Bush: U.S. Not Adding Bases In Africa

President Says U.S. Not Seeking Military Power In Africa Or Showdown With China

(AP)  In a country teeming with resources the world covets, President Bush sought Wednesday to soothe African fears about American interests on the continent. He said the U.S. isn't aiming to make Africa into a base for greater military power or a proxy battleground with China.

The desire for Africa's vast raw materials - oil, gold, diamonds, minerals, crops and more - has a long and often violent and exploitative history.

That's especially true in this tropical, sweltering, resource-rich nation on the shores of West Africa, the first place in sub-Saharan Africa that Europeans arrived to trade, first in gold, then slaves, and now the site of a new offshore oil discovery.

So it came as little surprise that Bush's talk about how U.S. generosity has made strides against disease and poverty encountered some skepticism here about the underlying American agenda. Some of those questions arose during Bush's appearance with Ghana's leader at Osu Castle, once a hub of slave-trading and now the seat of government.

With no prompting at a news conference, Bush sought to deal with suspicions about the creation of a new U.S. military command dedicated to Africa.

Nations such as Libya, Nigeria and South Africa have expressed fears that the plan signals an unwanted expansion of American power on the continent or is a cover for protecting Africa's oil on behalf of the U.S. Bush said Ghana's President, John Kufuor, bluntly told him in private that "you're not going to build any bases in Ghana."

"I know there's rumors in Ghana, `All Bush is coming to do is try to convince you to put a big military base here,"' Bush said. "That's baloney. Or as we say in Texas, that's bull. ... I want to dispel the notion that all of a sudden America is bringing all kinds of military to Africa."

Instead, Bush said the new command - unique to the Pentagon's structure - was aimed at more effectively reorganizing U.S. military efforts related to Africa under one hierarchy, and to strengthen African nations' peacekeeping, trafficking, anti-terror and other efforts.

For now, the administration has decided to continue operating AFRICOM out of existing U.S. bases on the continent and directing it from Stuttgart, Germany. Bush said "we haven't made our minds up" about whether to "develop some kind of office somewhere in Africa" as a headquarters. But war-wrecked Liberia is the only African nation that has offered to host it.

Kufuor said Bush's explanation "should put fade to the speculation."

On China, Bush insisted "we can pursue agendas without creating a sense of competition." Still, he made his argument clear: that the United States is the better and kinder partner, because it aims to improve African lives while nations like China focus on commercial opportunity to the exclusion of almost everything else.

In an indirect swipe at Beijing, Bush suggested that African leaders set standards such as the employment of African workers or keeping value-added processes on the continent for countries seeking to do business here - and promised the United States would meet them.

"I just will tell you that our policy is aimed at helping people," the president said.

But there is no question that American economic interests also matter here. On energy alone, a fifth of U.S. oil comes from Nigeria. Ghana's oil discovery last year matters, even if it won't rival that.

Jennifer Cooke, an authority on Africa for the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said Bush's altered approach to foreign aid - in which assistance is restricted to nations that embrace free markets, fight corruption and invest in education and health - is in part a counter argument to China's formidable presence. Beijing is making investments and forging relationships that have drawn some controversy here, but also enough applause to create concern in Washington.

Ghana was the first African nation to receive a compact from Bush's Millennium Challenge Corporation, one worth $547 million over five years to expand markets for crops.

"China has a major focus on infrastructure and Africans appreciate that very much about the Chinese engagement," Cooke said. "And so this is a way, I think, of trying to do things differently in ways that matter to Africans."

For his part, Kufuor had no criticism for China, saying its products are "quite competitive" and its system bound to turn more democratic.

"I can assure you our nations are not succumbing to dictates and impositions, not from China nor elsewhere," he said. "So as far as we are concerned, so far, it's all right with China."

Bush also came to Ghana - "the front-row, straight-A student of Africa," as White House spokesman Tony Fratto put it - because it is the kind of story he likes to promote. It's a stable, relatively well administered democracy that has largely avoided ethnic clashes and played a busy peacekeeping role on the continent under Kufuor's leadership. Ghana also has cut its still-persistent poverty and is known for press freedoms.

But it is still dependent on foreign aid, including millions each year from the United States. "`Mr. President, Africa salutes you for these gestures of goodwill improving lives on the people on the continent," Kufuor said at a lavish dinner thrown for Bush and about 500 others Wednesday night.

From Ghana, Bush will fly to Liberia on Thursday and then back to Washington. He also has visited Benin, Tanzania and Rwanda.

[leftyintexas]

Besides being a natural born loser , he''s a big liar as well. He should know the term ''bull'' well, he invented it.

[hungry1968]

Did anyone catch Letterman last night? He said that there''s a power struggle in Cuba for president. It''s either going to be Raul Castro or Fidel''s idiot son, Fidel W. Castro.


LOL!! I laughed for 10 minutes at that one!!!

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush II has stated that he is not visiting Africa to force African countries to "accept" permanent US(SA) military bases in Africa.

The Great Emperor is there, according to official sources, only to promote "goodwill", plead for help from the world to stop the spread of AIDS and other diseases, and stop genocide wherever it is in Africa.

Naturally, it is noteworthy that the Great Emperor does not have time on his trips to even visit AIDS patients in hospitals, let alone even go near countries where genocide is being practiced like Dafur.

At least "Bagdad" John McCain visited Bagdad, even though he was "shopping for rugs", wore body armour from head to toe and was protected by 1,000 troops and 4 helicopter gun ships. The Great Emperor however, is "playing it safe" by not even going near any AIDS patients or countries where genocide is going on.

As far as "permanent" military bases, The Great Emperor had his fingers and toes crossed when he made that statement!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!!
sig heil, McCain????

[jwind11]

Did anyone catch Letterman last night? He said that there''''s a power struggle in Cuba for president. It''''s either going to be Raul Castro or Fidel''''s idiot son, Fidel W. Castro.


LOL!! I laughed for 10 minutes at that one!!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968

Thats because that joke was geared toward his junior high audience.

[hungry1968]

Thats because that joke was geared toward his junior high audience.

Posted by jwind11 at 09:33 AM : Feb 20, 2008




He''s back!!

The guy that thinks there are 540,000 electoral college votes!!

Do you have someone available to translate your posts into common sense today, or are we supposed to muddle our way through your confusing jibberish again?

[jwind11]

The Great Emperor Bush II has stated that he is not visiting Africa to force African countries to "accept" permanent US(SA) military bases in Africa.

The Great Emperor is there, according to official sources, only to promote "goodwill", plead for help from the world to stop the spread of AIDS and other diseases, and stop genocide wherever it is in Africa.

Naturally, it is noteworthy that the Great Emperor does not have time on his trips to even visit AIDS patients in hospitals, let alone even go near countries where genocide is being practiced like Dafur.

At least "Bagdad" John McCain visited Bagdad, even though he was "shopping for rugs", wore body armour from head to toe and was protected by 1,000 troops and 4 helicopter gun ships. The Great Emperor however, is "playing it safe" by not even going near any AIDS patients or countries where genocide is going on.

As far as "permanent" military bases, The Great Emperor had his fingers and toes crossed when he made that statement!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!!
sig heil, McCain????


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by walt1944

all your posts look alike , no substance, just misdirected anger

[jwind11]

The guy that thinks there are 540,000 electoral college votes!!

Do you have someone available to translate your posts into common sense today, or are we supposed to muddle our way through your confusing jibberish again?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968

nice try, you were the one who thought the votes were electoral, or what was point of bring that number up? I will try and find a middleschooler to translate my posts for you to understand.

-

[jwind11]

The guy that thinks there are 540,000 electoral college votes!!

Do you have someone available to translate your posts into common sense today, or are we supposed to muddle our way through your confusing jibberish again?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968

so basically, we have you, who thinks president is elected by popular vote, and your buddy walt who thinks america is ruled by an emperor....both of you are way off, so you think your posts have any credibility?

[hungry1968]

"Sweat was pouring off Mr. Bush''s face during the news conference...."



Why? Did they ask him to read something?

[jwind11]

"Sweat was pouring off Mr. Bush''''s face during the news conference...."



Why? Did they ask him to read something?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968

my middleschooler here i have to translate for you, laughe at that one...he was only one tho

[hungry1968]

nice try, you were the one who thought the votes were electoral, or what was point of bring that number up? I will try and find a middleschooler to translate my posts for you to understand.

-

Posted by jwind11 at 09:41 AM : Feb 20, 2008




Please do. I can translate a middle schooler''s posts into an adult thought process. Yours however.....

I asked you approx 10 times yesterday to repost my message where I said that Bush won by 540,000 ELECTORAL COLLEGE votes. I''m still waiting.

[jwind11]

"Sweat was pouring off Mr. Bush''''s face during the news conference...."



Why? Did they ask him to read something?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968

Please, please tell me that the 1968 in your name doesnt stand for year you were born...that would make you 39 or 40. If that is case, then what I said yesterday is probably even more right. From your knowledge of the voting process and your emotional level, there is no way you can be 40

[hungry1968]

so basically, we have you, who thinks president is elected by popular vote, and your buddy walt who thinks america is ruled by an emperor....both of you are way off, so you think your posts have any credibility?

Posted by jwind11 at 09:44 AM : Feb 20, 2008





Really? I think that our president is elected by popular vote? Thanks for telling me "what I think".

Up until now, I thought that the president SHOULD be picked by popular vote, and if we MUST use the proven failure of the electoral college system, then the number of electoral college votes SHOULD be reflective of the number of popular votes.

Did you miss my whole conversation yesterday with crusherking or whatever his name was, or where you -- AGAIN -- lost in your own confusion? (or should I say still?)

Either way, thanks for TELLING me "what I think".

[jwind11]

you said bush lost by 540,000 votes. what did you mean by that? if you knew we go by electoral votes here.....what was your point with that comment?

[jwind11]

"Sweat was pouring off Mr. Bush''''''''s face during the news conference...."

"Why? Did they ask him to read something?"
Posted by hungry1968


lol...nicely done :)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by jh6379

jh6, do you know what an enabler is? look it up

[inventagod]

If Bu$h said it - it is a lie.

[hungry1968]

you said bush lost by 540,000 votes. what did you mean by that? if you knew we go by electoral votes here.....what was your point with that comment?

Posted by jwind11 at 09:53 AM : Feb 20, 2008




Did you read anything between myself and crusherking yesterday?

I said that if Bush lost by 540,000 POPULAR votes, then there is NO WAY HE SHOULD have won the electoral college votes for president. There were 105 million votes cast. 3.8 million votes were cast for third party candidates - and they DID NOT WIN ONE electoral college vote - NOT ONE.

Of the 101.3 million votes cast between the two parties, Bush received 540,000 LESS than Gore. That being said, there is NO WAY that Bush should have received MORE electoral college votes than Gore, and he received FIVE more than Gore.

And THAT is why I told crusherking that the election process was taken away from the people, and given to the few with the power to make the decision.

[jwind11]

If Bu$h said it - it is a lie.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Inventagod

everything?

[hungry1968]

If Bu$h said it - it is a lie.

Posted by Inventagod



everything?

Posted by jwind11 at 10:04 AM : Feb 20, 2008




More likely than not.

[jwind11]

More likely than not.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968


wow!! you are more angry than i first thought... go get help my friend!!! your issues have nothing to do with bush!!! let me repeat that. your issues have nothing to do with bush!!! go get help, quit living your life in anger. bye for now

[hungry1968]

wow!! you are more angry than i first thought... go get help my friend!!! your issues have nothing to do with bush!!! let me repeat that. your issues have nothing to do with bush!!! go get help, quit living your life in anger. bye for now

Posted by jwind11 at 10:13 AM : Feb 20, 2008




95% of what is wrong with this country are problems that have been ignored by Bush. Health care, social security, immigration, medicaid, medicare, FDA, USDA, etc, etc.

Either his policies have outright ignored these problems / agencies, or his policies have made them worse.

I like your enabler post earlier. That''s all that you mentally challenged people are to Bush - enablers. You just keep supporting him and his failed policies, and then wonder why our country is in such a state of disrepair.

[easeup-2009]

"Did you read anything between myself and crusherking yesterday?

I said that if Bush lost by 540,000 POPULAR votes, then there is NO WAY HE SHOULD have won the electoral college votes for president. There were 105 million votes cast. 3.8 million votes were cast for third party candidates - and they DID NOT WIN ONE electoral college vote - NOT ONE.

Of the 101.3 million votes cast between the two parties, Bush received 540,000 LESS than Gore. That being said, there is NO WAY that Bush should have received MORE electoral college votes than Gore, and he received FIVE more than Gore.

And THAT is why I told crusherking that the election process was taken away from the people, and given to the few with the power to make the decision.

Posted by hungry1968 at 10:03 AM : Feb 20, 2008"

Geez, hungry, you still beating the dead horse?

You must have a lot of time on your hands....

[jwind11]

9-10 months from now the failed Bush admin will be history...that is a pleasant thought :)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by jh6379

yep, just temporarily for you tho, then you wake up, you are still angry and depressed, then get confused and say "wait a minute, bush isnt president anymore, who am i supposed to blame for my anger now?"

[joyous88]

yea! Like we can believe anything we here from this little clown, or any other republicon for that matter.

[joyous88]

jwind11 is an idiot,, keep your day job jwind

[jwind11]

"Did you read anything between myself and crusherking yesterday?

I said that if Bush lost by 540,000 POPULAR votes, then there is NO WAY HE SHOULD have won the electoral college votes for president. There were 105 million votes cast. 3.8 million votes were cast for third party candidates - and they DID NOT WIN ONE electoral college vote - NOT ONE.

Of the 101.3 million votes cast between the two parties, Bush received 540,000 LESS than Gore. That being said, there is NO WAY that Bush should have received MORE electoral college votes than Gore, and he received FIVE more than Gore.

And THAT is why I told crusherking that the election process was taken away from the people, and given to the few with the power to make the decision.

Posted by hungry1968 at 10:03 AM : Feb 20, 2008"

Geez, hungry, you still beating the dead horse?

You must have a lot of time on your hands....


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by easeup

yea and he wont believe me when i tell him his anger issues are from things in his past and not bush` fault.

[jwind11]

jwind11 is an idiot,, keep your day job jwind


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by joyous88

ouch that hurt.....typical lib. who are you going to angry at in 2 years joyous88, when you wake up are still angry?

[crusherking]

Hey guys and gals, Don''t try and explain civics to Hungry. Hungry can not grasp the concept of the electoral college or why our founding fathers chose to purposely avoid a true democratic form of government. I see he/she is still bitter from the civics lesson i provided yesterday.

[crusherking]

Dont worry jwind. That is the only alternative the libs have to our facts. They can''t combat our logic so they attack us personally. Thats fine. I stopped being affected by those childish schoolkid tactics long,long, long ago..Be interesting to see if they can address a topic in a civil manner.

[jwind11]

Dont worry jwind. That is the only alternative the libs have to our facts. They can''''t combat our logic so they attack us personally. Thats fine. I stopped being affected by those childish schoolkid tactics long,long, long ago..Be interesting to see if they can address a topic in a civil manner.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by crusherking

I am not telling them that they need help to be mean. I really do want them to get help. Being angry all the time is no way to go thru life.

[excoachken]

But, did he mention anything about OIL?

[crusherking]

Yes. The electoral college was great for Hungry as long as it elected the beloved Socialist Bill Clinton or Jimmy "I effed up America bad" Carter. But when it elects a republican? OMG the Shiite hits the fan!! So now they are bitter and lash out without any idea how petty it makes them look.

[jwind11]

jh6379, joyous and hungry, will still be angry 2 years from now, no matter who the president is...they will be confused not having bush to blame it on....maybe then they might get out of their denial stage. them calling me names is normal so it doesnt bother me. alcoholics will call you names when you tell them to go get help to.

[crusherking]

No CoachKen, there was no mention of OIL until you just brought it up.. Soooo. Tell me about the oil.

[crusherking]

Joyous is quite an ironic nic considering the posts I have read from her. Not much Joy in any of them I must say.

[jwind11]

I love watching neocons congragulate themselves on their own levels of self-importance - as if they, and only they, are intelligent and rational and willing to debate and never resort to name-calling.

But here''''s a clue. Both sides, including you and me and the next guy, fight, name call, go off topic, act hypocritical, self-delude and, occasionally, get some debate in. If you think that only the intelligent debaters also, by happy coincidence, happen to all agree with your political views, then you obviously put a lot of weight on the self-delude part. Get over yourselves. You, like me, are just another biased a$$hole around here killing time, don''''t pretend it''''s any more than that.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by rafterman1

I have yet to give a political point of view....i ask for simple backing up of libs so called "facts", you know what happens then? they call me a name and leave, never posting anything to back up their "facts"

[ioweign]

Posted by jh6379

jh6, do you know what an enabler is? look it up

Posted by jwind11 at 09:56 AM : Feb 20, 2008

jwind11 - go have a beer...

[jwind11]

Uh, yeah, actually many of your anger posts were directed to me or did you already forget yesterday?

You see, the reason people are getting angry (at you) is because, like a four year old repeating the same word or phrase he doesn''''t even understand over and over again, you are getting on my nerves.

Of course, it''''s entirely possible that you know you are getting on everyone''''s nerves with that anger posting over and over again and are doing it on purpose to get a rise out of people. Psychoanalyze that for a while.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by rafterman1

you are still in denial stage....very very common, you will be angry at whoever wants you to get help..when and if you get out of denial stage then you can find good therapist and work thru your issues. good luck.

[crusherking]

Well Rafterman, I think you prove my point by simply posting. I have never said that someone is not intelligent because they don''t agree with me. I actually enjoy the debate. What I don''t enjoy are childish tactics of name calling and inuendo about someone sexual preference that seems to be espoused by many from the left on here(and yes, there are those on the right doing it as well) My statements were directed specifically at one poster who doesn''t understand our history, politics or elections process even when I provide the info in numerous posts from unbiased sources AND provide the info needed to find the links and other links to do the research. I do find that much of the banter from the left here is not about debate but about espousing hatred. That is not healthy.

[jwind11]

do you think you have anger issues rafter?

[jwind11]

Textbook case.....good luck when you finally decide to get treatment, it wont be easy, but you can do it....good luck!!!!

[inventagod]

If Bu$h said it - it is a lie.
...Posted by Inventagod

everything?
...Posted by jwind11

More likely than not.
...Posted by hungry1968

Everything. Bu$h is a liar.
We are putting bases in Africa, or planning to.
Watch and learn.

[boatdocster]

One thing if for sure -

If we do start building in Africa, the bases will only be located in countries will oil reserves!!

W- Worst Ever!!

[crusherking]

SHURCH4TRUTH, I get plenty of the pathetic here reading some of these posts. So any attack on Obama now is going to be "subtle racism"? I''d say that is in and of itself subtle racism.

[missingamerica]

Three hundred of Africa''s leaders are in a conference room, and they decide to take a vote on whether they should trust Bush''s assertion that he won''t militarize Africa.

"Everybody that believes Bush raise your hand."

For a moment, there is dead silence. Then, far back at the rear of the room, one lonely hand goes up.

"WHAT?!?!? You believe Bush?"

"No, I was just wondering what is for lunch."

[randynason]

Why do we need military bases in Africa, when we have so many really BIG ones in Iraq where the oil is already waiting? (sarcasm)
If Bush wants to leave an appropriate legacy for posterity, he should stay in Africa and not come back to the U.S. again.

[watcher269-2009]

Another Bushit Lie?

Also why aren''t these stories on the CBS (so called News website)?

OLBERMANN: Why would evidence like this entire AT&T room in San Francisco%u2014we know the number of the room, we know the guy who hooked it all up. Why is that not sufficient to at least move this lawsuit on?

TURLEY: Well, that%u2019s part of the ridiculous element to all this. That we know there%u2019s an NSA program; we know that it%u2019s illegal. There%u2019s been no showing nor is no showing possible that the President had the authority to order what he did. This is a crime, defined under federal law. So there%u2019s no mystery to the program, there%u2019s not a particular debate to its illegality. The only issue is standing: the ability of someone to come in and say, %u201CI can show I was individually harmed.%u201D And they can%u2019t do that because the Courts won%u2019t give them the information they need and Congress will do nothing to force out into the public the information needed to get this type of relief. And as you noted, the Congress is going further in the opposite direction; they%u2019re trying to extinguish suits against telecom companies that have been successful.


Where are the FISA Stories that are working against the freedoms of Americans on this News Website!

[watcher269-2009]

Yes! We are adding Outposts - not Bases!

[gce65]

Already have a major SpecOps base in Djibouti and all the secret CIA prisons we need in Morocco and Egypt.

[joyous88]

if his lips are moving he is lying