America in Africa: Addressing a Mix of Islam and Oil

Amidst the lingering turbulence in the Middle East, US policymakers look to Africa as an alternative source of petroleum. Washington has launched military training operations in a number of African nations in an effort to combat Islamic terrorism and secure oil supplies. While there is no doubt that such military investments are necessary in the post-9/11 world, Ricardo Rene Laremont expresses concern that current US aid programs ignore areas such as education and health care, which indirectly affect national security. Moreover, he notes that traditional forms of Islam in Africa have never posed a big security risk to the interests of the US. Instead, he attributes a recent rise in violence to the failure of socioeconomic development. While some African nations may have benefited from globalization, many others have been left out and continue to struggle for basic needs. If the lack of development is correlated to the level of violence, Laremont argues that the US may be putting itself at risk by “avoiding the ‘soft power’ alternatives that are both available and inexpensive.” – YaleGlobal