside help is needed. This is a great opening for China. If we want to stay competitive, maybe we should look at the areas where China is choosing to compete with us. They won’t challenge us head to head, but if they can develop strategic alliances and sources for raw materials in places where we aren’t looking, then they will.
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China is forging lots of long term business relationships in Africa. As a gesture of goodwill (or adept investment) China is building and investing in infrastructure and public works projects in Africa (some at no cost to the host country) while sourcing natural resources throughout the continent. Its a long term deal between the two, and a very strategic move by China, which will only pay off and leave the good ol USA out in the cold.
It’s good to see our leadership adding a new front to the war on terror.
So, is this Obama’s or Clinton’s “Smart Power” in action? Whatever it is, I like it.
Thanks for posting this. I don’t always like the stuff you put up but sometimes you call it like you see it.
sometimes he’s not a total idiot.