US Troops Move to Africa to Protect Oil Interests

[Nambe]

Institute for Policy Studies

The Pentagon plans to move between 5,000 and 6,500 troops from bases in Germany to various countries in Africa with the express purpose of protecting US oil interests in Nigeria, which in the future could account for as much as 25% of all U.S. oil imports. Permission for this military expansion will be on President Bush s agenda as he travels throughout Africa this week. But critics charge that this means the U.S. will once again be placing US troops in harm s way in order to secure a free flow of oil for US consumers, fomenting the same sort of anti-American resentment and violence that is being targeted at US troops in Iraq.

A Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and expert on Nigeria, Daphne Wysham, says President George W. Bush s trip to Africa is an attempt to shore up African support for a stronger US military presence in the region under the guise of humanitarianism. Current plans have the US increasing its military presence from 1,500 Marines in Djibouti to 5,000 to 6,500 troops in semi-permanent bases in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Mali, Ghana, and Kenya. According to the Wall Street Journal, US officials claim that a key mission for U.S. forces would be to ensure that Nigeria's oil fields& are secure. ---

Privatize bush It’s a Good Thing

[ozymandius]

1. So....this trip was just window dressing?

If a humanitarian effort in Liberia is nixed, how can anyone with a conscience approve of sending troops to Africa to protect Nigerian oil?