From The Nation (Kenya), 13 September
Plans to base US Africa Command in Botswana causes tension
Kitsepile Nyathi
Harare - Plans by the United States military to set up the proposed Africa
Command in Botswana will further polarise the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) and delay regional integration because of the West's
treatment of the Zimbabwe crisis, analysts have warned. Zimbabwe, which has
become a divisive topic in the 14 nation block, has in the past spoken
strongly against Botswana's decision to continue hosting Voice of America
(VOA) transmitters. It claims they are being used by the US to transmit
anti-Mugabe propaganda. Botswana has also repeatedly denied accusations by
its neighbour that the US has a military base near the capital Gaborone,
which might be used to effect regime change in Harare. After the explosive
Lusaka SADC heads President Robert Mugabe reportedly walked out of a closed
door session protesting against a frank assessment of the situation in
Zimbabwe by his Zambian counterpart, Mr Levy Mwanawasa, the proposed US base
has emerged as another poser for regional leaders. Mr Mugabe reportedly told
a shell shocked, Mr Mwanawasa he was aware of meetings the Zambian leader
held with Western intelligence about Zimbabwe. The SADC leadership is
bitterly divided over Zimbabwe with leaders who led guerilla movements
during liberation wars in the sub-region siding with Mr Mugabe, while the
'new generation' of leaders such as Mr Mwanawasa and President Festus Mogae
of Botswana have spoken strongly against Harare's human rights record.
Last week, President Mogae was forced to issue a statement on the proposed
base to diffuse the storm but critics say he did little to allay fears that
his country was collaborating with the West. "We have not taken a position
(on AFRICOM) because we don't know how the animal will look like," he told
University of Botswana students during a public lecture. "We are still
discussing the issue." AFRICOM is a new unified combatant command of the US
military with the responsibility of covering Africa. According to the US
department of defence, the initial plans are to create a sub command under
the supervision of the US European Command and must begin initial operations
next month. The command will be temporarily housed at Kelley Barracks in
Stuttgart, Germany until it is fully established in a yet to be determined
African country by the end of September next year. Announcing plans to
create the command in February, US president, Mr George W. Bush said it will
"coordinate all US military and security interests throughout the
continent." Mr Mogae revealed that Botswana was not the only country
approached by the US to host the command saying discussions had also been
held with South Africa. But Dr Themba Nhuka, a political analyst at the
National University of Science and Technology (NUST) said the Mugabe
government has seized news about the setting up of AFRICOM in Botswana to
drive home its claims that some of its neighbours are working with the West
to topple it from power. "Mugabe has a siege mentality," Dr Nhuka said. "To
divert attention from the worsening crisis at home in the past, the
government has taken issue with Botswana for hosting VOA radio transmitters
that broadcast 'hostile' propaganda aimed at regime change by the Americans
and they have now seized this AFRICOM story to their advantage."
He added that "unfortunately most SADC leaders buy into these claims because
they regard Mr Mugabe as a liberation icon" and this will further alienate
fellow leaders who see the Zimbabwean leader as a stumbling leader to
regional integration and economic growth. In Botswana, Zimbabwe's argument
seems to be gaining currency among Mr Mogae's opponents with the official
opposition Botswana National Front (BNF) having already petitioned that
country's parliament against AFRICOM.. "It is our duty as the BNF and indeed
it is the duty of every Botswana citizen who cherishes peace, tranquility
and democracy to vigorously prevent President George Bush from using
Botswana as a spring board for his military and oil based economic
manoeuvres," read the party's petition. SADC had set a target of next year
to reach full regional integration but differences over issues such as
immigration and on how to deal with states that refuse to adhere agreed
democratic and political principles such as Zimbabwe are seen delaying its
success. Mr Lloyd Nhuka of the University of Botswana says the setting up of
AFRICOM in either Botswana or South Africa will further polarise the region
as it would fuel suspicion among political leaders. He said some countries
such as Zimbabwe "were challenging US hegemony" while others were seen
embracing "the superpower's policies." Unfortunately SADC will become the
battle ground for competing US and Chinese interests to the detriment of
regional peace," he said.
. Sorry, I don't have the link. The piece I copied was forwarded to me as a .txt file (easier to read on bberry), without the original link. I copied the entire story as forwarded. In the future I'll back-check it via google to be sure I've got the whole piece. That said, because of the nature of the forwarding service I'm pretty confident in the sourcing.
Originally Posted by african007
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