US TROOPS WILL DIE FOR BIG OIL, MINERALS IN AFRICA

          U.S. WILL CREATE MORE "FALLEN HEROES" FOR MULTINATIONALS
                                         --OIL AND MINERAL-- IN AFRICA

By Keith Shirey


NEW YORK TIMES, OCT. 20. 2013

PENTAGON BOOSTS SPENDING IN AFRICA,  Hundreds of millions of dollars are headed to Africa.  "Africa is front and center now for the Pentagon...." the article reports.  The piece goes on to report that there will be a "constellation of U.S. military bases across Africa.  Thousands of U.S. ground troops are already on that continent or are preparing to leave.

The article says that the House Armed Services Committee issued a report saying that it "believes that the national security of the United States are supported by the enduring presence of at Camp Lemonnier."  This military base is currently being refurbished with 3 story barracks, housing for airplanes and is a "key location for national security power projection."

There never has been any substantive evidence that Al-Queda affiliates in Africa threaten the "national security" of the United States or that there is a need for "national security power projection." What is of course know is that Africa is rich in remaining oil reserves and important minerals like uranium.  Western companies are now vying with one other for exploration and extraction.  All multinational oil companies have a presence in Africa.  In Nigeria alone, Shell, Mobil, Chevron, Texaco, and Agup are present.  Major mineral extractors, or course, are the continent.

The U.S. army's Big Red division  is already engaged in firefights with forces opposed to the government of Niger.  2 days ago, suicide bombers attacked a French-operated unranium company in the country's north and  U.S. troops were involved.

Just as the war in Iraq was for oil (so said the key general in charge) it is obvious that the U.S. military is changing from a "small imprint" role to a large one to protect the profits of large businesses and multinational in Africa who are threatened by a combination of terrorists and/or forces opposed to the (mostly corrupt) governments of countries on the continent.

Not only will oil and mineral companies profit from the protection and warfare waged by U.S. troops but to will dozens of U.S. Military Contractors.  It is interesting to note that Kellog, Brown and Root, one of the most corrupt corporation in the U.S. is already in Africa making its millions.

  According to the POGO Federal Contractor Misconduct Database, since 1995 the company has been involved in not less than 23 documented cases of misconduct including but not limited to Overcharging the Government, Violation of Anti-Kickback Act, Excessive Subcontract Costs, Fraud and Accepting Kickbacks, Exposing Troops to Hazardous Water Conditions, Bribery to Win International Government Contracts, Overpricing Fuel, Breach of Contract, Hurricane Relief Contract Overcharges, Sexual Assault, Freight Forwarding Kickbacks, Procurement Irregularities, and Conspiracy to Defraud the Government.  For this KBR has paid millions in fines, which it surely considers a small price to pay for the billions it continues  to receive in new federal contracts every year.