‘US fails to vie with China in Africa, plunging continent into chaos’

The United States has failed to compete with China in Africa on a socio-economic level, so it decided to create chaos by orchestrating coups in the continent, according to an academic.

Gerald Horne, Professor of African American studies at the University of Houston told Press TV’s weekly Africa Today that the US is a threat to stability in Africa and has to withdraw its forces in no time soon.

“The United States cannot compete with China on a socio-economic level, so it decided to become a chaos agent in Africa, and tried to rule through military coups. And that is the sum and substance of US policy in Africa today,” Horne said.

In March, during the US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the US Central Command and the US Africa Command, General Michael Langley, Commander of the US Africa Command (Africom) admitted that the US has trained coup leaders in Africa.

Gen Langley made the confession to Republican Matt Gaetz’ line of questioning saying the United States “shares core values” with the same African military coup leaders, trained by the United States.

According to Horne due to France’s waning influence in Africa, the US is becoming more active in Africa militarily.

“And that leads us directly to the comment by Mr. Langley, suggesting that the United States trains military leaders and officers,” he said.

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As China and Russia’s footprints are growing in Africa, the US is increasing its military presence, he added.

“This is particularly the case in light of Ukraine, where the United States was shocked and surprised by the reality that many African nations have not supported the sanctions crusade against Russia. This has caused many in Washington to feel that the United States needs to deepen its claws into the flesh of Africa.”

In March 2022, at a United Nations session, 25 African nations either voted to abstain or did not vote against Russia to condemn its special military operation in Ukraine.

“The United States cannot compete effectively with China on the socio-economic level in Africa. And therefore, the only card the United States feels it can play is the military card, hence, Africom,” he added.

In recent years China has been financing, designing and constructing railways, from Nairobi to Mombasa and Addis Ababa to Djibouti, transforming Africa’s transportation infrastructure.

Horne explained that the only way to end Western military domination in Africa is to have strong African armies securing the big continent.

However, he lamented, Africa is likely the poorest continent, not least, because of the devastation caused by European nations, like Britain, France, Portugal and the US.

“because of the devastation of Africa, many of the economies have yet to recover. Not to mention the fact that those nations that have sought to fight back their leaders are killed. For example, Patrice Lumumba in the Congo in 1961.”

“Whenever you see an African nation seeking to stand up, you see that the United States, its allies and NATO decide that that is not acceptable, and they move against that nation militarily,” he concluded.

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