Obama Win Would Make a Difference to Africa, Says John Conyers

[KWASI Akyeampong]

Obama Win Would Make a Difference to Africa, Says Meeting

A Democratic Party fringe meeting in Denver yesterday considered the question of whether having an American president with family in Africa will affect US policy toward Africa, particularly in regard to the Aids epidemic.

Yes, it will, declared African-American Congressman John Conyers, a hero of the 1960s' civil rights movement and a longtime campaigner on global health initiatives.


"A president who is an American with African roots would make a huge statement not only to Africa but to the entire world," Congressman Conyers said. "Barack Obama is going to put America back into the global family."

The Democratic Party's campaign platform, which closely reflects the views of the Obama camp, emphasises US moves to help develop Africa's economic potential.

"We are committed to bringing the full weight of American leadership to bear in unlocking the spirit of entrepreneurship and economic independence that is sweeping across markets of Africa," the policy document states.

Monday's session at a Denver church about one mile from the convention site was sponsored by Progressive Democrats of America, a party pressure group that favours left-leaning policies. Speakers on health-care issues relentlessly bashed the Bush administration for allowing the United States to remain the only developed country without a state-sponsored programme of comprehensive health insurance.

But on the topic of Aids in Africa, black Congresswoman Barbara Lee did acknowledge that President George W Bush has done much more than his predecessors.

Allocated billions

The President's Emergency Programme for Aids Relief (Pepfar) has allocated billions of dollars in recent years to finance treatment for millions of HIV-positive Africans. Thousands of Kenyans remain alive today because Pepfar has provided them with drugs that greatly weaken the Aids virus' capacity to kill those whom it infects.

Congresswoman Lee said Pepfar should be modified, however, to give beneficiary countries more autonomy in deciding how to address their respective Aids epidemics.

Congressman Conyers noted that he and other Democrats had managed to "beat back" the Bush administration's proposal to establish a US military command for Africa. This Africom initiative is no longer envisioned as involving the stationing of US troops on the continent.

The Detroit congressman called Africom "the latest attempt to re-colonise Africa."

By Kevin J Kelley
Denver
26 August 2008
Posted to the web 26 August 2008
The Nation (Nairobi)
Mathaba NEWS (from allAcrica.com)
http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200808260954.html

[Talib Muhammad]

Greetings,

I agree with Congressman Conyers assessment that "Africom is the latest attempt to re-colonize Africa". However, I don't have a lot of confidence in Obama. One of his foreign policy advisors is none other than the infamous Zbigniew Brzezinski. A man who served as Jimmy Carter's National Security Advisor and is no friend to Black people or the African continent as a whole! In my opinion Obama is but a pawn on the "Grand Chessboard" for the militarization of Africa and the control of the vast resources on the Mother Continent. Because without those resources America will cease to exist as a superpower in the 21st century.

Peace

[Eddie Huff]

Kwasi,

My big question to Mr. Conyers would be, what kind of diffrence can Obama make to Africa when he has made no difference ot Chicago. For that matter for all of the time that Mr. Conyers has been in Congress, what difference has he made to his community?

This is about power and the New Uncle Toms such as Conyers and Obama are about their own power at the expense of the black community. The only ones to gain from a Democratic administration are women, gays and environmentalists. Blakc folks are the losers.

It is time for a revolution, but we need new radicals to try something different. We need to spread the power around to gain power.

Other constituancies know this. You will not see women or Latinos voting 90% one way based upon a candidates sex or race. This makes them unpredictable & dangerous. We have become a joke and the GOP has calculated that they can win without us. An Obama loss will prove that and be a setback that will take many years for us to recover form.

The GOP is courting women and Hispanics, who will be the real difference.

Eddie

[Talib Muhammad]

Greetings,

I agree the Republican party is courting women and so-called Hispanics! McCain's selection of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his VP choice is clearly an attempt to reach out to Hillary Clinton's constituency! Black people's overwhelming and unconditional support of the Democratic party is going to prove to be problematic for Black people in the long run. I don't feel we can depend on either political party! They don't give a damn about Black people because now they have the so-called Hispanics who are allegedly the nation's largest "minority" group! We must practice "Operational Unity"! The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said "our unity is more powerful than an atomic bomb"! We must come together and do for self or die!

[BLACKWATCH - Dr. Brother Raheru Ptah Sun of Asaru]

The only difference it may make is that drug companies would have a new markets to sell "medicines" that is suppose to work in the fight against AIDS (according to their research).

Putting a Black face on white policy isn't what Africa needs. We wouldn't be surprised if many of the Leaders of these countries tell American Blacks, "We're not interested, 'Pale Man!'" like Jesse Jackson once heard from a certain African official in his role for Clinton as unofficial "Ambassador to Africa."

We can't carry racist assumptions that Africa needs our "paternal" help like European colonialist assume. If African-America feels there is an opportunity to raise the profile of needs to the countries in Africa, then there needs to be far better qualified folks to do this who understands the role of wholistic and natural cures built within African-centered infrastructures that will not only help the people but to allow them to help themselves.

African-America needs to be totally re-educated about what is really going on in the Africa diaspora and not assume that intelligence propaganda from AFRICOM, Christian Network, Africare, Randall Robinson, and U.S. Media to give you a true meaning of what's going on there.

Another angle is questioning the psychological state a United States President Barack Obama. Would a half-White/half-African man who was abandoned by his African father seek to heal the conditions that caused his father to leave or will he give Africa to the only nuturing that he has ever known: White people. Will he allow "challenge to his beliefs" by those who are not a part of the American interests network to truly challenge the role of American intervention and build equal partnerships with no strings attached?

Because Barack has African ancestry in his blood, because he is married to an African-in-America woman and has African children, there will be many who are watching who have an absolute understanding of the criminal colonial record of the United States and have long experience with Negro Sellout politicians in cities, states and countries... who will see watching to see if Barack would indeed bring a Change... or simply a change of guard.

[BLACKWATCH - Dr. Brother Raheru Ptah Sun of Asaru]

Talib Muhammad said:

Greetings,

....the infamous Zbigniew Brzezinski. A man who served as Jimmy Carter's National Security Advisor and is no friend to Black people or the African continent as a whole! In my opinion Obama is but a pawn on the "Grand Chessboard" for the militarization of Africa and the control of the vast resources on the Mother Continent

Peace

Bro. Talib, This says it all here.

In fact, Zbigniew is all over the transition team that stopped George W. Bush from nuking Iran, slapped up the hell up with AIPAC/Israel Zionism Lobby, and is starting the wars against Russia and China. The United State Propaganda Media didn't miss a beat in it's shift.