Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 15 February 2008 — Page 2

Page 2 • The Muncie Times • February 15, 2008

EDITORIAL

Bush's final African trip creates challenges, opportunities

President George W. Bush's farewell trip to Africa this week underlines, once again, the potential for sound economic, political, social and educational ties between the United States and the African continent. For too long, Africa has been regarded as a backwater, with no significant military, political or economic concern to the United States. Africa has been so forgotten and so ignored that many Americans do not know that Africa is a continent made up of 53 countries, with 53 constitutions, 53 capitals, 53

legislatures, 53 presidents, 53 armies and numerous distinct languages. In fact, it's not unusual to come across Americans, even college students, who are surprised to hear that the United States can fit into Africa more than three times or that Africa is a continent—not a country. During the days of the Cold War, Africa was a theater for competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. The ideological,political and economic competitions between the superpowers had nothing to do with what was

good for the continent or its people. Instead, Africa was nothing more than a pawn, to be used and discarded at will. Those odds seem to be changing. As the world's second largest continent, with a population of around 700 million people, Africa can become an important player in world politics. It has been afflicted by disease, poverty and lack of education. It has also produced too many leaders who are corrupt, egotistical, ignorant, cruel and more interested in staying in power, lining their pockets and those of their relatives and

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cronies, than in protecting human rights, economic, social and political development and improving the quality of life of all their people. Africa is endowed with tremendous natural resources, including oil, gold, industrial and gem diamonds, manganese, copper, iron ore, chromium, asbestos and others. Those natural resources have attracted outsiders. In the past, it was the European countries, some of whom colonized the continent, the United States and the former Soviet Union. Today it is the Chinese who are coming, calling and courting. These natural resources have rarely been used to reduce poverty, alleviate suffering, improve health care, create wealth or spread educational opportunities. The political elite has prospered, while the majority of the people live brutish lives in relentless squalor. The Bush visit pays homage to a continent millions of whose people perished in the unforgiving seas as they were being transported, in overcrowded slave ships, to the United States. The large African American population here today is made up of the descendants of those slaves, creating an unbreakable bond between Africa and the United States. The

money that the United States has given to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases help underscore the common humanity between Africa and the United States. Serious economic and political ties are emerging. Although it could do more, the United States has, at least, been outspoken about the atrocities being perpetrated in Darfur, southern Sudan, by Arab militia sponsored and supported by the Sudanese government. The Bush administration is trying to bring peace and stability to politically troubled Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Bush administration has also been outspoken about the political and economic meltdown in Zimbabwe where the 83-year-old Robert Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980, is seeking a new 5-year-term next month. During his five-country visit, Bush has sought to encourage economic and political development, sign economic and trade agreements, applaud those countries moving toward democratic reforms and scold those that abuse human rights and trample on their citizens' rights. That's a welcome message. It creates new opportunities and challenges.