John Bolton outlines U.S. African strategy to challenge China, Russia

Washington Times ^ | 12/24/2018 | Carlo Munoz

[SeekAndFind]

The Trump administration on Thursday announced a sharp refocus of its Africa strategy to counter what it called the “predatory” practices of China and Russia, moves which National Security Adviser John Bolton said “deliberately and aggressively targeting their investments in the region to gain a competitive advantage.”

Speaking at the conservative Heritage Foundation,Mr. Bolton said that curbing Moscow and Beijing’s growing influence in Africa will be the White House’s top objective in the region.

“Great-power competitors, namely China and Russia, are rapidly expanding their financial and political influence across Africa,” Mr. Bolton said Thursday. “They are deliberately and aggressively targeting their investments in the region to gain a competitive advantage over the United States.”

For over a decade, China has outpaced the U.S. and its allies in currying favor and investment opportunities among African nations, though what Mr. Bolton said were “bribes, opaque agreements, and the strategic use of debt to hold states in Africa captive to Beijing’s wishes and demands.”

Under the new “Prosper Africa” strategy, Mr. Bolton said, “we will encourage African leaders to choose high-quality, transparent, inclusive, and sustainable foreign investment projects, including those from the United States.”

More recently, Moscow has used its military influence, including weapons deals or military adviser forces deployed to autocratic African regimes, “that keep strongmen in power, undermine peace and security, and run counter to the best interests of the African people,” Mr. Bolton added.

Mr. Bolton said previous U.S. administrations failed to fashion a coordinated approach to Africa.

“There has been an uneven appreciation of Africa,” he told reporters after his Heritage remarks. “It did not fit cohesively in American foreign policy goals.”

Trump administration’s policy readjustment toward Africa will take on a prominent role as the White House reviews U.S. foreign aid programs.

[Eternal_Bear]

Invest in America not Africa

[mylife]

Release the Moustache!

[marktwain]

We could have had a good African policy if we had backed Rhodesia and South Africa instead of working overtime to destabilize and destroy them as productive societies.

[BeauBo]

“Chinese have owned the Panama Canal since Carter surrendered it.”

If they capture or sabotage the Suez, then South Africa will control major sea traffic, and could serve to block US movements. South Africa also has mineral wealth and technology.

China has gone a long way to corrupt the ANC to overthrow the old constitutional order, and institute more of a Chinese model of oppressive one Party dictatorship.

[mylife]

I asked a muslim friend from Libya what’s that home food that makes you gooshy inside?

He said chicken and rice.

Merry Christmas all

[Pining_4_TX]

Bolton is nuts. He wants US troops in every country in the world.

[Svartalfiar]

There is nothing there but about 1.6 billion uneducated poverty-stricken backwards people with their hand out.

And from a quick wikipedia article:

Africa has a large quantity of natural resources, including diamonds, sugar, salt, gold, iron, cobalt, uranium, copper, bauxite, silver, petroleum and cocoa beans, but also woods and tropical fruits....
African oil takes growing importance, mainly after the 2015 oil crisis and recent oil reserves discoveries. Sudan and Nigeria are two of the main oil producers. China owns 40% of Congo's oil production.....
Ore resources in Africa are abundant, and extremely more so nowadays as other continents are beginning to face depletion of resources. The copper belt in Katanga, the diamond mines in Sierra Leone, Angola, and Botswana are well known for their abundance and rich produce, albeit, also notorious for their level of corruption and links to rebel movements.

[Albion Wilde]

bump