December 14, 2012 Commentary: Sub-Saharan Africa Breeding a New Generation of Leaders Robert Redford, the well-known actor, director, and filmmaker, had a vision for the Sundance Institute’s Theatre Program that embraced “What Africa can become with artistic endeavor.” My July 2012 commentary “Artistic Endeavor: Can Change the Face of Africa” was about Sundance Institute Theatre […]
Read MoreMali’s Music Has Been Muzzled
December 6, 2012 Commentary: Sub-Saharan Africa Mali’s Music Has Been Muzzled Mamadou Diabate, a Malian musician, composed the song ‘Bogna’, which means respect: “Respect is the healing medicine of peace. Peace is the healing medicine of love. Love is the healing medicine of life. Life is the healing medicine of hope.” On December 1, 2012 […]
Read MoreWill Islamists Trump Democracy?
November 29, 2012 Commentary: Africa and Arabian Peninsula Will Islamists Trump Democracy? “Regime change, brought about by the Arab Spring, has emboldened Islamists in their quest to establish a Pan-Islamic caliphate, and govern under Islamic law.” The Arab Spring led to the overthrow of Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak, which unleashed the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi […]
Read MoreMali the Epicenter for AQIM Terrorists
November 26, 2012 Commentary: Africa Mali the Epicenter for AQIM Terrorists On October 12, 2012 Youssoufou Bamba the Côte d’ Ivoire representative to the United Nations stated, “The clock is ticking and every day that passes brings more suffering to the population trapped in the areas controlled by the terrorists”; noting they are carrying out […]
Read MoreThe Arab Spring Didn’t Buy Us Many Friends
November 20, 2012 Commentary: Africa and Arabian Peninsula The Arab Spring Didn’t Buy Us Many Friends The Arab Spring brought about regime change. At the same time it emboldened a new generation of Salafi Islamists– spurred on by ultraconservative imams who had been muzzled for years. The Salafi Islamist movement wants to control the governing […]
Read MoreAfrica Needs a New Approach
November 13, 2012 Commentary: Africa Africa Needs a New Approach “In sub-Saharan Africa the United States has been considered a fair-weather friend. We need a more consistent Foreign Policy to engage Africa, as it struggles with good governance, economic growth, peace and security.” In August 2012, Secretary Hillary Clinton made a ten day visit to […]
Read MoreForeign Policy for Somalia Needs Boost
November 8, 2012 Commentary: Africa Foreign Policy for Somalia Needs Boost “In 1991 we ceased in-country diplomatic relations with Somalia, which opened the door to Islamic extremists. Now twenty years later the State Department wants to embrace Somalia. Let us do it with meaningful programs—not just promote our democratic principles.” On November 4, 2012 Under Secretary […]
Read MoreForeign Policy Needs More Focus on Security
November 2, 2012 Commentary: Africa Foreign Policy Needs More Focus on Security “The U.S. needs a more consistent Foreign Policy to engage the African countries at risk of being taken over by Islamists—with Mali at top of the list.” On October 29, 2012 the State Department gave a briefing on Secretary Hillary Clinton’s visit to Algeria. The focus of […]
Read MoreThe Diplomatic Security Service Failed to Protect
October 29, 2012 Commentary: Africa and Arabian Peninsula The Diplomatic Security Service Failed to Protect “After the U.S. Embassy in Beirut was attacked in 1983, the Inman Advisory Panel on Overseas Security issued a report in 1985, which led to the establishment of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.” We are living in the most crucial […]
Read MoreRegime Change: Salafi Islamists may gain political control (Part II)
October 22, 2012 Commentary Part II: North Africa and Arabian Peninsula Regime Change: Salafi Islamists may gain political control “Combining differing ethnic and religious cultures into a democratic political structure is most difficult. The principles of power sharing in such a platform are alien in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.” In the Arab Spring […]
Read MoreRegime Change: Salafi Islamists may gain political control (Part I)
October 19, 2012 Commentary Part I: North Africa and Arabian Peninsula Regime Change: Salafi Islamists may gain political control “Combining differing ethnic and religious cultures into a democratic political structure is most difficult. The principles of power sharing in such a platform are alien in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.” The Arab Spring started […]
Read MoreBenghazi Brutal Battle: AQIM terrorists had their roots in Mali
Commentary: Africa Benghazi Brutal Battle: AQIM terrorists had their roots in Mali “Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) was born in Algeria, moved to Mali in 2003, and today has tentacles spread across the vast Sahel, including Mauritania, Niger, and Chad; North Africa in Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt”. On July 5, 2012 the UN Security Council passed […]
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