"Clinton challenges Africa to embrace democracy" by Matthew Lee | Associated Press, August 02, 2012
DAKAR, Senegal — In veiled swipes at China’s investments in Africa on Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged African leaders to embrace democracy and partnerships with responsible foreign powers as a means to improving their living standards and addressing the root causes of extremism on the continent.
Related: Africa Chooses China
I can see why.
Clinton, speaking to university students, lawmakers, and diplomats in Senegal’s capital, challenged Africa’s elite to fully respect human rights, and she warned of the consequences of rampant abuses, corruption, and intolerance that breed contempt and contribute to instability.
Can starving African's eat Clinton hypocrisy because it would be a feast?
Related: Senegal Spinning Out of Control
That must be why she went.
‘‘There are still too many places in the region and across the continent where democracy is threatened, where human rights are abused, and the rule of law is undermined,’’ Clinton said. ‘‘Too many Africans still live under autocratic rulers who care more about preserving their grip on power than promoting the welfare of their citizens. Violent extremism, transnational crime, and rampant corruption all threaten democracy.’’
Of course, if they act that way and are allies no big deal, especially where oil and other resources are considered. She is really un-f***ing-believable. I think she is seriously self-deluded.
She said America would stand by African reformers, and she indirectly took on China. Beijing has been criticized for ignoring human rights concerns, local laws, and environmental regulations as it boosts investment in Africa in search of energy and resources to fuel its exploding economy.
Who have they invaded?
I hope you can understand why I am really sick of reading this shit, folks. It's offensive.
By contrast, she said the United States is committed to ‘‘a model of sustainable partnership that adds value, rather than extracts it’’ from Africa. ‘‘The days of having outsiders come and extract the wealth of Africa for themselves leaving nothing or very little behind should be over in the 21st century,’’ she said.
(Blog editor just shakes his head at the stream of diarrhea that flows from her mouth. He didn't think things could get worse after Condoleezza Rice, but he was wrong)
Without mentioning China by name, she maintained that unlike other countries, ‘‘America will stand up for democracy and universal human rights even when it might be easier or more profitable to look the other way, to keep the resources flowing.’’
Yeah, just ignore the indefinite detentions and torture, the mass-murdering invasions and occupations based on lies, etc. Now I totally understand why the Egyptians were throwing things at her.
‘‘Not every partner makes that choice, but we do and we will,’’ she said, calling support for democracy and human rights the ‘‘heart of the American model of partnership.’’
What crap! What absolute crap.
Her comments follow a China-Africa summit last month at which Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged $20 billion in credit to African governments during the next three years to support infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, and small business growth.
I'm sure Africa would like our weapons and our corporations much more.
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Yeah, about extracting those resources:
"Clinton urges Sudan, S. Sudan to reconcile" by Matthew Lee | Associated Press, August 04, 2012
JUBA, South Sudan — Before Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s visit, a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said Washington is ‘‘heavily invested’’ in South Sudan's success....
Clinton said an agreement could give South Sudan time to look at the feasibility of building another pipeline that would bypass Sudan....
But we are not there to extrac.... SIGH!!!!!!!!!!
South Sudan inherited about three-quarters of the region’s oil, but shut down its oil industry in January after accusing Sudan of stealing oil that the South must pump through Sudan’s pipelines. That decision has cost both governments dearly in lost revenue.
In April, the two countries’ militaries fought over the disputed, oil-rich region of Heglig. South Sudan troops took over the town from Sudanese forces, but that offensive maneuver was condemned by world leaders. South Sudan says it then retreated from Heglig, though Sudan says its forces pushed the South out.
At least the paper admitted that South Sudan was the aggressor this time.
Also on Friday, China’s state media criticized Clinton for comments she made earlier in the week in Senegal criticizing China’s investments in Africa.
:-)
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Also see: Clinton Skips Over Sudan
Not this time.
Next stop:
"Clinton urges peaceful elections
NAIROBI— Looking ahead to Kenya’s election in March, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned leaders not to repeat the violence that plunged the country into chaos after disputed presidential elections five years ago. Clinton said Kenya could be a global model for free elections. (AP)."
Related: African Safari: Clinton Threatens Kenya
Did you notice that the talk of war crimes vanished after Kenya agreed to invade Somalia for us?
"Hillary Clinton lauds president of Malawi" Associated Press, August 06, 2012
JOHANNESBURG — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton praised Malawi’s leaders Sunday for reforms in the impoverished African nation before heading to South Africa to meet this week with government officials and Nelson Mandela.
In Lilongwe, Malawi, Clinton pledged continued American support as she met with President Joyce Banda, the first woman to lead her country and only the second female African head of state.
A longtime champion of women’s empowerment, Clinton encouraged Banda to stay on a course of economic reform to make Malawi more attractive to foreign investment. Later, Clinton visited a girls’ secondary school and an agriculture project supported by US assistance.
Are Muslim women murdered by our missiles empowered?
Clinton, the first secretary of state to visit Malawi, was clearly pleased to meet Banda and told her that the United States ‘‘strongly supports you and your government and your efforts on behalf of the people of this absolutely wonderful country.’’
Banda, a women’s rights campaigner who had been Malawi’s vice president, took over the top job in April after President Bingu wa Mutharika died in office. She told Clinton that ‘‘for a long time we have both been women and children’s activists and I was looking forward to the day that we would meet. And we meet today in an official capacity and I am proud.’’
Banda has been keen to differentiate herself from her predecessor, who had a rocky relationship with international development agencies and whose policies led the US to suspend a $350.7 million assistance package last year.
And then he died and she came to power. What a coinky-dink.
In May, the country devalued its currency by one-third and loosened restrictions on foreign currency exchange. In June, the International Monetary Fund and Malawi agreed to a $157 million aid package to be distributed over three years, and the United States restored its aid, which is aimed at improving energy infrastructure.
That means getting at the oil and other resources Malawi possesses.
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Related: Malawi Mystery
Not anymore.
Why the Africans chose China:
"North Africa becomes central focus in war on terrorism, officials say" by David Lerman | Bloomberg News, August 01, 2012
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration no longer sees the greatest terrorist threats in Afghanistan or Pakistan.
Instead, US counterterrorism officials are increasingly focused on a broad swath of northern Africa from Somalia through Chad, Niger, and Mali to Mauritania and south into Nigeria, said three administration officials who work on the issue.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Tuesday spotlighted the growing threat of terrorism outside the Middle East, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton begins a two-week trip to Africa that includes stops in Senegal, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa.
‘‘We continue to be concerned about Al Qaeda’s presence in Yemen, Somalia, and North Africa,’’ Panetta said in Tunisia, his first stop on a weeklong trip expected to focus on the Middle East. ‘‘For that reason, we strongly urge countries like Tunisia to develop counterterrorism operations that can yield results.’’
Excuse me, readers. Happens every time I see that word.
Also see: Egypt Grows Tighter With Tunisia
The region includes both populated areas and wild spaces such as northern Mali, which one of the administration officials compared to Afghanistan in the 1990s, before the overthrow of the Taliban.
Yeah, we have already lost Mali.
The intelligence reporting from the area, which comes from the French foreign intelligence service, as well as the Central Intelligence Agency and others, cites increasing cooperation among radical Islamist groups, sizable supplies of weapons looted from Libya, and recruiting of locals by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Nigeria’s Boko Haram....
Don't look now, but there is a qaqa in the toilet.
Yeah, strange how the "terrorists" always show up where there is oil.
Recent White House meetings on counterterrorism have been devoted almost entirely to northern Africa, protecting Nigerian oil production, and developing programs in local languages, with Nigeria’s Ibo at the top of the list, according to the three officials, who are participants.
‘‘Africa is probably the most important continent in the 21st century for a lot of reasons, one of which is helping us prevent terrorism from taking root in the continent,’’ said Johnny Isakson of Georgia, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on African affairs.
Related: Around Africa: Calling the Congo
Oh, I thought he said a lot of resources.
To counter the threat, the Obama administration, both independently and in concert with France and other European allies, has stepped up military and intelligence support and training for African regimes threatened by Islamic extremism, the US officials said....
Like I keep saying, the EUSraeli empire!
The United States has provided training and nonlethal equipment to more than 215,000 peacekeepers from African militaries in 25 partner countries since 1997, according to US Africa Command.
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And now she is hopping back over to another one:
"Cook Islands prepare for major visit" Associated Press, August 18, 2012
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The tiny Cook Islands are proving almost too small for Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The South Pacific island chain, home to just 10,000 people, is buzzing as it prepares for the expected visit of the US secretary of state, the biggest dignitary to stop by since Queen Elizabeth II nearly four decades ago.
Hosting such a high-profile guest and her entourage, however, is posing problems for a government that owns just three small sport utility vehicles and is scrambling to borrow cars from residents to create a proper motorcade.
Clinton is expected to attend the Pacific Islands Forum, an annual meeting of Pacific leaders that begins Aug. 27 on the main island of Rarotonga.
Sending such a high-level delegation would emphasize Washington’s Pacific pivot, a policy shift in which it’s placing increased emphasis on trade, humanitarian aid, and military presence in the region as it seeks to counterbalance the rise of many Pacific and Asian nations including China....
I thought Africa was the.... sigh.
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Also see: African Safari: What Clinton Did Not See
She didn't this time, either.
