Economic/Security Assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is a vast and diverse region encompassing a population of about 600 million (Strategy Committee, 1993, p. 56). U.S. national security interests in the region include maintaining access to the vital mineral resources located there. Another U.S. interest in Sub-Saharan Africa is that of keeping shipping lines open. Regarding this point, a Report of the Secretary of Defense (1993) has indicated that many of the nation's allies in the region "are vulnerable to indirect intervention or subversion by more powerful neighbors and by Libya, Iraq, and Iran" (p. 129). U.S. interests in Sub-Saharan Africa also include economic development and the creation of new markets (Strategy Committee, 1993, p. 57). U.S. policy-makers are further concerned with the attainment of political stability and the promotion of democracy and human rights. These factors are considered relevant to U.S. interests because of the heritage of African Americans, and also because human rights and democracy are seen as contributing "to stability and to the general betterment of Africans" (Strategy Committee, 1993, p. 58).

Related to these security interests, the United States has certain national strategic objectives in Sub-Saharan Africa. As noted by Schraeder (1993), the highest priority is placed on "the promotion of multiparty democracy and adherence to internationally accepted standards of human rights" (p. 26). An

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the region has been criticized for its "benign neglect" despite the fact that "a small to moderate amount of development and security assistance" has been provided (Strategy Committee, 1993, p. 58). As noted by Peter Schraeder in the journal Africa Today, the United States has shown a "historical tendency" to "ignore African issues in favor of other regions of greater concern" (p. 7). This position is likely to change in the future, however, as the problems in Africa become increasingly vital to international affairs. The most likely scenario for Sub-Saharan Africa in the future is one in which problems such as AIDS, overpopulation, terrorism, drug trafficking, ethnic conflicts, debt, and dictatorial regimes will continue to exist (U.S. policy for a new era, 1993, p. 579). The U.S. military will try to avoid direct confrontation in dealing with these problems; nevertheless, the possible deployment of U.S. combat troops "cannot be totally ruled out" (Strategy Committee, 1993, p. 60). In particular, the U.S. military will be called upon to provide humanitarian relief in response to disasters such as drought and famine, as well as in response to civil wars such as that which is currently taking place in Somalia (U.S. policy f
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Approximate Word count = 2230
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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