Top U.S. General In Africa Says China Wants To Build A Major Naval Base In The Atlantic

US General Stephen Townsend, who heads US Africa Command, says China has designs on naval ports on the western coast of Africa, which would give the nation easy access to the Atlantic Ocean  

Daily Mail: US general warns that China may pose a threat from the Atlantic Ocean as it seeks naval ports in West Africa that could host subs and aircraft carriers 

 * US General Stephen Townsend, who heads US Africa Command, is sounding the alarm about Chinese intentions 

* He said China has approached countries stretching from Mauritania to south of Namibia to establish a naval facility 

* Such an installation could be used to rearm and repair warships or be used as a launching pad for aircraft carriers 

* 'The Atlantic coast concerns me greatly,' Townsend said, pointing to the relatively shorter distance from Africa's west coast to the US 

The top U.S general for Africa is warning that a growing threat from China may come not just from the waters of the Pacific but from the Atlantic as well. 

U.S. Gen. Stephen Townsend, in an interview with The Associated Press, said Beijing is looking to establish a large navy port capable of hosting submarines or aircraft carriers on Africa´s western coast. 

Townsend said China has approached countries stretching from Mauritania to south of Namibia, intent on establishing a naval facility. 

If realized, that prospect would enable China to base warships in its expanding Navy in the Atlantic as well as Pacific oceans.  

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WNU Editor: To me it is a given that China will soon have a naval base at one of these West African nations. Money talks in today's world, and many of these African nations want some of it from China. 

I also predict that one day China will have a base in Venezuela. Caracas owes China tens of billions in debt. What better way to pay some of it with a naval base. 

More News On US General Stephen Townsend Saying That China Wants To Have a Navy Base In Western Africa  

General: China’s Africa outreach poses threat from Atlantic -- AP  

New submarine threat: Top U.S. general says China is pursuing Atlantic naval base in west Africa -- Washington Times

China is looking to increase its navy's access to the Atlantic, top US commander in Africa says -- Business Insider  

U.S. General Worried About China's Efforts to Establish Military Base on Africa's West Coast -- Newsweek 

China will dominate the Atlantic as it prepares to build bases for subs and warships across Africa, warns top US general -- The SUN

Top U.S. General In Africa says China Wants More Bases In Africa

FILE - Then-Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend flies north of Baghdad, Iraq, Feb. 8, 2017. Now a general and head of U.S. Africa Command, he says the U.S. knows the Chinese "desire a network of bases around the globe." 

VOA: China Eyes More Bases in Africa, US Military Official Says 

U.S. forces in Africa are keeping a watchful eye on China, worried Beijing is getting closer to establishing a network of military and naval bases across the continent. 

"We know the Chinese desire a network of bases around the globe," the head of U.S. Africa Command, General Stephen Townsend, told lawmakers Thursday, adding, "My concern is the greatest along the Atlantic coast of Africa." 

China established its first military base in on Africa’s east coast, in Doraleh, Djibouti, in 2017, raising concern among U.S. military officials who described the Chinese facility as being “right outside our gates” of the U.S. base at Camp Lemonnier. 

Townsend said that since then, Beijing has worked on expanding its footprint in Djibouti as it eyes additional locations. 

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WNU Editor: China's economic investments coupled with developing diplomatic and political relations in Africa are enormous. It should surprise no one that China is positioning itself to make sure that its interests in Africa are "protected".

Does Africa Have A 'Debt Problem' With China?

Chinese president Xi Jinping with African counterparts during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2018 Beijing Summit last September. HOW HWEE YOUNG/POOL VIA REUTERS 

Yomi Kazeem, Quartz: The truth about Africa’s “debt problem” with China 

Two months ago, the Chinese embassy in Nigeria was forced to deny plans to seize any of Nigeria’s national assets amid local debates over the possibility of “losing” sovereignty to China over bad debts. It was an episode that finely captured the scale of misunderstanding of Africa’s debt commitment to China in the wake of the Asian giant’s deepened influence on the continent over the past two decades. 

As more African countries have looked to China for financing and technical support to rapidly boost infrastructural development, there have been loud musings about the scale of China’s lending to African countries as well as the Asian giant’s motives, which have been described in some quarters as “debt trap diplomacy.” 

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WNU Editor: The above article says only a few African countries have a debt problem with China. Maybe so, but that list is growing. And because of debt China is getting what it wants in Africa, Case in point. Being owed a lot of money did help China did get a military and naval base in Djibouti .... China’s Engagement in Djibouti (Congressional Research Service). 

But it is not only through debt that China can squeeze certain African nations. Trade and investment is giving China a lot of influence .... 

 .... According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, in the first half of 2019, China’s total import and export volume with Africa was $101.86 billion, up 2.9% year-on-year. The total value of Chinese investments and construction in Africa is closing in on $2 trillion since 2005, according to the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) China Global Investment Tracker. (CNBC).

The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic Has Ended China's 'Honeymoon' In Africa

Politico: Coronavirus ends China's honeymoon in Africa

Beijing has spent billions to win friends and influence politics in Africa. But the virus is threatening to upend years of careful work.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Africa was supposed to be China’s new stomping grounds. Instead, the novel coronavirus has spawned a growing backlash that threatens to unwind the ties Beijing has carefully cultivated over decades.

The trigger for the burgeoning diplomatic crisis: Anger over the treatment of African citizens living in China and frustration at Beijing’s position on granting debt relief to fight against the outbreak.

China has spent untold billions in Africa since its emergence as a global power, investing in its natural resources, underwriting massive infrastructure projects and wooing its leaders. The campaign has bought China friends and allies in multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization, undermining the West’s once-reliable lock on the postwar world order while fueling its economy back home.

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WNU Editor: While the total number of Covid-19 coronavirus cases in Africa are still low, the daily number of confirmed cases continues to explode exponentially .... Coronavirus in Africa tracker (BBC). If this continues, and I am betting that it will, in six weeks the number of cases and deaths in Africa will be approaching U.S. and European numbers. And while many are hopeful that Africa's climate will  help to stem the growth of this pandemic, I am not that optimistic. This coronavirus pandemic is the deadliest that we have seen in a long time, and it is not going to go away anytime soon. Here is an easy prediction. In the event that the worst case scenario does unfold in Africa, many Africans will be looking at China with suspicions and a lot of anger. They will not forget, nor will they forgive how China purposely held back information on this disease in the beginning. And as for China moving forward to forgive debt from African nations, I can say with confidence that it is not going to happen. China is not in the charity business. And if they do give something, there will be strings attached.

Africa Is Drowning In Debt To China

Zero Hedge: As Africa Drowns In Debt To China, IMF Sounds The Alarm

With China's total debt most recently clocking in at a record 300% according to the IIF...

... the country that a decade ago managed to pull the world out of a financial depression thanks to its massive debt issuance, finds itself severely constrained in how much new debt it can dish out, and the result is a now paltry credit impulse...

... which has so far been unable to push China out of its PPI slump, which in turn means that Beijing will continue dumping its exports abroad in a deflationary wave.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: And the sad part is that if the trend lines continue, Africa will be even more in debt to China in the coming years.

What China Is Really Up To In Africa

Wade Shepard, Forbes: What China Is Really Up To In Africa

Africa has become the fastest urbanizing region of the world, with rural migrants moving into cities a clip that has even surpassed that of China and India, as the continent becomes one of the final frontiers of the forth industrial revolution. This rapid transition presents big challenges but also offers big rewards for countries willing to risk billions in an infrastructure building revolution unlike anything the world has seen before – and no country has answered Africa’s call quite like China.

By 2050, Africa’s 1.1 billion person population is slated to double, with 80% of this growth happening in cities, bringing the continent’s urban headcount up to more than 1.3 billion. The population of Lagos alone is growing by 77 people per hour. According to McKinsey, by 2025 more than 100 cities in Africa will contain over a million people.

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WNU Editor: China is determined to invest heavily in Africa, and to profit greatly from its growth. But many in Africa are starting to raise concerns that this is just a debt trap .... As China builds up Africa, some in Uganda warn of trouble (AP), and worries that their assets may eventually be seized .... Uganda Not Worried China Will Seize Assets Over Rising Debt (VOA). On a side note. Russia is trying to duplicate what the Chinese are doing in Africa .... Vladimir Putin is resetting Russia’s Africa agenda to counter the US and China (Quartz).

How China Colonized Africa

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Zero Hedge: How China Colonized An Entire Continent Without Firing A Single Shot

Back in 1885, to much fanfare, the General Act of the Berlin Conference launched the Scramble for Africa which saw the partition of the continent, formerly a loose aggregation of various tribes, into the countries that currently make up the southern continent, by the dominant superpowers (all of them European) of the day. Subsequently Africa was pillaged, plundered, and in most places, left for dead. The fact that a credit system reliant on petrodollars never managed to take hold only precipitated the "developed world" disappointment with Africa, no matter what various enlightened, humanitarian singer/writer/poet/visionaries claimed otherwise.

And so the continent languished.... until 2012 when what we then dubbed as the "Beijing Conference" quietly took place, and to which only Goldman Sachs, which too has been quietly but very aggressively expanding in Africa, was invited.

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WNU Editor: The consequences of this heavy borrowing by African governments is now coming home to roost .... China Prepares To Seize Kenya's Infrastructure Over Failure To Repay Massive Debts (December 28, 2018).

When China Calls, All Of Africa Answers

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (R) and Senegalese President Macky Sall (L) attend a joint press conference

Pepe Escobar, Asia Times: It’s Africa’s choice: AFRICOM or the New Silk Roads

When China calls, all Africa answers. And Beijing's non-politicization of investments and non-interference in internal affairs is paying off big time.

The dogs of war – cold, hot, trade, tariffs – bark while the Chinese caravan plies the New Silk Roads. Call it a leitmotif of the young 21st century.

At the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, President Xi Jinping has just announced a hefty US$60 billion package to complement another US$60 billion pledged at the 2015 summit.

That breaks down to $15 billion in grants and interest-free loans; $20 billion in credit lines; a $10 billion fund for development financing; $5 billion to finance imports from Africa; and waving the debt of the poorest African nations diplomatically linked to China.

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WNU Editor: Africa is clearly onboard .... China-Africa summit rejects debt criticism (AFP). But criticisms within China over this policy are growing .... China defends extra US$60 billion pledge to Africa from critics at home (SCMP).

African Army Chiefs Have Been Invited To China

Hans Spross, DW: Why has China invited African army chiefs to Beijing?

China wants to redefine its military engagement in Africa and has invited military officials from across the continent to Beijing to explore new forms of strategic cooperation.

China's economic influence as an investor and trade partner continues to grow in Africa and new strategies are being discussed to ensure the security of Chinese business interests and investments.

Emphasizing Beijing's strategic interest in Africa, China's Ministry of National Defense invited high-ranking military representatives from 50 African countries to the first China-Africa Defense and Security Forum. The forum began on Tuesday in Beijing and is set to run until July 10.

"Securing trade routes is important for China as Africa's northeastern coast up to the Suez Canal is a part of the new maritime silk road, which is also a segment of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)," said Cobus van Staden, a China expert at the South African Institute for International Affairs. BRI is a massive development and trade project launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping to connect China with Eurasian markets.

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WNU Editor: China sees Africa as the place to be in the next few decades .... and when it comes to the military Beijing wants the following. Bases to protect their interests, a market for their arms, and above all else .... military allies.

China Increases Its Military Presence In Africa

Members of China's peacekeeping infantry battalion stand in formation for inspection by representatives of the Untied Nations at their camp in South Sudan on May 26, 2015. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

CNBC: China says it will increase its military presence in Africa

* China is looking to strengthen defense engagement with African countries, adding to its economic and commercial profile on the continent.
* That would compliment existing Chinese ventures, such as peacekeeping activities and weapons sales, as well as protecting Chinese assets, experts say.

For decades, China's presence in Africa has largely focused on economic, commercial and peacekeeping activities. Now, Beijing is building on that by establishing greater military links to protect its national assets on the continent and gain greater geopolitical influence.

The People's Liberation Army conducts regular joint training exercises across the region and, in certain countries that are home to major Chinese infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road initiative, the communist state has been especially active.

In Djibouti, where Chinese companies have constructed strategic ports and Africa's first electric transnational railway, Beijing last year formally launched its first overseas military base, which also operates as a logistics and intelligence facility. Many experts now anticipate more Chinese bases in the years to come, with Namibia rumored as a potential location.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Africa is the continent that China sees enormous economic and commercial possibilities, and they naturally want to protect these interests. I concur with the above CNBC article, Namibia will be the next country that will be hosting a Chinese base.

Hat tip Fred for this link.

China's Donation Of A New Headquaters For The African Union Was Fitted With Hidden Microphones And Compromised Computers

The Next Web: ‘China’s gift to Africa’: How China spied on the African Union via donated computers

For a period of 5 years, China continued to spy on all electronic communications at the African Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Chinese spy operation continued throughout this period without being detected until some network administrators at the AU’s headquarters discovered it in January 2017.

This is according to an investigation conducted by Le Monde which has gone on to reveal how the Chinese, who donated and built the new AU headquarters in Adis Ababa, fitted the building with hidden microphones and transferred data every night from the AU’s data center to their servers in Shanghai.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Quite a donation I would say.

China Starts To Build Its First Military Base In Africa

China has signed a deal to open a military base in Djibouti. Above, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh (R) and Chinese President Hu Jintao hold talks after a welcoming at the Great Hall of the People, July 18, 2012, in Beijing. Diego Azubel-Pool/Getty Images

Epoch Times: China Starts Building Military Base In North Africa

The Chinese regime has begun construction on a military base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, that will be used to extend the reach of its military.

“Currently, construction of infrastructure for the support facilities has started, and the Chinese side has dispatched personnel to Djibouti for relevant work,” said Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, in a transcript of a Feb. 25 press briefing.

Qian said logistical support will be among the base’s main uses. He claimed the Chinese regime would use it for missions to escort ships through the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast, and for “peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance.”

According to other Chinese officials, however, the base could be the start of a more nefarious agenda.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction .... this is not going to be the last base that China will be establishing in Africa.

Why The U.S. Should Be Concerned That China Is Building A Base In Africa

James Poulos, The Week: China is building its first military base in Africa. America should be very nervous.

Africa is likely to become one of the biggest stories of 2016, and not because of some horrific new disease or harrowing new war. Instead, an unprecedented new dynamic is about to shape the continent. The U.S. and China, major powers with a minor footprint, are both poised for much deeper and more direct involvement in African affairs.

And rather than finding themselves on a crash course, they're facing a more complex — and, for America, unnerving — situation. Thanks to the much different challenges and priorities facing both powers, African intervention is shaping up as a feast for China and a famine for the U.S.

Look to Djibouti for big clues about why. News is quietly breaking that China has sealed a deal to build its first military base in that little country, a former French colony strategically located across from Yemen on the Red Sea, squeezed between Eritrea and Somalia. Confirming years of under-the-radar suspicions, AFRICOM commander Gen. David Rodriguez told The Hill that the "logistics hub" and airfield will let China "extend their reach" into Africa over the course of an initial 10-year contract. Currently, The Hill observed, China can't do much more than stage some naval patrols out of Djibouti ports.

Update: Why America Should be Worried About China’s New Military Base in Africa (Sputnik)

WNU Editor: China does not care how a foreign government runs its internal affairs .... the U.S. does. This U.S. policy has always unnerved many African government .... but now these same nations have an alternative to go to .... and knowing the Chinese they are going to exploit this to the full.

China Pledges To Assist African Countries In Their Fight Against Violent Extremism

China is likely to announce new aid to African nations when President Xi Jinping visits South Africa and Zimbabwe next month. Photo: JASON LEE / POOL / AFP

Reuters: China pledges to work with Africa in fighting militancy after Mali attack

China will strengthen its cooperation with Africa in the fight against violent extremism after an attack last week by Islamist militants in Mali killed 19 people, including three Chinese citizens, China's foreign minister said on Thursday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for relevant departments to boost security work outside China's borders last week after gunmen attacked a hotel in Mali's capital on Nov. 20.

The three Chinese citizens killed in the hotel attack were executives from the state-owned China Railway Construction Corp.

"As China continues to promote pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa, we will strengthen bilateral cooperation in counter-terrorism and the fight against extremism," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a speech to diplomats and reporters.

He did not give any details.

WNU Editor: They now have a military base in Africa to expand from .... China To Build Its First Military Base In Africa.

More News On China's Growing Role In Africa

New measures on the way for China-Africa cooperation -- Xinhuanet
China Will Boost Anti-Terror Cooperation With Africa Following Mali Attack -- Sputnik
China pledges to work with Africa in fighting militancy -- Gulf Today
China's military makes move into Africa -- Pulse
S. Africa says ready to host China-Africa Summit -- Xinhua News Agency
South Africa gears up to host China-Africa summit -- Brics Post
China promises support for African development -- Xinhua News Agency
Chinese Investment in Africa Falls by 40% -- VOA
Africa: China-Africa Trade Tops U.S.$.220 Billion in 2014 - Envoy -- AllAfrica
Out of Africa: Will China's Military Displace the US on the Continent? -- Sputnik

China To Build Its First Military Base In Africa

China has signed a deal to open a military base in Djibouti. Above, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh (R) and Chinese President Hu Jintao hold talks after a welcoming at the Great Hall of the People, July 18, 2012, in Beijing. Diego Azubel-Pool/Getty Images

IBTimes: China To Open First Military Base In Africa, Signs Deal With Djibouti, US General Says

China has signed a 10-year deal with the African nation Djibouti to build a military base there -- China's first military base on the continent, said U.S. Army Gen. David Rodriguez, who is a commander with U.S. Africa Command. China has long had an economic foothold in Africa, but the base would be an expansion of its military prowess beyond the Asia-Pacific region.

Djibouti is a small country in East Africa, across from Yemen and on the Gulf of Aden, with a population of just under 830,000. The vast majority of the population is Muslim; about 6 percent are Christian. Djibouti also hosts about 4,000 U.S. military service members at Camp Lemonnier, which, according to its website, is a Navy-led establishment that supports and prepares ships, aircraft and other deployments for "regional and combatant command requirements." It also enables U.S. military operations in the surrounding Horn of Africa while "fostering positive U.S.-African Nation relations," the website said.

WNU Editor: This is probably the first of many Chinese military bases to be established overseas. On a side note, I would like to know how close will this Chinese base be to the U.S. base at Camp Lemonnier.

More News On China's First Military base In Africa

China's military makes move into Africa -- The Hill
China Is Setting Up Its First Military Base in Africa -- National Interest
China Just Made An Aggressive Military Move That Has U.S. Officials On High Alert -- Western Journalism
US General: China Has 10 Year Contract for First Overseas Military Base -- The Diplomat
China Signs Contract To Build Its First African Military Base -- Daily Caller
Out of Africa: Will China's Military Displace the US on the Continent? -- Sputnik

China Wants A Military Base In Africa

Torie Rose DeGhett, VIC News: China Is Angling for a Strategic Outpost on the Horn of Africa

In an ongoing effort to expand its global reach, China is looking to establish an outpost in the tiny nation of Djibouti, strategically located on the Horn of Africa. In the geopolitical world, this latest development falls into the category of big things coming in small packages, and as usual, it raises questions about the nature of China's expansion.

"At the same time that China is a coastal power, it is moving outward," said Bonnie Glaser, a senior advisor for Asia and the director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It is essentially developing a more active global presence, although its primary focus is still to deter threats that are closer to China."

That line of thinking was articulated in a defense policy white paper released by the People's Liberation Army in May, outlining policies that, while not exactly new, were newly put to paper. According to the report, China plans to "gradually shift its focus from 'offshore waters defense' to the combination of 'offshore waters defense' with 'open seas protection.' "

WNU Editor: If China establishes a military base in Djibouti .... it would be a huge step for them Africa aqdn without precedent.

China Offers Troops For The UN's Mali Peacekeeping Mission

A PLA officer at a peacekeeping training centre. Photo: Reuters

China 'Offers Troops' To UN Mali Peacekeeping Mission -- BBC

China has offered soldiers to the new UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, UN officials say.

Talks are underway, and more than 500 Chinese peacekeepers and engineers could potentially take part in the mission, according to UN officials.

Mali's government was deposed in a coup in 2012, and Islamist rebels controlled the north of the country until French troops ousted them in January.

Around 6,000 African troops are currently in Mali providing security.

Read more ....

More News On Reports That China Has Offered Troops To The UN's Mali Peacekeeping Mission

UN Says China Offers Peacekeepers for Mali -- Military.com/AP
China offers troops for UN Mali mission -- The Telegraph
China offers 500 troops for UN Mali force -- France24/AFP
China offers soldiers for Mali UN mission -- Global Times

China Is Buying Up Africa While The West "Yawns"

China Builds Its African Empire While The 'Anti-Colonialist' Left Looks The Other Way -- Damian Thompson, The Telegraph

Imagine what would happen if America barged its way into a developing country, buttered up its homicidal dictator and agreed a back-of-the-envelope deal in which he signed over his nation’s mineral wealth in return for roads, railways and sports stadiums. Everyone would benefit, no?

No. The problem is that the infrastructure turns out to be worth a hell of a lot less than the minerals. Fortunately, Washington has had the foresight to top up the dictator’s Swiss bank account. Problem solved! As for the mining operation, the Americans really don’t want to be bothered by minimum wages or trade unions. They’re banned. And no complaints from the workforce, please, because no one wants a repeat of that “misunderstanding” in which an American mine supervisor opened fire on stroppy employees.

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My Comment: A decade or two from now many in Africa will be wondering what has happened to the wealth and richness of their continent .... and will probably be blaming the West for it. The sad truth is the contrary .... and will be more so as China's hunger for natural resources and Africa's dependency on Chinese money continues to grow.

China’s Growing Role As An Arms Supplier To Africa Is Welcomed By Africom

U.S. Africa Command Welcomes China’s Growing Role as Arms Supplier -- National Defense

America’s financial crisis, war fatigue and the public’s isolationist mood are certain to put a damper on U.S. military efforts to rebuild war-ravaged countries and prop up failing states. Today’s biggest spenders on foreign development assistance and stability operations — the United States, Europe and Japan — are all in the throes of economic downturn.

Nowhere would cutbacks in foreign military assistance be felt more acutely than in Africa, home of seven of the world’s top 10 “failed states."

Read me ....

Update: Sizing Up Chinese Military Aid To Africa -- Aviation Week

My Comment: So ... China supporting the Sudanese regime, getting caught trying to sell arms to Gaddafi, and "looting" Africa's mineral wealth for weapons is welcomed by Africom. Hmmmm .... I do not call this a smart policy.

Why China Will Make A Difference In Africa

China's New Focus On Africa -- Time Magazine

If you want to see what's wrong with Africa, take a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The size of Western Europe, with almost no paved roads, Congo is the sucking vortex where Africa's heart should be. Independent Congo gave the world Mobutu Sese Seko, who for 32 years impoverished his people while traveling the world in a chartered Concorde. His death in 1997 ushered in a civil war that killed 5.4 million people and unleashed a hurricane of rape on tens of thousands more. Today AIDS and malaria are epidemic. Congo, then, is not a place you'd normally associate with a yuppie.

Read more ....

My Comment: The phrase that caught my attention and explains why China is successful in Africa is the following ....

.... Enter China. Beijing doesn't do gifts; it does deals ....

Bingo .... the Time Magazine reporter has noticed the obvious.

In the years that I have been running this blog, I have always commented on how useless a good chunk of Western aid to regions like Africa has been. I have always said .... sarcastically but truthfully .... that if the West was to spend a trillion dollars a year for ten years in developing Africa's infrastructure .... if they were to return ten years later they would still see everything falling apart.

One only has to see what is happening in Haiti this year to see how free aid and gifts sometimes does not work. After the earthquake struck, billions in aid was promised. With such a commitment, there was no reason for anyone to do anything since outsiders were going to do it for them anyway .... hence nothing has been done .... and I predict that nothing will be done in the future.

And on the topic of aid to Afghanistan .... don't get me going there.