JJ Green of the VOA hosted intellectuals , to discuss
what Africans like to say on the War with Iraq. On this
programme we have Prof. Jimmy Kandeu, a Prof. of Political
Science in the University of Richmond Dr Sulayman Nyang,
Professor of African Studies, Howard University. Dr
Baffour Agyeman Duah, Associate Executive Director, Ghana
Centre for Democratic Development.
This week on Africa and the War in Iraq: VOA-TV to
Africa will conclude it's coverage of the US-led war in
Iraq with a look at terrorism. On November 14th 2002, the
United States created and activated a new military command
called, Task Force Horn of Africa, to monitor and pursue
terrorists trying to transit, hide, train or organize in
areas in or near the Horn of Africa. The mission area
covers Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Sudan, Kenya
and Yemen.
The US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has said
before that "there is no question that the Horn of Africa
is home to terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda."
George Bush and Tony Blair have shown the world they are
real terrorists .
Nigeria is a peaceful loving country ,so we are not in
support of the action being taken by US but that does not
mean we are supporting Saddam.’’Boldon,Lagos,Nigeria.
Desmond Orjiako. "If the inspectors had continued with
their work, Africa believes that some other peaceful means
could have been found in disarming Iraq instead of going to
war."Mr. Orjiako said war kills innocent people and
destroys needed infrastructure. In addition, he said Africa
has other concerns.
"Our biggest concern is that war between the rich and the
poor begets greater poverty for the poor, especially for
the Africans who are already marginalized as the poorest
continent in the whole hemisphere," he explained. "We would
have liked that 100 percent of the billions of dollars and
pounds are being expended for this war should have been
given to Africa in aid to solve these so many problems. We
have the problem of HIV/AIDS; we have the problems of
conflicts, and the problem of natural disasters."
Some African countries see the Iraq war differently.
Ethiopia is one of two African countries listed by the
State Department as members of the coalition of the
willing. Abdul Mejid Hussein, Ethiopia's ambassador to the
United Nations, said his country knows the devastation of
war, having fought one of the longest civil wars in Africa.
But Ambassador Hussein said the history of Ethiopia has
made it necessary for it to support the war against Iraq.
"For us in Ethiopia, it takes us back to the mid-'30s, when
Fascist Italy and Mussolini invaded Ethiopia and the League
of Nations did nothing. So if we put it in perspective, for
us, the failure of collective security is not a good thing.
Our position is that the United States as an old ally and
friend asked us for a couple of things to grant them
overflights and basing, and we agreed to that. That's our
position," Mr. Hussein said.
South African President Thabo Mbeki has been an outspoken
opponent of war against Iraq. Ronnie Mamoepa, spokesman for
the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed
President Mbeki's concerns that the war against Iraq is a
blow to multilateralism.
President Olusegun Obasanjo sees no reason why the US
should fight Iraq.
"We express our regrets at the launch of a war against
Iraq. It is our view that war is not a solution to world
problems. We think that it sets a regrettable precedence of
undermining the authority of the United Nations. In that
context, therefore, we call on the United Nations to assert
its authority to ensure that, whatever action is being
undertaken, takes place within the framework of
international humanitarian law," Mr. Mamoepa
said.
War has an adverse effect on the world and not only
African continent, the economy will suffer, and so will
politics and people. Inflation and life expectancy will
fall, leadership value and GDP will fall.
Buba
UmarYazzah,Kaduna,Nigeria.
Saddam is a brutal leader, Saddam is a killer. And
yet the whole wold is rallying demonstrations for him. Why
did the demonstrators not demonstrate when Saddam bombed
the Kurdish people of Northern Iraq and killed thousands of
them?
Keneth Anyiam.South Africa.
Prof.Jimmy Kandeu said,the attack on Iraq was based on
fake documents, and the US took the wrong step as Isreal
also has weapons of mass destruction…,replying to the
question on what Africa has to contribute to rebuild Iraq,
he said :Those who destroy Iraq should rebuild it, Africa
can not play any role. The world have sidelined Africa,…I
see no scenario which Africa can play in Iraq case.
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