National development is always a choice. It is nothing like salvation in Christianity which they say is only possible by the grace of God- external agency. Sustainable national development, at the end of the day, is only possible through self-agency first. A little help from friends may follow.
President Obama advised Kenyans to quit reaching out to the United States to improve their lives as his father did. He rightly pointed out to them that Kenya has everything they need to actualize their dreams. Ditto Africa's leaders. If only they will stop begging and moaning and start doing things well- practice good governance.
The problem for some Africans and their political leaders might just be that habit can be second nature- it can be difficult to give up. They cannot stop looking outside themselves for salvation.
oa
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Kwabena Akurang-Parry
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2015 6:59 AM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Obama failed Africa, yes
Do American Presidents operate in Africa based on their kinship impulses and/or personal inclinations, or do so within constructive frameworks of national foreign policies? We have said enough about the depredations of slavery, colonialism, neocolonialism, dependency, globalization, etc. From my considered opinion, it is about time Africans do things for themselves and stop day-dreaming that American Presidents, etc. are divinely mandated to help Africans. Come to Ghana and see the opulent and thievery lifestyle of the people I call educated pen-armed robbers and you would be ashamed of them, not Obama. The masses have been benighted and marginalized by the pen-armed robbers, the latter bloated in Mercedes, BMWs, etc. and puffing in palaces purchased with stolen wealth. Paradoxically, in this day and age, we have pupils who go to school under trees. Our hospitals are dilapidated. Our roads are death-traps! Come to the streets of Accra and you would encounter some millions of hungry-looking school-going age kids peddling all sorts of made-in-China items. What are our politicians, aka pen-armed robbers, doing? Yes, filling their pot-bellied banks with cocoa, oil, diamond, timber, bauxite, etc. money. Yes, stealing and leading the good life. Don't get me wrong here. Hard work and consequent riches are ok, but not when whole systems are at the mercy of pen-armed robbers. Ironically, the benighted masses adore and worship such big wo/manism syndrome. My dear friend let us ask new questions and stop talking about being ashamed of Obama! We should be ashamed of ourselves for not training our guns on our political elites aka pen-armed robbers and casino-ed academics with bogus PhDs parading in the corridors of corrupted power.
Kwabena Akurang-Parry
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 05:15:32 +0000
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Obama failed Africa, yes
"I agree 100 percent. I am a card carrying dyed in the wool Democrat, I am proud to say that I applaud George W. Bush. Obama seemed ashamed of Africa when we needed help. Now he is trying to right his legacy in the winter of his tenure. I love him like a brother but he failed Africa. Yes."
I also agree 100%. Under President Obama, the US commitment to democracy and human rights [with the exception of gay rights] in Africa has taken a back-burner. President Obama and his government only seem to talk about democracy and human rights as an afterthought. President Obama has become a huge disappointment. We see him freely consorting, laughing, dancing, and breaking bread with leaders whose hands are dripping with blood of innocent fellow citizens, and whose pockets are bulging with stolen public resources.
Apart from giving high-sounding but empty lectures about leaders ignoring constitutional term limits, President Obama's government has done nothing concrete to punish leaders who ignore or trample on human rights and democracy. Today, one of the oldest and longest-serving presidents in Africa comes from East Africa---with no end in sight to his regime. Two leaders seeking to change their countries' constitution to prolong their stay in power are from East Africa. One of the most brutal thugs who has managed to kill his way to power while using a sophisticated PR regime to sanitize his regime in the eyes of the international community is from East Africa. And there are civil wars in South Sudan and Somalia. All these are happening without serious, thoughtful, and meaningful engagement from President Obama.
As an aside. During his recent trip to Kenya, President took a moment to meet with his Kenyan relatives. There are reports --- I don't know how accurate the reports are --- that President Obama's Kenyan relatives took him to task over his indifference to their welfare while in office. Now, while I do not necessarily support the President's relatives' expectations and demands on him, what I found very telling and very significant was his response to their questions, demands, and expectations. He reportedly told the relatives, "I cannot help you now because there are rules and regulations limiting my ability to help you now while in the White House, but don't worry, I will help you once I am out of the White House." Think about that, Africa!
Meshack Owino.
-----------------------------
______________________
Meshack Owino, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor of History,
Department of History, RT 1319,
Cleveland State University,
2121 Euclid Avenue,
Cleveland, OH 44115,
USA.
Tel. 216-523-7264.
Fax. 216-687-5592.
E-mail Address: meshack.owino@yahoo.com; m.owino@csuohio.edu
From: 'xokigbo' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
To: USAAfrica Dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2015 7:02 PM
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Obama failed Africa, yes
"Obama has a hard time measuring up to the accomplishments of Bush's development agenda when it comes to Africa. Bush started the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to provide antiretroviral treatment and care for HIV/AIDS patients primarily in Africa – a program credited with saving millions of lives. He also increased development funding for the continent across a number of sectors, like education.
"[The U.S. Agency for International Development] went from $150 million when I started to $800 million by the time [Bush] left office in assistance, and much of that was to Africa," says Andrew Natsios, USAID administrator from 2001 to 2006. "When I started at [US]AID the total development program, not including food aid and or emergencies for civil wars, … it went from $1.2 billion when [Bush] started in early 2001 to $7 billion when he left office. So it was 600 percent increase. That's a massive increase.""
I agree 100 percent. I am a card carrying dyed in the wool Democrat, I am proud to say that I applaud George W. Bush. Obama seemed ashamed of Africa when we needed help. Now he is trying to right his legacy in the winter of his tenure. I love him like a brother but he failed Africa. Yes.
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