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Duration: 03:25 minutes
Upload Time: 2007-11-29 14:36:44
User: saulpaulus
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Description:
A Marshall Plan for Africa & the Darfur Protectorate: Time for America to Stand Up
Before the people of the world, let it now be noted that this is what we stand for: justice, truth, and the value of a single human being.
Chief Judge Dan Haywood (Spencer Tracy) Judgement at Nuremberg 1961
We are entered upon a century of global competition with emerging superpower China--which brings me to:
The need for a Marshall Plan for Africa. Greg Behrman describes most eloquently in The Most Noble Adventure how the original Marshall Plan helped prevent a Europe teetering on the brink from going Communist.
The Chinese are a great and noble people. Their government, however, doesn't share our values. It supported the Khmer Rouge when they murdered Joseph Hargrove, Gary Hall, and Danny Marshall during Mayaguez and then several million of their own people as well. It has brutally oppressed its own people as well as Tibet and it has frustrated US humanitarian initiatives in Darfur and Burma. This despite its military being significantly inferior to ours and its economy being but 1/5 our size.
China's economy and military are rapidly growing. Her coal-fired plants dramatically speed the pace of global warming just as the spread of her wealth and influence through investments and aid increases her power. By mid-century, she may well have surpassed us in economic and military might.
What kind of world will that be? Wracked by environmental disasters and littered with killing fields? Democracy a failed experiment limited at best to the US, the EU, Japan, Australia, and Canada? And in what form?
Even now, the billions China is pouring into Africa have induced many Africans to question the value of democratic and western-style economic reform. Africa was just as much the battleground of the Cold War as Europe was of WW II and now Africans are suffering from a crisis of confidence at least comparable to that of Europe in 1947.
If we are to prevent this nightmare scenario, a Marshall Plan for Africa isn't just right, it's required. While we develop such a plan, we should also build an alliance between the African Union and NATO. This will establish a security guarantee to complement the economic support and will be the precursor to the first important step: establishment of the Darfur Protectorate. This will be demilitarized apart from AU and NATO troops and a no-fly zone controlled by NATO AWACS will be established.
Under the Darfur Protectorate Plan, all refugees will return and will be placed in as near to their former condition as possible. Sudan will be given a prominent place in the African Marshall Plan aid package in return for renouncing its rights to Darfur. We cannot change Darfur's past, but we can change its' future.
We have friendly and capable European leaders in Brown, Sarkozy, and Merkel and Brown has already advocated a Marshall Plan for Africa. They can be convinced if the US shows leadership.
What do they see instead from our noble candidates? If I hear one more Democratic candidate slam another's lack of experience or one more of my fellow Republicans say one of their opponents isn't enough like Ronald Reagan, I am going to scream!!!
What made even those who disagreed with Reagan admire him was his focus on his own optimistic vision for America. This is a lesson that all candidates from both parties would do well to learn. Six months ago everyone made fun of Gravel and now they're all a bunch of griping grouchy Gravels!!!
Along with the blue ribbon panels on how we go to war and creating the African Marshall Plan and the Darfur Protectorate, I would propose that Congress pass a resolution as follows:
Be it resolved that should any candidate from either party criticize another candidate, that candidate will be required to put on overalls and report for 1 days' duty at Arlington or another of our National Cemeteries. There, they shall "take increased devotion to that cause for which others gave the last full measure of devotion". At the beginning and end of the day, they shall be required to write 100 times: "I will focus on my vision for America like Ronald Reagan did and I will not criticize my fellow candidates". Democrats can leave out the Ronald Reagan part!!!
We can make a better world for our children and grandchildren, but it will take an "all hands" effort. The Marshall Plan needed not only Democrats like Marshall and Harriman to succeed, but also Republicans like Vandenberg and Hoffman. Just so, we must all roll up our sleeves and pitch in if we are to build that "shining city on a hill" of which Pilgrims dreamed and Reagan spoke.
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Comments |
saulpaulus ::: Favorites 2007-11-29 15:32:55
My vote is for America and for the issues I have outlined in the "About This Video" section.
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gerry301 ::: Favorites 2007-12-01 22:17:13
I vote for the US as well, but do not share your pessimisim, in particular with Africa. The US has recently establised an Africa command militarily. A Marshall plan is not needed for Africa because of the emmense problem of corruption. The war in Iraq has been won by the troops, and a future exists in Iraq. For both the US and the Iraqi people.
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saulpaulus ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 01:56:42
I am only pessimistic for Africa if we follow the policy you suggest. Corruption is not as big a problem as you and others believe. To the extent it exists at all, it is due to US Cold War and European colonialist policies.
We cannot control Africa or Iraq militarily. We can only convince the people of those places that a free and independent future aligned with the West is in their interest.
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saulpaulus ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 01:57:09
If we do not, along with our European allies, intervene decisively in Darfur and create a Marshall Plan for Africa, this planet will be dominated by authoritarian China in 50 years. There is hope for the future, but only if we act now.
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saulpaulus ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 04:51:03
By the way, Transparency International rates Iraq (the current Iraq under US occupation) as the third most corrupt nation on the planet. Only Burma (whose patron is...wait for it...China) and Somalia (a country where foreign intervention and weapons sales have led to war lord rule) are higher.
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gerry301 ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 12:06:03
LOL, I believe it. But it is something the Iraqis will have to work out among themselves. I'm surprized Afganistan is not up there as well. However, the US did not create the system of corruption, and has done much to persuede the government otherwise.
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gerry301 ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 12:17:41
Why would we want to intervene at all if thier problems were due to us to begin with. Shouldn't we leave well enough alone? Let China be the ones to get the blame for Africas failures.
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gerry301 ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 12:23:11
I think the majority of people in Iraq believe thier best interests are with the US and relations with the west. Malaki recently stated; The US does not understand the fear Shias feel from the Sunnis, even when there is no longer a need. The best way to have reconciliation is to replace ministers with technocrates and provide equal services to all. Making reconciliation a process and not an immediate goal.
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saulpaulus ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 12:52:31
Although it isn't clear, you seem to be saying that America played no role in Africa's current problems. This is totally untrue.
Let's forget for a moment about the past history of American involvement in the slave trade---a history that was long, deep, shameful, and important to the growth of our economy during our early history.
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saulpaulus ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 13:01:00
Beyond that, you need to study the history of the Cold War. The Cold War turned hot in Africa far more than iy did anywhere else. As many as 10 million Africans died in 16 wars involving the interests of one or both of the great powers. And that doesn't even include wars in Africa since the fall of the USSR, many of which stem from the Cold War conflicts and use US, Russian, and Chinese provided arms.
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saulpaulus ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 13:17:25
Also, both sides used aid as bribes. Neither side cared much if aid built palaces, bought guns to oppress the people, and lined Swiss bank accounts. All that mattered was: Is the SOB a reliable ally. We have, thankfully, changed our aid policy since the Cold War. China has not. Also, see the 6 pt series I posted "US Cold War Crime" (something like that). The US and Belgium conspired to murder Lumumba, one of Africa's most promising leaders, and replaced him with Mobutu, probably the worst.
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gerry301 ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 13:26:20
True. Continues to occur in parts of Africa as well as the mid east.
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gerry301 ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 13:33:08
So we should stay out. Let Russia and China fuel the next civil wars in Africa. I believe much of Africa is awash with AK47s, RPGs, etc. Not M-16s and TOW missles. But by your account Russia and China are not liable for any of the problems in Africa. Nor is Islam. Its the Western Boogyman.
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gerry301 ::: Favorites 2007-12-02 13:38:57
Sorry, I'm not a subscriber to the west is to blame for all the evil in the world. Sometimes its personal responsibility. At least its what I learned when I was growing up. As far as aide, it still gets lost if its not watched closely by the world bank or other outside institution. But thats not thier problem, its the fault of the west that they can't seem to take care of themselves.
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