Comments on: AFRICOM: Military Spending Instead of Development Aid? Follow the money. http://www.africanloft.com/africom-militarizing-foreign-aid-follow-the-money/ News, Commentary & Social Media from African Perspective Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:25:15 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Akpowaidor Asekome Akpeti http://www.africanloft.com/africom-militarizing-foreign-aid-follow-the-money/comment-page-1/#comment-22725 Akpowaidor Asekome Akpeti Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:35:49 +0000 http://www.africanloft.com/?p=2161#comment-22725 The fact remains that miltary spending has quadrupled in the last couple of years. The threat to global security has become very worrisome to the extent that super powers are embracing a preventive attitude towards combating terrorism and other related issues. Africa , takes the front burner due to its enviable positon of having an abundance of natural resources at its disposal. These resources are the main stay of highly industrialized nations like United states, United kingdom etc. Unfortuately , intra boundary squabbles over power has led to wars and strife in Africa . The sit tight attitude of some leaders as well as the unegalitarian policies have further aggravated tension in this continent .It is pertinent to note that uprisings as those seen in africa have caused the need for external help from super powers . American multinationals in countries like Nigeria are forced to shut down platforms due to attacks from millitants . Most recently the BONGA field owned by ANGLO DUTCH SHELL was hit by a group called MEND. That facilty contributes largely to the daily production of Nigeria which falls in the range of over 2million barrels. We thus see the need by these super powers to invest heavily in miltary hardware in other to protect their interest.I know that such spending would increase in the following years . Ponder on this , can there be any form of development via aid in a country where anarchy prevails? A paradigm shift towards militirisation may have been born unknowingly . The fact remains that miltary spending has quadrupled in the last couple of years. The threat to global security has become very worrisome to the extent that super powers are embracing a preventive attitude towards combating terrorism and other related issues.

Africa , takes the front burner due to its enviable positon of having an abundance of natural resources at its disposal. These resources are the main stay of highly industrialized nations like United states, United kingdom etc.

Unfortuately , intra boundary squabbles over power has led to wars and strife in Africa . The sit tight attitude of some leaders as well as the unegalitarian policies have further aggravated tension in this continent .It is pertinent to note that uprisings as those seen in africa have caused the need for external help from super powers .

American multinationals in countries like Nigeria are forced to shut down platforms due to attacks from millitants . Most recently the BONGA field owned by ANGLO DUTCH SHELL was hit by a group called MEND. That facilty contributes largely to the daily production of Nigeria which falls in the range of over 2million barrels.

We thus see the need by these super powers to invest heavily in miltary hardware in other to protect their interest.I know that such spending would increase in the following years .

Ponder on this , can there be any form of development via aid in a country where anarchy prevails?

A paradigm shift towards militirisation may have been born unknowingly
.

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