From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Wed Jul 09 2008 - 09:25:37 EDT
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Africa
- US Imperialism in Africa Wednesday, 09 July 2008 A Black Agenda Radio
commentary by Glen Ford[image: BARfrontDuststorm]
George Bush doesn't feel the need to be consistent on human rights and
international law. He's got the largest arsenal in the history of the world
at his disposal - and no scruples about waging war against people who cannot
fight back. "The Ethiopian invasion of Somalia, launched in late 2006 with
massive air, naval and logistical support from the Americans, has resulted
in the displacement of 3.5 million people." By the end of this year, an
equal number of Somalis will face death by starvation. The American "modus
operandi is to create chaos - always resulting in mass deaths among the poor
- in order to declare Africans unfit to run their own affairs.
To listen to this Black Agenda Radio commentary, click the flash player
below
{mp3}091x_gf_somalia{/mp}
*Millions Face Disaster Due to U.S. Ethiopian Occupation of Somalia*
A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford
*"Obama, the Speaker of the House and the top Democrat in the Senate are all
mum on U.S. crimes against the Somali people."*
[image: BAREthipians]George Bush, who has violated every international law
known to man, still believes he has the moral authority to "law down the
law" to Robert Mugabe, in Zimbabwe. Bush took his *anti-Mugabe hysteria* to
Japan, this weekend, for the yearly meeting of the world's eight most
powerful industrial nations, the G-8. Seven African nations were there as
well, constituting the "African Outreach Group." They served notice on Bush,
the Brits and other rich countries that they continue to oppose sanctions
against Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, the United States is directly complicit in what the United
Nations has called the "worst humanitarian disaster" in Africa. The
Ethiopian invasion of Somalia, launched in late 2006 with massive air, naval
and logistical support from the Americans, has resulted in the displacement
of *3.5 million people*, 700,000 from the capital city of Mogadishu, alone.
More than two-and-a-half million Somalis face starvation – a figure that
could rise to three-and-a-half million by the end of this year. A recent
Amnesty International report on human rights violations in Somalia, said
Ethiopian soldiers have begun "slaughtering Somalis like goats" – meaning,
killing them by cutting their throats. Amnesty International's Deputy Africa
Director put it this way: *"**'The people of Somalia are being killed,
raped, tortured; looting is widespread and entire neighborhoods are being
destroyed."*
*"**Ethiopian soldiers have begun 'slaughtering Somalis like goats' –
meaning, killing them by cutting their throats."*
*The U.S. has made Ethiopia its hit man in the Horn of Africa, a decision
that is guaranteed to destabilize the entire region. That's part of the
American modus operandi: to create chaos – always resulting in mass deaths
among the poor – in order to declare Africans unfit to run their own
affairs. This is a theme that plays well among U.S. corporate media, who
have dutifully pushed the Bush line on Zimbabwe, but go months without even
mentioning the American-made crisis in Somalia. Democratic Party leadership
is no better, including presidential nominee-to-be Barack Obama, whose
father was born in Kenya, Somalia's neighbor. Obama, the Speaker of the
House and the top Democrat in the Senate are all mum on U.S. crimes against
the Somali people. *
*Before the Americans instigated the Ethiopians to invade Somalia, something
resembling peace had settle over the country. Islamist groups had succeeded
in defeating the warlords that were bankrolled by the United States.
Virtually all reports indicated that Somalis had cause to hope for a better
future for the first time since the country descended into chaos in 1992.
But peace was unacceptable to the United States, which is determined to
militarize the entire continent of Africa, in order to secure its oil
resources. Already, the Somali puppet government installed by the Ethiopians
and their American backers is inviting international energy companies to
exploit their virgin oil reserves. This lust for oil has already cost
Somalia its national sovereignty. It may also cost millions of lives.*
For Black Agenda Radio, I'm Glen Ford.
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