Africa is loaded with natural resources and poor people. We hear about the corruption in Africa, the corrupt leaders. We don't hear too much how those corrupt African leaders work with other corrupt people in The West. Western people are always only "helping out" in Africa, so it seems. It's too bad nothing ever seems to help huh? What's up with that? Must be those corrupt African leaders.
[Just like with organ trafficking, if we refuse to look at the entire chain of supply and demand and brokers, and instead focus myopically on only one part of the problem, we can make a big show about pulling our hair out forever and ever trying to solve it, bending over backwards, but it will never be solved. (Wink wink wink!)]
Illicit Financial Flows from Africa: Hidden Resource for Development
Mind you, this report comes out of a think tank. The paper describes common ways to cook books and transfer money out of Africa. It's all very very bad. Here's a current example. On page 8, they note that none of this begins to account for drug trafficking, human trafficking, the sex trade, etc. So actually the problem is much worse than stated. The report then goes on to talk about Meaningful Reform. We must have some Meaningful Reform.
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But you will notice that when it comes to Africa, no matter how much wealth has been sucked out of that continent into the coffers of international bankers and corrupt people of The West, absolutely mind staggering amounts of wealth, the problem with Africa, we are told, is always the same: the people there can't get along.
God only knows how those African leaders managed to get so corrupt. It is an enduring mystery. But you should really send some money down there or something, because the poor children are starving to death.
[Just like with organ trafficking, if we refuse to look at the entire chain of supply and demand and brokers, and instead focus myopically on only one part of the problem, we can make a big show about pulling our hair out forever and ever trying to solve it, bending over backwards, but it will never be solved. (Wink wink wink!)]
Illicit Financial Flows from Africa: Hidden Resource for Development
So in other words, Africa is being robbed blind, assets being massively funneled out of Africa and into -- oh where to? Into the global shadow financial system. Who runs all that? Shhhhhhhh.......
In December 2008 Global Financial Integrity released its groundbreaking analysis of Illicit Financial Flowsfrom Developing Countries: 2002 – 2006. We estimated such flows at $859 billion to $1.06 trillion a year.
...Much attention has been focused on corruption in recent years, that is, the proceeds of bribery and theft by government officials. In the cross-border flow of illicit money, we find that funds generated by this means are about 3 percent of the global total. Criminal proceeds generated through drug trafficking, racketeering, counterfeiting and more are about 30 to 35 percent of the total. The proceeds of commercial tax evasion, mainly through trade mispricing, are by far the largest component, at some 60 to 65 percent of the global total.
...This massive flow of illicit money out of Africa is facilitated by a global shadow financial system comprising tax havens, secrecy jurisdictions, disguised corporations, anonymous trust accounts, fake foundations, trade mispricing, and money laundering techniques. The impact of this structure and the funds it shifts out of Africa is staggering. It drains hard currency reserves, heightens inflation, reduces tax collection, cancels investment, and undermines free trade. It has its greatest impact on those at the bottom of income scales in their countries, removing resources that could otherwise be used for poverty alleviation and economic growth.
Existing research shows that African countries have experienced massive outflows of illicit capital mainly to Western financial institutions. (top page 10)How does one separate the global shadow financial system from Western financial institutions? Well, it seems one does not.
Mind you, this report comes out of a think tank. The paper describes common ways to cook books and transfer money out of Africa. It's all very very bad. Here's a current example. On page 8, they note that none of this begins to account for drug trafficking, human trafficking, the sex trade, etc. So actually the problem is much worse than stated. The report then goes on to talk about Meaningful Reform. We must have some Meaningful Reform.
waiting patiently for their Meaningful Reform
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Bring on that Meaningful Reform.The key issue discussed at the meeting, according to Estulin, was "the next step in globalization, which is the creation of the African Union." This is part of an unfolding agenda of the ceding of national sovereignty to unnacountable regional governments which can more easily administer and implement the aims of the financial oligarchs. One of these aims is the elite's exhaustively documented penchant for population reduction, including tying development aid to population control problems. "The creation of the borderless African continent will be spearheaded by the IMF."
Now, exactly as predicted, everyone from Kissinger to Soros is using the economic collapse to call for a new financial order of greater international (read: unelected, undemocratic and unaccountable) control over world financial markets.More Meaningful Reform...
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after her talks with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London on Thursday (1 April) that the two leaders had agreed to push for the bank levies to be agreed by the G20 group of the world's richest and fastest growing economies. Merkel said that the EU and the US should “go for a global approach at the G20 summit” to be held in Toronto in June....G20 finance ministers will meet in Washington on 22-23 April to discuss proposals from the International Monetary Fund on bank levies. US President Barack Obama has already called for a “financial crisis responsibility fee” to be levied on banks' assets. The 0.15% levy is expected to raise US$90 billion (€62.94bn) over ten years.Ahh, great idea. So perhaps they can arrange to pay a teeny tiny fee with a little chunk of all that stolen money and, and then they might carry on and on and on about how wonderful they are and selfless and ethical, and it's such a burden you know but they'll do it anyway. And then they'll turn around and raise customer fees to cover their "financial crisis responsibility fee," award themselves some bonuses and live happily ever after. Win win win!
^^^^^^^
But you will notice that when it comes to Africa, no matter how much wealth has been sucked out of that continent into the coffers of international bankers and corrupt people of The West, absolutely mind staggering amounts of wealth, the problem with Africa, we are told, is always the same: the people there can't get along.
Immediately a crisis breaks out in Africa, the Western media invokes the genie of ‘tribalism,’ or if they want to be politically ‘sensitive’ they use the term ‘ethnic.’And the corruption is "unbelievable" you know. !!! The AFRICAN corruption, just to be clear. According to Hillary Clinton. It breeds extremism you know. Like Patsy Underpants.
...Africa is at the mercy of Western propaganda and media conglomerates which relentlessly paint the Continent as one beset by poverty, crime, diseases and endless wars which has to be rescued by white aid workers and sanctimonious celebrities. ...Bad advice, meddlesome aid agencies and ‘charities,’ resource speculators and competing geopolitics have all served to exacerbate the sociopolitical fault lines in Africa caused by the wholesale adoption of Western political ideologies and values. As a result, Kenya and most African countries have developed societies headed by Westernized elites, negligible middle classes and a vast poverty-stricken majority that reaps very little of the benefits of economic growth.
...What is reprehensible is the cynical manner in which the people’s genuine anger has been orchestrated into ‘tribal conflict.’ That is the danger that Africa faces-unscrupulous leaders backed by foreign interests dividing their people in order to cling to power.
God only knows how those African leaders managed to get so corrupt. It is an enduring mystery. But you should really send some money down there or something, because the poor children are starving to death.
Comments
Whilst it is true that there is horrendous corruption in Africa by far it is corruption of blacks against blacks.
Even by removing all outside influence in Africa, the end result will be much the same, poverty, corruption and more poverty. It is the nature of that land and those that inhabitant it should be left to their own devices. Be it good or be it bad if they chose to live like flies then let them die like flies without any outside interference.
i don't believe that. i think it's the same problem we always have: the psychopaths vs the society of normal people. the paths in The West find the paths in africa and they all work together to make life miserable for everyone else. you get the paths out of the way, the vast majority of people will naturally cooperate. it's not a racial thing, it's a human / sub-human thing.
http://nwodaily.com/2009/11/common-denominators-minerals-and-psychopaths/
From your link, AP-
The experts tracked down 240 calls between German-based FDLR leader Ignance Murwanashyaka and militia commanders in Congo, while these commanders were in turn in touch with contacts in 25 countries in Europe and America.
Interesting how this paints the command structure for us! No mention of who else Ignance Murwanashyaka is talking to which would be even more interesting. I see the Catholic Church gets a guernsey in the 'rogues gallery', too. As if they haven't caused enough misery in Africa.
http://therearenosunglasses.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/the-right-of-might-religion-of-the-psychopaths-ruling-the-world/
All this seems to have been done in America so someone can work a forty hour day at the office they despise and hopefully save enough money so they can go out in the country and hunt fish, raise a garden and get away from the rat race they created.
I have some other news our civilization is unsustainable, most everything is running out. The future is war, starvation and disease.
that's a creepy picture and story of the queen also. thanks for the link.
On a serious note, the banking system really has most of the continent by the short and curlies. The cold war (what a sham that was) was used as the hammer and anvil to decimate any legitimate leaders. Why pay market price when it is cheaper to start a civil war or install a puppet regime. They may be brutal dictators – but they are OUR brutal dictators.
The deal was sealed by throwing lots of usurious IMF developments loans to our favourite dictators which would be instantly redirected to back into Swiss bank accounts. The banks got their money back and the lucky population were reduced to debt slaves in order to pay for all that International aid.
Anyone remember when those 2 great philosopher kings, Geldof and Bono, helped to negotiate a reduction in Africa’s foreign debt? No? Admittedly the timing of the false flag attack on London helped. I like this article – it clears away the BS on that ego trip.
http://www.spinwatch.org/-news-by-category-mainmenu-9/161-africa/1532-african-debt-war-and-imperialism-are-linked-why-bono-and-geldof-got-it-wrong
Sorry for the vitriol AP, I watched the video from Wikileaks this morning and I’m still steamed.
C
PS never trust any Mick who takes the Queens shilling
i will check out the link, thanks.
there's also a practice called 'booty futures':
Mining as well as oil and gas firms can sometimes be caught in the middle of civil conflicts. When rebels take possession of the area in which extractive operations take place they can levy protection charges on producers, run an extortion racket. To make sure that they are well understood by companies, rebel groups can threaten to/or damage expensive infrastructures.
On the other side of the coin some companies have benefitted from civil conflict and shaky state structures. One of the channels through which firms can take advantage of conflicts to further their interest is called a booty future. These occur when a rebel group acquire funds by selling advance rights to the extraction of minerals that they do not control but expect to control in the near-term. In this case firms are literally funding and furthering the conflict. The classic case of paying a bribe to officials in countries with weak governance structure and covering the payment as a “facilitation payment” is also part of firms’ opportunities.
http://justdigging.wordpress.com/category/democratic-republic-of-congo/
nice, huh?
No siree, just blame it on the people there.
I seem to remember that when Ghandi was asked as to his thoughts on Western Civilisation he thought it would be a good idea.
May we live to see it yet?
As a recovering Catholic and a new convert to the Hindi search, I don’t think that trick of Ghandi’s would be too good for my soul just yet.
AP – Ghandub! I like that LOL.
C
- Aangirfan.
AP your articles are always so elevating. I learn so much from them.Thaaaank you!
And your commentators.. what a lovely bunch of coconuts :P
A Red Cell Special Memorandum 11 March 2010
Afghanistan: Sustaining West European Support for the NATO-led Mission—Why Counting on Apathy Might Not Be Enough (C//NF)
The fall of the Dutch Government over its troop commitment to Afghanistan demonstrates the fragility of European support for the NATO-led ISAF mission.
Some NATO states, notably France and Germany, have counted on public apathy about Afghanistan to increase their contributions to the mission, but
indifference might turn into active hostility if spring and summer fighting results in an upsurge in military or Afghan civilian casualties and if a Dutch-style debate spills over into other states contributing troops. The Red Cell invited a CIA expert on strategic communication and analysts following public opinion at the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) to
consider information approaches that might better link the Afghan mission to the priorities of French, German, and other Western European publics. (C//NF)
Public Apathy Enables Leaders To Ignore Voters. . . (C//NF)
This memo was prepared by
the CIA Red Cell, which has
been charged by the Director
of Intelligence with taking a
pronounced "out-of-the-box"
approach that will provoke
thought and offer an
alternative viewpoint on the
full range of analytic issues.
Comments and queries are
welcome and may be directed
to the CIA Red Cell at (703)
482-6918 / 482-0169 or
44462/50127, secure. (C)
"This classified CIA analysis from March, outlines possible PR-strategies to shore up public support in Germany and France for a continued war in Afghanistan. After the dutch government fell on the issue of dutch troops in Afghanistan last month, the CIA became worried that similar events could happen in the countries that post the third and fourth largest troop contingents to the ISAF-mission. The proposed PR strategies focus on pressure points that have been identified within these countries. For France it is the sympathy of the public for Afghan refugees and women. For Germany it is the fear of the consequences of defeat (drugs, more refugees, terrorism) as well as for Germany's standing in the NATO. The memo is an recipe for the targeted manipulation of public opinion in two NATO ally countries, written by the CIA. It is classified as Confidential / No Foreign Nationals."
http://file.wikileaks.org/file/cia-afghanistan.pdf
As for some of the comments, didn't someone already say that the white man was the missing link between the savage ape and human beings?
C