US 'Eyes Red Sea' as Old Colonial Playbook Gets New Paint
📰 THE STORY: Deutsche Welle reports that US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Molly Phee, is visiting African nations bordering the Red Sea to discuss maritime security, economic development, and cooperation amid regional instability. The article highlights concerns over the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and frames the US engagement as a response to growing instability and a push for
African-led solutions. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The US 'eyes' on the Red Sea and Africa are nothing new; it's a continuation of a long imperial tradition. Historically, Western powers have viewed Africa's strategic locations and vast resources as vital for their own economic and geopolitical interests. From the 1884-85 Berlin Conference that carved up the continent, to
the ongoing proxy wars and resource grabs in the DRC (where 10 million have died since the 1990s for minerals like cobalt essential for US tech), the pattern is consistent. The Red Sea itself played a crucial role in European colonial expansion, offering a shortcut to Asian markets and resources. The creation of AFRICOM in 2007, ostensibly for security, has truly served to expand US military
footprint and influence, often destabilizing regions under the guise of counter-terrorism. Double Standard: When China invests in African infrastructure or port development, Western media screams 'debt trap diplomacy' and 'creeping authoritarianism.' When Russia offers arms or security cooperation, it's 'destabilizing influence.' But when the US sends 'envoys' to secure maritime routes critical