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  • From: EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: Homestead List <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Africa
  • Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:15:44 -0400




From: Akka Homestead <akkabhomestead AT yahoo.com
Subject: Africa
To: "Homestead List" <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Thursday, October 2, 2008, 3:35 PM

Of course, we all took geography at some point in our lives, and we all
learned the African countries, but if you are as old as me or better,
you probably learned the colonial names. Since those days, when Europe
pulled out and left a power vacuum, Africa, for the most part, has been
in turmoil. Arab influence in Africa predates European interests
there. We all know this.
Africa knew Islam hundreds of years before Columbus ever said Bon
voyage. In today's world, fundamentalism is sweeping African countries
just as it is sweeping SE Asia. While the civilized West looks the
other way, fundamentalist Islam is growing, and in it's wake there is
violence and civil unrest. Political instability abounds.



The following is a list of major countries in Africa. I omitted small
island countries like the Seychelles, but I wanted to see how
receptive African countries might be to Americans, whether or not I
would be safe if I visited, or what kind of danger I would face.
Would it be rape, murder, kidnapping, terrorism, civil
disobedience...what would it be like?

Those with 3 stars have travel warnings due to the fact that travel to
that country would be dangerous to Americans(lack of embassy, etc.)One
star in front indicates Muslim country, either by decree or by majority
population. The source is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_by_country
Wiki, so take it for what it is worth.

*Algeria***, warning due to terrorism potential;
Angola,the civil war is apparently over, but there is unrest.
*Benin, crime
Botswana, ok
*Burkina Faso, crime
Burundi***, civil war over, but instability remains
*Cameroon, refugees from neighboring countries' wars, but ok
Central African Rep.***, politically unstable
*Chad***, politically unstable
Congo (Brazzaville), danger due to war in neighboring countries.
Congo (DRC, Zaire)***, politically unstable, UN peacekeeping force
Cote d'Ivoire***, political unstable-civil war
*Djibouti, politically stable, ok
*Egypt, terrorism potential, but ok
Equatorial Guinea, ok
Eritrea***, politically unstable
Ethiopia, generally stable, but border problems near Somalia and Eritrea
Gabon, terrorism potential, but generally ok
*Gambia, ok
Ghana, crime
*Guinea, some civil unrest but ok
*Guinea-Bissau, civil war, but presently stable
Kenya***, very high terrorism potential
Lesotho, some instability, but ok
Liberia, civil war over, but instability remains
*Libya, high terrorism potential but ok
Malawi, generally ok
*Mali, terrorists in Northern Mali, but ok otherwise
*Mauritania, high terrorism potential
*Morocco, high terrorism potential
*Mozambique, generally ok
Namibia, crime, but ok
*Niger, isolated unrest, but ok
*Nigeria***, political instability, high crime
Rwanda, stabilizing government, generally ok
*Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic/Western Sahara, politically unstable,
but stabilizing
*Senegal, some unrest, but ok
*Sierra Leone, stabilizing after civil war
*Somalia***widespread war
South Africa, generally ok
*Sudan***, civil war in Darfur region
Swaziland, generally ok
Tanzania, terrorism potential
Togo, some political unrest and crime
*Tunisia, generally ok, but has open border with Algeria
*Uganda, unstable as it borders warring countries
Zambia, unrest in northern areas near DRC
Zimbabwe, politically unstable


Much of north Africa is Muslim. Islam is growing in Africa, and as
Islam spreads, so does Fundamentalism. Already, the fundamentalist
regimes are undermining stability in East Africa in countries like
Somalia and Sudan. Al Qaida is active and becomes stronger
everyday. If we are to survive another 100 years, we have to stop
the spread of fundamentalist Islam. They don't negotiate. They
won't talk to infidels. They are right and there is no discussion.
In some African countries, you can be imprisoned or possibly killed
for proselytizing or trying to convert Muslims to another faith.


From Ontheissues, here is a partial list of Obama's points under
Foreign
relations:
(http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm)

* Moral obligation to intervene in Darfur (7/2008)
* China is a competitor but not an enemy. (Dec 2007)
* Wrote 2006 law stabilizing Congo with $52M. (Oct 2007)
* $50B annually to strengthen states at risk of collapse. (8/2007)
* At college, protested for divestment from South Africa. (Aug 2007)
* Increased aid to Republic of Congo. (Aug 2007)
* Visited largest slum in Africa, to publicize its plight. (8/2007)
* No-fly zone in Darfur; but pay attention more in Africa. (6/2007)
* U.S. funds for humanitarian aid to Darfur. (Mar 2007)
* Focus on corruption to improve African development. (10/2006)
* Visited Africa in 2006; encouraged HIV testing. (10/2006)
* Sponsored aid bill to avert crisis in Congo. (12/2005)
* Sanction Mugabe until Zimbabwe transitions to democracy. (4/2008)


There are quite a lot of ambitions there, and much of it involves
sending more money to Africa. Why should we do that in light of recent
bailouts and economic woes? Simple. This would be diplomacy in the
modern world. Diplomacy equates to money. For Africa, talk is
cheap. They have so many problems there that they need more than
talk. President Obama WILL get us more involved in African issues.
If our goodwill to various African countries and causes helps us
fight fundamental Islam, then so be it. It will be money well
spent, at least as effective as the billions we are spending
'fighting terror' in Asia. Perhaps it is not too late for us to win
'hearts and minds' in Africa.

Have y'all given any thought to any of this? How do you feel about
the billions more we will spend in Africa? Better get used to hearing
that word.

Bev, who just today 9/7, saw an article about how things are improving in Africa.


--
"What Luck for Rulers that Men do not Think" Adolf Hitler
erthnsky AT bellsouth.net





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