Why does the governments seem so attentive to oil-rich countries in strife and leave African countries to rot?

Question

I know they've tried, but there are some real problems in a lot of African countries, some much worse than Iraq, so why the special treatment? I assume it's about Haliburton and the oil in the Prez's pockets, but maybe I'm missing something.

Answer 1

It's all about a countries resources and what they can do for the USA. That's why we've left Somalia, ignored Liberia, and continue to turn a deaf ear to Sudan and Uganda.

Answer 2

Because everyone is getting burnt out on sending money to help the people that when they get a few pounds on them they go right back to the desert and next year they do the same thing ...about 3 cents to the dollar gos for food and the rest is snatched up by war lords or crooks to buy wepons to kill with .... how about helping a Dieing spices the American child ... some are just as bad off as African children..

Answer 3

There was an old joke going around during the first Gulf War. It seems that it came out that the first President Bush did not like broccoli, so everyone said that if there was broccoli, instead of oil, in the middle east, we wouldn't be there. Like it or not, realize that this country runs on oil. Obtaining oil is in our national self-interest. Every President will do it. It is NOT about putting money in their pockets.

Answer 4

I think you're onto something there, but I take a different view, that it's not the United States' moral obligation to save every 3rd world heartbreak story. The United States evolved the way it did because we adopted a common system of laws early on, we did a lot of things for our own social development, got no help from anybody on a lot of that, and when our country was finally fully formed, that system of laws became more extensive, and we now have what is the envy apparently of the entire planet.

America's not perfect, but we have a lot of problem-solvers.
The nations of Africa need to honestly work on solving their people's problems, rather than standing there waiting for another UN handout. I welcome the idea of trying to help africa educate its' people, to empower them to take issue with their own problems, but I don't welcome the idea of americans being taxed to pay for building up other nations, be they Iraq or otherwise.

As far as oil goes, that's back to problem-solving. The problem is that you're at location x. You need to get to location y. You would like to do this in measured time period z. Let's say that location x is hmm, minneapolis, and y is...L.A., maybe? If time period z is anything less than 3 days, assuming you could GET a train, the other answer is 'drive a car'. If you wanna go faster, you could hop in a plane. All 3 of those answers require burning a fuel.
Currently that fuel is derived from petroleum, a good portion of which is imported from countries that have grown complacent from their resulting dependency on US payments for fuel.

We also have trees we could burn, or coal, or natural gas. I think you could run a train off of natural gas, they can run a car off it, I don't know how far or how fast a solar-driven train could go, might be worth a try, point is, there's alternatives and answers that we need to get working on, and other countries need to work a LOT harder on solving their own problems, instead of expecting the United States to do it for them. Helping others is a charitable act, christians etc are big on giving, but sometimes again help breeds dependency, dependency breeds lassitude, and corruption, and and and. We need to get away from that. I think the whole world would love to see the nations of africa stand up and be self-sustaining, but that also means being wise with the use of your resources. So far, that concept doesn't seem to play well in africa. What I would ask YOU is where america's 'obligation' to support the rest of the planet with money etc begins and ends. Silly me, I always thought that ADULTS ended up as our world leaders. What the hell was I thinking? LOLOL

Answer 5

I think part of the problem is that the countries of Africa have had so much fighting amongst themseves for so long that the world has accepted it as the norm. The borders shift, the coups are yearly, and revolution is constant. Unfortunately we, globally, have grown accustomed to it and turn the blind eye. Is money an issue? Of course. Look how fast we cut and ran from Somalia. There was no short term or long term gain there.

Answer 6

remember Somalia? We were there on humitarian mission trying to feed the starving of that country. They killed our troops and Clinton pulled us out. Most of those countries are so far gone that nothing short of totally taking them over would even begin to address any problems.

You imply its about Bush, but look at darfur, Muslims killing muslims, and the UN wont do a damn thing about it.

You might also keep in mind China. They are all over Africa with oil contracts. All of you that think the only time we can be at war is over oil, ought to check out the things China has been up to. Do you not think it is in our interest at all to maintain a free flow of oil to the west? That is alot bigger than Bush - it didnt start with him, and wont end with him.

Answer 7

This might hurt your sensibilities, but welcome to the real world. Paying attention to oil rich countries, ensures that your mommy has gas in her SU V, so she may drive you to soccer practice. Paying attention to Africa, will just get us.......uuuuhhhhhh......welll.....?????
By the way do you know that we have given Africa 5BILLION dollars in the last 3 yrs to combat AIDS? And what did WE get for it? They still hate us. Wake up. We are the greatest most giving country on the planet. Millions of people worldwide, would, and HAVE risked their lives to come to the USA. There is no place on earth, that more people want to come to. Your America Hating Teachers have poisoned your mind. Be Proud to Be An American

Answer 8

they have nothing to offer the united states, africa is the biggest example of how the united states, and many other first world nations really could care less about human life and freedom, there is no excuse for allowing all the horrible famines,wars, aids and genocides that have occured in africa, It's just sick! We spend more money on our military than all the major powers of the world combined, while millions die of starvation, disease, and war. Not to mention all the refugee camps. Make peace not war!

Answer 9

Ok...step back a moment and look at it from this perspective.

Africa has it's own gov't. What are they doing to make their country better?

Take India...it's a third world country. The rich people of India do NOT recycle their own money in their country. They invest it in the US so they can be even more rich.

SO...what does that tell you? It's not necessarily about America "saving" the world. What is each country doing to save itself?

Answer 10

Because oil gives those countries power. They don't want some whack jobs in control of the oil. If africa was brimming with oil people would be there.