Black Folks Silent As U.S. Military Moves Into Africa

Reality Check
By A. Peter Bailey

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - It is very revealing and very disturbing witnessing how the overwhelming majority of Black folks have adopted a hear-no-evil, see-no-evil, speak-no-evil reaction to the Obama Administration’s significant and overt expansion of U.S. military adventures into Africa. They can’t truthfully say they are unaware of what’s going on. This is especially true of well-known Black leaders of organizations and institutions.

During the past six weeks the Wall Street Journal, the chief press advocate for the most powerful economic forces in this country, has published at least three major articles on the subject. On Jan. 18, 2013, it published an article titled “U.S. Moving To Broaden African Presence.” The subhead was “Washington Weighs Giving French Warplanes Data To Better Target Mali Militants, Raising Prospects For More Involvement.”

The above was followed by the leading, front page article, “U.S. To Expand Relief Role in Africa” on Jan. 29, 2013. Its subhead was “Military Pact With Niger Brings America Forces Closer To Conflict in Mali.” This was followed by another leading front page article on March 4, 2013 titled “U.S. Boosts War Rule in Africa” with the subhead, “American Drones Help French To Target Militants in Mali, as Chad Claims Killings.”

The Wall Street Journal is not the only influential press organ reporting on the subject. During the same span of time at least two major articles were published in the Washington Post. The first, on Jan. 16, 2013, was titled “Legal and Logistical Questions Around U.S. Moves in Mali.” The second, published on Jan. 29, 2013, was titled “U.S. Seeks New Drone Base To Bolster Spying in Africa” with the subhead, “Military Eyes Niger as Possible Site To Increase Surveillance Of Militants.”

These actions of the Obama Administration led me to re-read an April 16, 1990 article I first read and clipped from The Richmond Times-Dispatch. It was titled “Green Berets Reported Training For African Duty,” the article stated that “A unit of the Army Green Berets is being re-established for training in preparation for possible assignment to Africa ….Part of its mission will be to prevent insurgencies in developing countries, said Maj. Bill Chadwick, who is in charge of starting the unit.”

African women, children and seniors have been and will continue to be killed in U.S. drone attacks on the continent. It is also a growing concern that Black church outreach ministries to Africa could also become innocent victims of drone attacks. It is hypocritical and shameful that Black folks haven’t been more outspoken about the Obama Administration’s Military ventures into Africa. I am willing to bet that if Presidents George Bush or Bill Clinton had taken these actions, there would have been loud protest from many if not most, of us.