Afraka, a Continent under Siege! The U.S. Militarism in Afraka & the AU Lack of Response to it Raises Suspicion
February, 2007 An Editorial Commentary by Obibini Kofi Co-director; Sankofa Community College www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ISSInstitute
On Tuesday, February 6, 2007, the world woke up; (some of us) astounded to hear U.S. president George W. Bush announced that he had “ordered the Pentagon to setup an African High Command to oversee its operations on that continent”. This new military command, according to Bush, has “become more strategically significant, and will strengthen our security cooperation with Africa”. The following day, a U.S. military commander based in Germany met with some nine Afrakan countries to hold talks on the creation of the so-called “Africom”. Once again, the same old “war on terrorism” was the pretext for this move.
Already, the United States has military bases scattered over a dozen “countries” in Afraka. As if that’s not enough, they are now talking about moving their pentagon or its replica within the continent to show that they really are in control of our fate. Thus far, none of the “heads of state” of the 53 “independent countries” in Afraka has expressed alarm! A clear indication of betrayal that Afrakan elected leaders is flirting with George Bush’s United States’ hegemony on the designed command post inside Afraka. What a tragic development and another sad episode for Afrakans globally!
The leadership of the Afrakan Union and the numerous “heads of states” of Afrakan regimes cannot continue to be naive on global politics, claiming to be “sovereign” while taking orders from other foreign leaders. Evidently none of the “commanders in chief” of the frail and fragmented Afraka’s “independent countries” can save its self, let alone protect the rest of us. With or without scrutiny, our leaders should not sacrifice the national interests of their peoples with just a snap of the finger. Wake up Afraka, “terrorism” has nothing to do with the root or the obvious desire of the U.S. to police our continent. The homeland, belonging to all Afrakans, those at home and the Diasporas equally, must come together to defend it.
Rather, among various reasons, the true intentions lie in the control of Afraka’s natural resources, particularly, the petroleum deposits already flowing or yet to be tapped. According to the Bush administration’s own admissions on several occasions, “the resources of the Africa continent are very important to us”. Everyone is aware of the intentions of foreign interests in Afraka but our “leaders”! Watch out for the bandits that cometh not only in the wee hours of the night but also the ones that cometh in the broad day light; via diplomacy.
The whole Afrakan continent is on fast track to become the 51st state of the United States imperial empire, or one of its protectorates. Sadly, all this comes with the blessings of our “democratically” elected heads of state. The only desire to tactically push democracy on us is just to derail our quest towards Pan-Afrakanism. What a shame that neo-colonialist regimes across the continent; from Dakar to Dar es Salaam, Cairo to Cape Town, are turning back the hand of time on the hard fought liberties won for us by our finest patriots. In fact, American citizens have voiced concern and persist to ask tough questions about the administration’s “patriot act”, while far across the oceans; Bush is reaping enormous success unopposed.
Everyone is waking up to the reality on the infringement on human and civil liberties, which the disguised war on terrorism brings about. Afraka’s proclaimed leaders are yet to catch up, who are mainly either encouraging or allowing George Bush and his patriot act, a free ride on the motherland. While, we are not totally stunned about the cooperation by most leaders, it’s somewhat unanticipated that elements such as these still exist among us in this day and age.
Personally, I doubt we’re spineless enough to give up managing our own natural resources to the supervision and exploitation of non-Afrakans. In reality, we had managed our own affairs alone for millennia, and we still have the ability to rule ourselves without inviting aliens to come into our house to dictate our lives and future. An awakening is dawning, when Afrakans will be high-minded enough to know that our world originated way before such a thing as “Adam & Eve”. Moreover, we cannot base our histories on these late arrivals; Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or any secular belief systems. All organized religions are customized, for mind control purposes only, that can “save” no one’s soul! Also, it’s unwise to establish our life’s experiences from the “independence” of colonial rule. A people with information, knowledge, and understanding that know better will do better. Plainly, Afrakans have looked to the wrong sources for its salvation, when in fact; the solution is right in us.
One of the solutions is having each one of us, from the most revered among us to the least; go through an Afrakan prescribed therapy to help us heal from the colonial trauma suffered under the prolong occupation. In fact, no person of Afrakan descent is exempt from this healing procedure. Especially, a major institutional requirement to hold an office in Afraka, or any indigenous nation, must stipulate the completion of this restorative process for one to be eligible. Recovering of Afrakan consciousness is essential to regain our humanity, and to do away with the second or third class mentality we have been operating. Also, this course will help in realizing the beauty and infinite potential that lies in all of us.
Besides, the Afrakan identity, after reclaiming it, will instinctively take control of the following aspects of our lives: a. Love the Afrakan (Black) nature, identity or self. b. Promote pan-Afrakanism (Loyalty and patriotism to our homeland). c. Honor our own lineage of ancestors, whose integrity and divine wisdom outclass any other; “saint”, “chosen” or “inspired” personalities, who are offered to us to worship. d. Place our race beneath none other; and the reflection of The Deity in our own image! e. Value the Afrakan life and respect it! f. Wear our Afrakan names; learn, keep, teach, and speak our native tongues g. Sell out our people to no bidder; regardless of the level of profit or coercion! h. See racial groups as team sports that require every team member’s input to compete. i. Confide in each other first and foremost for solution, inspiration, recognition, etc.
Indeed, all we have to do is retrieve what those before us traditionally have set forth and work to perfect it. As descendants of Mother Afraka, the acclaimed cradle of humanity, we are bonded by the same ancestral framework that shapes each of our destinies. We are heirs of this ancient wisdom; “I am because we are, so we are because I am”. In other words, I am you, and you are me. We are each other; therefore, without you, there is no us. Definitely, we are far more than such teachings as “you are your brother’s keeper”. Accurately, you’re your brother or sister. You are your ancestors, and, or offspring. We sure can’t get any better expressed wisdom than ones that come from us. Learning from this, we see why it is suicidal for us to betray one another, because we hurt and destroy both our own selves and future generations.
For a people who had been colonized (enslaved) before and who continue to suffer from the fallout of that and from policies of global elites, we simply cannot allow history to repeat itself by tepid attitude. The re-colonization of the Afrakan continent and its peoples is not an option that we can afford to entertain. It is our civil duty to uphold and honor the toils of our bravest pioneers, some of whom were exiled, imprisoned, or shed their precious blood for us.
The people and patriots such as Hannibal, Toussaint L’Ouverture, Nat Turner, Queen mothers H. Tubman, Nzinga, Yaa Asantewaa, Moore; E. Blyden, M. Delaney, H. Turner, M. Garvey, Dubois, Frantz Fanon, G. Padmore, Kwame Nkrumah, P. Lumumba, Malcolm X, C. Amilcar Ben Bella, S. Biko, Sekou Toure, B. Marley, T. Sankara, Kwame Ture, S. Nujoma, Modibo Keita, Nasser, ML King, Fidel Castro, R. Mugabi, J.H. Clarke, P. Tosh, the Black Panthers, and myriads of freedom fighters known and unknown. We cannot let these great revolutionaries’ sacrifices down by allowing irresponsible officeholders of today’s Afraka lead us to the slaughter. We owe it to our progeny to speak up for their rightful place on this universe!
In the spirits of those selfless pioneers, whose dedication and legacy we have inherited; our only chance to protect those sacrifices laid for us is in the immediate creation an all Afrakan union government! The formation of this overdue concept will have the authority to monitor, approve, reject, or negotiate any and all “treaties or deals” involving other nations and us. Frankly, we can no longer focus narrowly, thinking simply of instantaneous gratifications. Only long-term projections would transform our race and make us better. Otherwise, we might as well keep our fine slave hats, uniforms, and tools, stride, to the masters’ plantation fields, and cheerfully promote their eternal interests at the expense of our own.
The notoriously bold “order” by U. S. President George Bush to create a Military High Command on Afrakan soil is just too dangerous as well as dire. We simply cannot predict the enormous long term threat such a move will have on the very survival of peoples of Afrakan descent. Let us picture for a moment the intimidation that an occupying military presence on our backyard would bring to the comfort, development, dignity, freedom, progress, and security of our beloved continent. The repercussion for such an idea is too risky to ignore!
We just cannot be secured living under siege; surveillance or policed, and surrounded by foreign troops. No known rational living human being feels safe living with danger, inviting a potential enemy, a poisonous snake, or a bully into the comfort of his/her home. History won’t be kind to us, sitting on our guts allowing events to dictate our lives. I think that it is logical to ask who at the helm of affairs in Afraka is up to the challenge. Those who are not must vacate the scene and allow competent men and women to take the lead. Give way to those who have the mettle to lead Afrakans to stop these malice thoughts from it ever been considered. Working collectively with those leaders, we can protect our future!
The “order” by Bush, if heeded, would forever impede Afraka’s will to recover from colonial enslavement… Not to mention the infraction on our basic human rights, and autonomy that every living being should enjoy freely. These among several others are just the reasons that the Sons and Daughters of Afraka must resist “Africom”. Henceforth, let us remind ourselves that no one; nation or kingdom on this planet has the mandate to rule us. When we stand straight up, no one can ever ride on our backs! The only power others have and continue to exercise over us is the one that we freely give them. Silence is a crime that will destroy our people. Complacency is an addiction we must confront. Live, Ascend, Unite, Afraka!
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Afraka, a Continent under Siege!
The U.S. Militarism in Afraka & the AU Lack of Response to it Raises Suspicion
February, 2007
An Editorial Commentary by
Obibini Kofi
Co-director; Sankofa Community College
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ISSInstitute
On Tuesday, February 6, 2007, the world woke up; (some of us) astounded to hear U.S. president George W. Bush announced that he had “ordered the Pentagon to setup an African High Command to oversee its operations on that continent”. This new military command, according to Bush, has “become more strategically significant, and will strengthen our security cooperation with Africa”. The following day, a U.S. military commander based in Germany met with some nine Afrakan countries to hold talks on the creation of the so-called “Africom”. Once again, the same old “war on terrorism” was the pretext for this move.
Already, the United States has military bases scattered over a dozen “countries” in Afraka. As if that’s not enough, they are now talking about moving their pentagon or its replica within the continent to show that they really are in control of our fate. Thus far, none of the “heads of state” of the 53 “independent countries” in Afraka has expressed alarm! A clear indication of betrayal that Afrakan elected leaders is flirting with George Bush’s United States’ hegemony on the designed command post inside Afraka. What a tragic development and another sad episode for Afrakans globally!
The leadership of the Afrakan Union and the numerous “heads of states” of Afrakan regimes cannot continue to be naive on global politics, claiming to be “sovereign” while taking orders from other foreign leaders. Evidently none of the “commanders in chief” of the frail and fragmented Afraka’s “independent countries” can save its self, let alone protect the rest of us. With or without scrutiny, our leaders should not sacrifice the national interests of their peoples with just a snap of the finger. Wake up Afraka, “terrorism” has nothing to do with the root or the obvious desire of the U.S. to police our continent. The homeland, belonging to all Afrakans, those at home and the Diasporas equally, must come together to defend it.
Rather, among various reasons, the true intentions lie in the control of Afraka’s natural resources, particularly, the petroleum deposits already flowing or yet to be tapped. According to the Bush administration’s own admissions on several occasions, “the resources of the Africa continent are very important to us”. Everyone is aware of the intentions of foreign interests in Afraka but our “leaders”! Watch out for the bandits that cometh not only in the wee hours of the night but also the ones that cometh in the broad day light; via diplomacy.
The whole Afrakan continent is on fast track to become the 51st state of the United States imperial empire, or one of its protectorates. Sadly, all this comes with the blessings of our “democratically” elected heads of state. The only desire to tactically push democracy on us is just to derail our quest towards Pan-Afrakanism. What a shame that neo-colonialist regimes across the continent; from Dakar to Dar es Salaam, Cairo to Cape Town, are turning back the hand of time on the hard fought liberties won for us by our finest patriots. In fact, American citizens have voiced concern and persist to ask tough questions about the administration’s “patriot act”, while far across the oceans; Bush is reaping enormous success unopposed.
Everyone is waking up to the reality on the infringement on human and civil liberties, which the disguised war on terrorism brings about. Afraka’s proclaimed leaders are yet to catch up, who are mainly either encouraging or allowing George Bush and his patriot act, a free ride on the motherland. While, we are not totally stunned about the cooperation by most leaders, it’s somewhat unanticipated that elements such as these still exist among us in this day and age.
Personally, I doubt we’re spineless enough to give up managing our own natural resources to the supervision and exploitation of non-Afrakans. In reality, we had managed our own affairs alone for millennia, and we still have the ability to rule ourselves without inviting aliens to come into our house to dictate our lives and future. An awakening is dawning, when Afrakans will be high-minded enough to know that our world originated way before such a thing as “Adam & Eve”. Moreover, we cannot base our histories on these late arrivals; Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or any secular belief systems. All organized religions are customized, for mind control purposes only, that can “save” no one’s soul! Also, it’s unwise to establish our life’s experiences from the “independence” of colonial rule. A people with information, knowledge, and understanding that know better will do better. Plainly, Afrakans have looked to the wrong sources for its salvation, when in fact; the solution is right in us.
One of the solutions is having each one of us, from the most revered among us to the least; go through an Afrakan prescribed therapy to help us heal from the colonial trauma suffered under the prolong occupation. In fact, no person of Afrakan descent is exempt from this healing procedure. Especially, a major institutional requirement to hold an office in Afraka, or any indigenous nation, must stipulate the completion of this restorative process for one to be eligible. Recovering of Afrakan consciousness is essential to regain our humanity, and to do away with the second or third class mentality we have been operating. Also, this course will help in realizing the beauty and infinite potential that lies in all of us.
Besides, the Afrakan identity, after reclaiming it, will instinctively take control of the following aspects of our lives:
a. Love the Afrakan (Black) nature, identity or self.
b. Promote pan-Afrakanism (Loyalty and patriotism to our homeland).
c. Honor our own lineage of ancestors, whose integrity and divine wisdom outclass any other; “saint”, “chosen” or “inspired” personalities, who are offered to us to worship.
d. Place our race beneath none other; and the reflection of The Deity in our own image!
e. Value the Afrakan life and respect it!
f. Wear our Afrakan names; learn, keep, teach, and speak our native tongues
g. Sell out our people to no bidder; regardless of the level of profit or coercion!
h. See racial groups as team sports that require every team member’s input to compete.
i. Confide in each other first and foremost for solution, inspiration, recognition, etc.
Indeed, all we have to do is retrieve what those before us traditionally have set forth and work to perfect it. As descendants of Mother Afraka, the acclaimed cradle of humanity, we are bonded by the same ancestral framework that shapes each of our destinies. We are heirs of this ancient wisdom; “I am because we are, so we are because I am”. In other words, I am you, and you are me. We are each other; therefore, without you, there is no us. Definitely, we are far more than such teachings as “you are your brother’s keeper”. Accurately, you’re your brother or sister. You are your ancestors, and, or offspring. We sure can’t get any better expressed wisdom than ones that come from us. Learning from this, we see why it is suicidal for us to betray one another, because we hurt and destroy both our own selves and future generations.
For a people who had been colonized (enslaved) before and who continue to suffer from the fallout of that and from policies of global elites, we simply cannot allow history to repeat itself by tepid attitude. The re-colonization of the Afrakan continent and its peoples is not an option that we can afford to entertain. It is our civil duty to uphold and honor the toils of our bravest pioneers, some of whom were exiled, imprisoned, or shed their precious blood for us.
The people and patriots such as Hannibal, Toussaint L’Ouverture, Nat Turner, Queen mothers H. Tubman, Nzinga, Yaa Asantewaa, Moore; E. Blyden, M. Delaney, H. Turner, M. Garvey, Dubois, Frantz Fanon, G. Padmore, Kwame Nkrumah, P. Lumumba, Malcolm X, C. Amilcar Ben Bella, S. Biko, Sekou Toure, B. Marley, T. Sankara, Kwame Ture, S. Nujoma, Modibo Keita, Nasser, ML King, Fidel Castro, R. Mugabi, J.H. Clarke, P. Tosh, the Black Panthers, and myriads of freedom fighters known and unknown. We cannot let these great revolutionaries’ sacrifices down by allowing irresponsible officeholders of today’s Afraka lead us to the slaughter. We owe it to our progeny to speak up for their rightful place on this universe!
In the spirits of those selfless pioneers, whose dedication and legacy we have inherited; our only chance to protect those sacrifices laid for us is in the immediate creation an all Afrakan union government! The formation of this overdue concept will have the authority to monitor, approve, reject, or negotiate any and all “treaties or deals” involving other nations and us. Frankly, we can no longer focus narrowly, thinking simply of instantaneous gratifications. Only long-term projections would transform our race and make us better. Otherwise, we might as well keep our fine slave hats, uniforms, and tools, stride, to the masters’ plantation fields, and cheerfully promote their eternal interests at the expense of our own.
The notoriously bold “order” by U. S. President George Bush to create a Military High Command on Afrakan soil is just too dangerous as well as dire. We simply cannot predict the enormous long term threat such a move will have on the very survival of peoples of Afrakan descent. Let us picture for a moment the intimidation that an occupying military presence on our backyard would bring to the comfort, development, dignity, freedom, progress, and security of our beloved continent. The repercussion for such an idea is too risky to ignore!
We just cannot be secured living under siege; surveillance or policed, and surrounded by foreign troops. No known rational living human being feels safe living with danger, inviting a potential enemy, a poisonous snake, or a bully into the comfort of his/her home. History won’t be kind to us, sitting on our guts allowing events to dictate our lives. I think that it is logical to ask who at the helm of affairs in Afraka is up to the challenge. Those who are not must vacate the scene and allow competent men and women to take the lead. Give way to those who have the mettle to lead Afrakans to stop these malice thoughts from it ever been considered. Working collectively with those leaders, we can protect our future!
The “order” by Bush, if heeded, would forever impede Afraka’s will to recover from colonial enslavement… Not to mention the infraction on our basic human rights, and autonomy that every living being should enjoy freely. These among several others are just the reasons that the Sons and Daughters of Afraka must resist “Africom”. Henceforth, let us remind ourselves that no one; nation or kingdom on this planet has the mandate to rule us. When we stand straight up, no one can ever ride on our backs! The only power others have and continue to exercise over us is the one that we freely give them. Silence is a crime that will destroy our people. Complacency is an addiction we must confront. Live, Ascend, Unite, Afraka!
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