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In Africa there is no such threat to "Western Civilization" or the politics of democracy.
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Now how does the war on terrorism fit in to this? Either it is a problem or it isn't. It has been suggested that Islamic fundamentalism is the enemy of the west, in a similar way to communism having been the enemy of the west. We know that Islamic fundamentalism finds easy purchase in areas of poverty. And we also know that fighting angry fundamentalists is an expensive venture.
The same geo-political drivers that helped make the Marshall plan a success in Europe are there today in Africa. It makes sense, for our own security, for our economy, and for their improved living conditions and continued development.
Parts of Africa are poor, parts of Africa are already hotbeds for terrorism, Bin Ladin used to have training camps in Sudan. Mugabe is already becoming a provincial Saddam. And there continues to be fighting in various areas of the region. It is in unstable areas that the draw of religious comforts is most strong - and where people are most easily persuadable to fight and die for an identified cause. Africa is all of these things - is it not better to spend our money now and save ourselves having to spend 100 times as much in some future conflict?