Don't be deceived by semantics
By Editor
Monday September 17, 2007 [04:00]
AFRICA doesn't need any United States military bases. The establishment of any military base in any African country should be vigorously opposed by the African people. It won't solve any of our problems. Our experience as a continent and the experience of others is that the United States has not succeeded in solving problems anywhere in the world through the use of force.
They tried it in Somalia a few years ago; they sent very well-trained and well-equipped troops into that poor country to fight militias but they failed to achieve anything; they failed to bring peace to that war-torn country. Instead they succeeded in fragmenting that country further and deepening its disintegration.
It should by now be clear to the political and military leaders of the United States that none of the present problems of the world can be solved by force. What we need to do is to build a world conscious against conflict, against violence and against war in general.
Only intelligent policy, seeking peace through peaceful means, consensus and international public opinion can decidedly bring peace in our world. We will continue to have violent conflicts in the world unless a non-imperial path of international peace and cooperation is pursued.
It is time the United States realised that the role of being a world policeman it wants to assume cannot work. It will not do for the United States to set up military bases in every region of the world. What makes the United States think only itself, using its military might, can bring peace to the world?
Today, the US has troops or military bases in almost every region but what peace has it brought to the world? And invariably it would appear wherever they are, conflict is hated. Peace cannot be established by bullying others. The United States’ presence in the Middle East has clearly demonstrated that no one country, no matter how well-developed or equipped its armed forces may be, can claim to have the monopoly of force.
For almost six years the United States and its NATO allies have failed to defeat the Taliban militias and bring peace to Afghanistan. A similar story, if not worse, can be told in Iraq.
For close to five years the United States military might in Iraq has failed to defeat militias in that country.
To us this is the clear sign that United States military is incapable of bringing peace to the world. If anything it has succeeded in breeding hatred and contempt for that militarily, economically and politically powerful country that could be playing a very influential and positive role in our world today. The heavy reliance on bullying and blackmail, using military and economic means, has only brought contempt and hatred for the United States.
This being the situation, this being the reality, why is the United States still trying to set up more military bases or command offices all over the world? In an economic situation such as the world is experiencing today, when extremely serious problems affecting mankind remain unsolved, including its own survival which is threatened by other evils unrelated to the destructive power of modern weaponry, one wonders:
why this obstinate desire by the United States to continue expanding its military presence in every part of our world, trying to solve every conflict by starting complicated and endless wars? The military bases or command offices the United States wants to establish on our continent are not for peaceful means of solving problems but for violent ways of dealing with conflict.
It's true that no country in the world today, including the United States, can solve all its problems by itself. International cooperation is needed. And the United States can play a very big role in helping to build a more peaceful, more humane, more fair, more just world without resorting to military might and economic and political blackmail.
By now the United States political leadership should have realised that not every people in the world can be bullied or intimidated by their military might. The Afghans and the Iraqis are showing this every day. And more and more peoples of the world are preparing and arming themselves to respond effectively to what they see as United States arrogance and imperial approach in dealing with global problems and conflicts.
Others are demonstrating that no amount of economic and political blackmail can make them yield to United States hegemony. For close to fifty years, the Cubans have defied the United States economic blockade with a lot of difficulties but at the same time with a lot of dignity.
Many countries of the Latin America today are struggling to free themselves from United States hegemony and arrogance. Why can't the leaders of this great country realise that the world today cannot be governed on the basis of imperial domination, relying on military might and economic and political blackmail.
Can't they see that their policy is just helping to spiral the arms race. Today the Russians are spending billions trying to modernise or update their armed forces, and are developing new and more destructive weaponry.
The Chinese are continually increasing their military spending and are expanding their military capacity. The Indians and the Pakistanis are also doing the same. Of course, many countries in the world are following this same path.
Where will this lead the world and what is fuelling it? Is this the correct path to world peace and security?
And now that the United States has made it clear that it is seeking to establish an African Command Office in Zambia, the Zambian government and the Zambian people must make it very clear to them that whatever this means or entails, it is equally not acceptable. This is because it amounts to the same thing as setting up a military base here.
The United States has enough diplomatic organs to help contribute to the economic development of our country and our continent. Through these organs the training of peacekeepers has been successfully conducted in cooperation with our armed forces. No one is opposed to this type of cooperation and we don't need a United States Africa Command Office in our country to achieve this.
Therefore, any attempt by the United States to set up an African Command Office in Zambia should be vigorously opposed as has been the case with the setting up of the military base because both amount to the same thing and will give rise to the same problems - they are one and the same thing; it is just a matter of semantics.
Labels: AFRICOM, EDITORIAL, MILITARY BASES
Read more...
Zambia is not ideal for military base - Martinez
By Edwin Mbulo
Monday September 17, 2007 [04:00]
UNITED States Ambassador Carmen Martinez has said Zambia is not an ideal place to set up a military base. And Ambassador Martinez has urged the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries to find ways of resolving the political differences in Zimbabwe before they spread to neighbouring countries.
Featuring on Face the Media programme on Livingstone's Zambezi FM Radio on Saturday, Ambassador Martinez emphasised that the USA had no intentions of setting up a military base in Zambia.
Ambassador Martinez said the US had instead approached the Zambian government to set up what she called an Africa Command Office which would be an administrative office for crisis management, be it political or economic.
"It is not ideal to set up a military base in Zambia. We have had discussions with the Zambian government on our intentions to set up an administrative office and not a military base," she said.
Ambassador Martinez said the Africa Command Office was designed to try to assist, monitor programmes and any crisis facing Africa.
"The Africa Command Office will also assist maintain peace on the African continent," she said.
Ambassador Martinez said the USA was already training peacekeepers in Africa to help maintain peace on the continent. Recently, President Levy Mwanawasa said he would not allow the US to set up a military base in Zambia. President said the government would not give the US sanctuary to establish a military base in the country.
Former president Dr Kenneth Kaunda also asked America to keep its military guns away from Africa. And information minister Mike Mulongoti last week said the US government had asked the African Union to help them find a place in Africa for them to set up a military base.
Dr Kaunda said it was disturbing for the US to consider establishing a military base in Africa instead of assisting the continent to empower its people. And Ambassador Martinez expressed fears that problems affecting Zimbabwe were slowly spreading to neighbouring countries.
" Zambia may already be affected with economic problems Zimbabwe is currently facing," said Ambassador Martinez.
Labels: AFRICOM, CARMEN MARTINEZ, MILITARY BASES
Read more...
Sata commends Levy over stance on US army base
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sunday September 02, 2007 [04:00]
OPPOSITION Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata has commended President Levy Mwanawasa for rejecting America’s plans to set up the US Africa Command (Africom) base in Zambia. Commenting on President Mwanawasa’s declaration that his government would not give the United States of America (USA) sanctuary to establish its military base in Zambia, Sata yesterday said the PF had supported the President and the MMD government for the first time for making a correct decision to protect the sovereignty of Zambia.
“For the first time, we are openly supporting President Mwanawasa. This is the best decision since Mwanawasa came to power,” he said. “We know that the Americans’ intention to establish a military base in this country has one thing to assault Zimbabwe. It will be unthinkable and a sin for Americans to use Zambia as a spring board of removing President Mugabe.”
He said the US and Britain had not hidden their intention on the need for regime change in Zimbabwe.
Sata said if the US was allowed to set up a base in Zambia, they would use it to destabilize the region and other regions in Africa.
“The Americans would use their base here to remove any leader they don’t like in Africa,” Sata observed. “And knowing Americans, it will be easy to come here but it would be very difficult to remove them.”
He said allowing the US to set up a base would displace a lot of people.
“We would also like to appeal to the President to use the same powers, he has used to reject the Americans’ intention to establish a military base, to deal with Chinese. Chinese may not have guns but they are too many here,” he said. “We have provided employment to Chinese; we are not going to provide employment for Americans.”
Sata observed that Zambia had been used as a military base by freedom fighters in southern Africa.
“The Zambian soil was used during the struggle against colonialism. At that time the government allowed freedom fighters, which was a correct thing to use Zambia as a spring board to fight colonialism,” he said.
Sata said that action, though good, had cost Zambians their lives.
“There were costs in terms of property, economic stagnation and above all loss of lives,” Sata said.
President Mwanawasa, who is also SADC chairman, said none of the SADC countries were interested in Africom.
“Each country has sovereignty to decide on that, but we will not as Zambia. We will not give them sanctuary. I think I can speak on behalf of the SADC region and none of us is interested,” said President Mwanawasa on Friday before departure to Swaziland on a five-day state visit.
Labels: MILITARY BASES, SATA
Read more...
Levy is right on US military bases
By Editor
Saturday September 01, 2007 [04:00]
Africa today represents one of the most important, if not the most important, fields of battle against all forms of exploitation existing in the world, against imperialism and neo-colonialism. There are big possibilities for success in Africa, but there are also many dangers. The positive aspects include the hate which colonialism has left in the minds of our people. What we consider the principal danger for Africa is the possibility of division among our peoples.
On the one side, there are lackeys of imperialism, on the other the peoples seeking to free themselves along the roads suited to them and who are willing to defend their sovereignty. We highly welcome the position taken by President Levy Mwanawasa that his government will never allow the United States to establish its military base in Zambia. This is a very correct position to take because the presence of American armed forces on Zambian soil will completely take away any hope that we may harbour for independence, sovereignty and indeed peace.
There are many examples in the world where the presence of the United States' military has resulted in nothing but continued instability and total loss of independence and sovereignty.
The Middle East is a good example of this. The United States has set up hundreds of military bases in many countries all over the world but these have not brought any increased security to those countries, regions or indeed the world in general.
And when one critically analyses all these military bases of the United States on foreign soil, one realises that there are so many nooses round the neck of United States imperialism. The nooses have been fashioned by the Americans themselves and by nobody else, and it is they themselves who have put these nooses round their own necks, handing the ends of the ropes to the peoples of the Arab countries and all the peoples of the world who love peace and oppose aggression and subjugation. The longer the United States military remains in those places, the tighter the nooses round their necks will become.
United States imperialism will not last long because it always does evil things. And because of this, many people in the world will rise and struggle against it. The attitude and behaviour of the United States needs to change, must change. It is the task of the people of the whole world to put an end to United States imperialism.
Riding roughshod everywhere, United States imperialism has made itself the enemy of the people of the world and is increasingly isolating itself. Those who refuse to be enslaved will never be cowed by the military might of the United States. The raging tide of the people of the world against the United States imperialism is irresistible. And their struggle against United States imperialism will assuredly triumph. If the United States persists in pushing its militaristic policies of aggression and war and of using their military power to dominate the world, the day is bound to come when they will be hanged by the people of the whole world.
There is no need for anyone in the world today, especially our poor world, to think they can be protected by the United States; to think the United States respects their independence and sovereignty, and pin their hopes for peace and progress on the sensibleness of United States imperialism. They will only triumph by strengthening their unity and persevering in their opposition to imperialism.
And we should never forget that the richest source of power to oppose United States imperialism lies in the masses of our people. It is mainly because of the unorganised state of the masses of our people that the United States dares to bully us. When this defect is remedied, then United States imperialism, like a mad bull crashing into a ring of flames, will be surrounded by hundreds of millions of our people standing upright, the mere sound of their voices will strike terror into them.
We shouldn't deceive ourselves in any way that the United States' decision to set up military bases on our continent, in our countries, is for our own protection, for our peace and progress. It is for its own imperial interests. The United States' policy towards Africa is defined by the increasing importance of African oil to American energy needs. United States oil industry officials emphasise that the United States intelligence community has estimated that the United States will buy 25 per cent of its oil from Africa by 2015.
The United States government claims that its military mission in Africa will be diplomatic, economic and humanitarian aid, aimed at prevention of conflict, rather than at military intervention. But when things are analysed properly, it is clear that the United States Africa Command (Africom) holds potential well beyond military oversight.
It may be necessary to remind ourselves of where the United States government is headed and why it is doing what it is doing. In March 1998, the United States government made public the "1998 Trade Policy Agenda of the United States" where it was literally indicated that it is set to be "aggressive, directed globally and at all key regions of the world"; that "as the most important and successful economy in the global trading system, the United States is in a strong position to use its powers of persuasion and influence to pursue this Agenda"; and that "despite the substantial market openings that have been achieved in recent years, there remain too many barriers to United States goods and services exports throughout the world". Such language is distressing, but that's what they believe and want to do. From this, it is very clear that the United States government "will never spread any trade investments without necessarily using some force as an avenue to aid it". And "this is basically aimed at influencing, threatening and warding off any competitors by using force, if necessary".
This is the main purpose of their military policy. Of course there is talk of fighting terrorism and moves to drive African countries into this war which is defined only by themselves. It is not difficult to realise the implications of such an initiative to drive African countries into war of terror tactics in the pretext of spreading economic investments. The desperate efforts by the United States to have a large control of oil and other mineral resources in Africa is a real threat to the stability of this continent.
We therefore welcome the position taken by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states to oppose the establishment of United States military bases in our countries and on our continent. As South Africa's defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota has correctly observed, the presence of foreign military forces in our countries might just end up dividing us and affect the relations between our sister countries and will not in any way encourage an atmosphere of security. Our region and our continent will take care of its security needs and where necessary will seek international assistance on terms and conditions that do not threaten our peace, unity, independence and sovereignty.
The decision by the United States to set up military bases in our countries should be opposed in all circumstances, including in the cool salons of political manipulation. We should never, never allow any United States military base in our countries, in our region and indeed on our continent.
As part of its policy of coercion, threats, destabilisation and aggression - with the ensuing increase in international tension and the climate of conflict - the United States government has launched the greatest peace-time arms buildup programme in its history. The aggressive and interventionist course of the United States, backed by the enormous combined offensive potential of its NATO allies, is the gravest conceivable threat to peace and security of all the peoples of the world.
It is this policy of building up an impressive military force to try to solve the complex problems of today's world through the indiscriminate use or threat of use of force that has committed mankind to an arms buildup spiral seriously endangering peace and man's own survival. Stopping and reversing it is today, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the most decisive contribution to the cause of peace, the most essential and definitive goal the world has before it. And this will be undermined if we allow the United States to establish military bases in our countries.
Everyone must be aware that today's problems cannot be solved by use of force. Our aspirations and demands clash with the lack of understanding; selfishness; colossal interests; and enormous technological, economic, military and political power of imperialism and its neo-colonialist forms and with the rigid, inexorable laws that govern that system which has imposed brutally exploiting, unequal, asphyxiating and unjust economic relations on our countries - relations that are even worse than and more sophisticated than those of the colonial system, whose eradication gave rise to so many hopes.
If a real climate of peace and security for all states, both large and small, is not created and if the absurd arms race and militarism - which is spiraling dizzily, faster than in any other time in history - is not halted, not only will the danger of wars become a terrible reality, but it will not even be possible to dream of having the resources that are needed to meet our poor people's urgent and basic needs. The task will be impossible if this militarism and military spending is not stopped and reduced drastically.
We have no alternative but to struggle without respite for peace, improved international relations, a halt to militarism and the arms race and a drastic reduction in military spending and to demand that a considerable part of those funds be dedicated to developing our poor countries. And our countries' staunchness in the defence of their sovereignty constitutes the best code of conduct against imperialism.
And in this regard, the unity of all our countries and our peoples is absolutely necessary. We should also rise above all local controversies that sometimes turn us into enemies because of old disputes or intrigues, ambitions or the machinations of imperialism. The abolition of wars between our countries should be a basic law of our states and an integral part of our struggle for universal peace.
Labels: EDITORIAL, MILITARY BASES, MWANAWASA
Read more...
We'll not allow US military bases here - Levy
By Brighton Phiri and Chibaula Silwamba
Saturday September 01, 2007 [04:00]
PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa yesterday declared that his government would not give the United States of America sanctuary to establish its military base in Zambia. Speaking before his departure for Swaziland where he is expected to officially open that country's International Trade Fair and attend the annual Umhlanga (reed Dance) ceremony, President Mwanawasa said Zambia was not supportive of the US' intention to establish its Africa Command (Africom) on the continent.
President Mwanawasa, who is also Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairman, disclosed that none of the SADC countries were interested in the US' intention to establish its military base in Africa.
"Each country has sovereignty to decide on that, but we will not as Zambia. We will not give them sanctuary. I think I can speak on behalf of the SADC region, and none of us is interested," said President Mwanawasa.
University of Zambia political science lecturer Dr Neo Simutanyi advised the Zambian government and other African countries to resist joining the US Africom. Dr Simutanyi said there was no need for African governments to succumb to the United States' persuasion because the US has never had a good record of peacekeeping.
"There is no need for Africans to be part of Africom. I support Africans forming their own forces for peace keeping," Dr Simutanyi said.
He said the African Union was working on the African force that would keep peace in the continent with the help of the United Nations.
"Africans are putting up their own initiatives of peace-keeping and that should be appreciated," said Dr Simutanyi.
South Africa's defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota has also declared that Africom should stay out of Africa.
On Wednesday South Africa's News24 quoted Lekota as saying: "There's a certain sense in the countries of our region SADC that if there was to be an influx of armed forces into one or other of the African countries, that might affect the relations between the sister countries, and not encourage an atmosphere, or in a sense, of security."
Lekota said Africom was not really a new development, as the US had always had some kind of focus on the African continent.
"But, the Africom initiative has raised a lot of interest and a lot of attention, because at some point, there is a certain sense that Africa has to avoid the presence of foreign forces on its soil," Lekota said.
"Nevertheless, as indeed the SADC adopted position, it is better if they did that from a distance, rather than come and make a presence that creates uncertainty."
He said during the interstate defence and security committee meeting held in Tanzania, the SADC defence and security ministers took the position and recommended that sister countries of the region should not agree to host Africom.
He said the recommendations went to the heads of state of SADC during the recent summit in Lusaka.
"And that's the position of SADC," Lekota said. Lekota said as far as he was aware, the majority of the other regions of the continent had also taken that position.
SADC recently launched the SADC Brigade, which will be a reserve military force. The US government says Africom's major mission was to help Africans achieve their own security, not to extend the scope of the war on terrorism or secure African resources.
US deputy assistant secretary of defence for African affairs Theresa Whelan said although Africom was new, "the nature of our military engagement on the continent will not change. It will remain primarily focused on conducting theater-security cooperation to build partnership capacities in areas such as peacekeeping, maritime security, border security, counterterrorism skills."
Labels: MILITARY BASES, MWANAWASA
Read more...
